Second Sunday in Advent: "Prepared by John for Jesus"

+ 2^nd Sunday in Advent – December 8, 2019 +

Series A: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

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

If Advent is about Jesus, our coming King, it’s also about preparation for his coming, his advent. God prepares us by sending John the Baptist, the forerunner, ahead of Jesus.

Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight”, he declares.

John is the voice crying out in same wilderness that Israel was led into during the Exodus. He’s standing in the same water Israel crossed to enter the Promised Land. And he’s preaching the same message Israel heard from the prophet Isaiah: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.” An old message to be sure, but with a new twist.

“Repent. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And if heaven is described as a kingdom, Jesus is the King. Jesus rules and reigns. And not like we expect, for his kingdom is not of this world. 

The kingdom or “reign of heaven” is God’s intervention in creation, his “reigning.” John announces that God is breaking into human history, invading a fallen world to rescue from captivity to sin, Satan, and death. The reign of heaven is God’s gracious activity for you.

That’s what John is doing out there in the desert, calling Israel – and us - out of slavery and bondage to sin and into a new land, a new exodus. For the Day has dawned. The King is coming. 

So John the Baptist prepares us for Jesus’ coming: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Many in faith heard John’s message and believed. “They were going out to him and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.”

Still others – like the Pharisees and Sadducees - had another answer. But John cuts them off. “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

All of Israel was in need of a bath. They were sinful and unclean. Whether by blood, birth, or obedience to the Law the religious leaders thought they were worthy of being called children of Abraham. They had it all backwards though. True children of Abraham aren’t given salvation as a reward, but as a gift. The stones John mentions were a euphemism for Gentiles. God will raise up from the Gentiles children of Abraham. Children of promise and grace. Just like Abraham.

What the Pharisees and Sadducees needed was a spiritual lobotomy. When it came to salvation they thought they had it all worked out: “Sure we’ve sinned a little here and there - but after all, we’re children of Abraham and we’ve kept the Law.” 

John’s warning is for us too. Repent. The kingdom of heaven is near. John’s voice is jarring, offensive even. To repent literally it means to have a new and changed mind, a new way of thinking. John calls us to repent of our prideful goodness and repent of our sinful badness.

Like the Pharisees and Sadducees we need a new mind. And that is precisely what Jesus works in us in Baptism: he works repentance, faith, and a new mind in us. John’s preaching of repentance prepares us for the kingdom and reign of God which is coming and is ours in Jesus.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The people of Israel expected the Messiah to rule and reign as king, to conquer and destroy, to judge, and save. And Jesus certainly does all of those things, just not as he expected to. King Jesus was born in a lowly feeding trough in a lowly town of Bethlehem and grow up in the lowliness of Nazareth. King Jesus conquers and destroys by being conquered and killed in death on the cross. King Jesus is judged in our place. The axe of God’s wrath is laid upon the Root of Jesse, not us. Jesus reigns as King from his crib and his cross for you.

Jesus brings us the joy of the Gospel after John’s Law has exposed our valleys of weakness and brought our mountains of pride to rubble. Jesus comes in humility and weakness. Jesus submits Himself to John’s baptism of repentance even though He has no need of repentance. Instead of an axe and a winnowing fork, Jesus comes with the nails and wood of his cross. Instead of coming in judgment, He comes to be judged. King Jesus dies and we, and all his subjects live in Him.

That’s how John prepares us for Jesus’ Advent. He’s the butler preparing us for an exquisite banquet. Off with the old rags of sin and on with the new and holy robes Christ gives us. Your sin is stripped and you are clothed in Christ. You are baptized, washed, and cleansed. And now you’re ready for the Advent feast.

After all, Advent isn’t only about repentance. It’s also about bearing fruit. This Advent bear fruit in the pattern of John’s exhortation: hear the Word of the Lord – in church and around the dinner table with your families. Bear fruit in confessing your sins and receiving the Advent of Jesus in His body and blood. Bear fruit in showing mercy and compassion to others: a card, a phone call, a visit, a word of encouragement. God loves a cheerful giver. And you know why? Because He is the biggest giver of all. 

John’s words still ring true today: The kingdom of heaven is near. The gracious reign of Jesus is near. Today God breaks into human history; heaven invades earth. The reign of heaven comes as Christ feeds you with his own kingly flesh and his royal, precious blood.

You’ve been washed by water and the Spirit. You’re robed and swaddled in the finest garments of Christ’s salvation. All is prepared. The feast is ready. Christ your King draws near.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

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

In Memoriam - Shirley Olive: "Christ Our Servant"

+ In Memoriam – Shirley Olive + 

December 7, 2019

Mark 10:45

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 

If I were to ask you what greatness is, or looks like, what images or ideas would come to mind? Take a moment and think. What is greatness?

For some, I imagine, greatness is measured by one’s wealth, influence, or power. For others, greatness is measured by success, by winning awards, collecting trophies and the like. Still for others, greatness is measured by skill, a display of force, or by feats of strength. This is what greatness often looks like in the world, and in our day dreams as well.

In the kingdom of God, greatness however, looks far different. One day as Jesus was teaching his disciples, they asked him who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And to their surprise – and ours – Jesus didn’t mention a word about wealth, power, or strength. No. According to Jesus, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” According to Jesus, greatness is found in being last and least, and a servant of all.

As Jesus will say a chapter later in Mark 10, even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.  

God’s view of greatness, you see, is the exact opposite of what we expect. We expect power, strength, and self-reliance. Instead, Jesus says greatness is found hidden in his death on the cross, where his victory is hidden in his suffering and death. His glory is hidden in humility. His strength hidden in weakness. His power wrapped in sacrificial service in giving his life for you, as he did for Shirley.

And so, when I sat down with Dale and Diane in preparation for today’s service for our dear sister in Christ, Shirley, they told me many things about her. About her kindness. Care. Compassion and love, and so much more. But it all came back to that word that Jesus says is great: being a servant. 

From what I’ve heard about her, that was the theme of Shirley’s life. Shirley was a servant. Whether she was at home, in her neighborhood, at church, she was busy serving her family, friends, neighbors, and brothers and sisters in Christ. “How can I help?” she was fond of saying. 

Now, the world around us may not see being a servant as all that great of a thing, but according to Jesus’ words, it’s the greatest. And Shirley, I think, would be the first to tell us that her service was only great because there was someone whose service and life was far greater than her own, that of our Lord, the servant of all. You see, Shirley loved and served because Christ first loved and served her, as he does for each of you, by laying down his life to ransom, rescue, and redeem you.

Shirley’s love of serving others was born from Jesus’ love and service for her in his word and promise, the fruit of faith graciously given to her. Shirley’s love for others came from Jesus who served her in calling her his holy, beloved child in Baptism, who served her his body and blood at his holy table, who served her – as he does for each of us – by laying down his life to save us. 

That means that greatness looks like Jesus born in a humble manger for you. Greatness looks like Jesus who spent his in serving others: healing the sick, raising the dead, eating and drinking with sinners. Greatness looks like Jesus dying on the cross for you. Greatness looks like Jesus who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for Shirley, and for you. 

Greatness looks like… Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Greatness looks like Jesus raising us from our lowly humble graves on the Last Day, where we will join Shirley and all the faithful departed in an eternal divine service before the Lamb who is slain and yet lives. 

For Shirley and for you, true greatness is found in Jesus’ selfless, self-giving, sacrificial love with which he serves you, now and forever.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Advent Midweek 1: "Mountains of the Lord"

+ Advent Midweek 1 – December 4, 2019 +

Isaiah 2:1-5

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

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

Here in the Pacific Northwest, mountains are an important part of our lives. We depend on mountains for our weather and geography; they provide water, recreation, and navigation. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking a moment to behold the beauty and wonder of Mt. Rainier or the Olympics on a clear day. “Live like the mountain is out,” says a mural in downtown Sumner. 

Throughout Scripture, mountains are an important part of the lives of God’s people as well. Think of everything God does for his people on mountains, revealing his presence, promise, and peace.

On Mt. Moriah, the Lord by provided a ram for the sacrifice and spared Isaac, Abraham’s son, his only son whom he loved.

On Mt. Horeb, the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush, gave Israel his name – I AM WHO I AM, YHWH, and promised to deliver Moses and Israel from slavery in Egypt.

On Mt. Sinai, the Lord met Moses and Israel once again. In the cloud and smoke and glory of Sinai, the Lord delivered his word that thundered with the Law. And yet God also delivered his holy covenant. His promise. To dwell with Israel and bless them by his holy name.

Years later, in the land YHWH had promised, in Jerusalem, atop the very mountain where Isaac was spared, the Lord provided sacrifices once again to atone for sin in the temple on Mt. Zion. As a prophet called to preach to Israel and Jerusalem, Isaiah lays out God’s promises in his writings like the Cascade Range, one mountain after another, promise after promise after promise.

It shall come to pass in the latter days  that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains,   and shall be lifted up above the hills;

In Isaiah’s day, the earthly Mt. Zion (Jerusalem, the temple) was the place of God’s presence, promise, and peace for his people, standing as signpost, pointing them forward to the greater heavenly Mt. Zion and eternal house of the Lord. Yet Israel continually wandered off the path, into the darkness, away from God’s word and promises. So the Lord sent Isaiah to call Israel away from their rebellion, to repentance and restoration.

God sends Isaiah to us for the same reason. Like Israel, God’s word reveals that in our sinful flesh we are constantly fighting and rebelling against our Lord. That we wander away from his Word into the darkness. That his peace is not in always our hearts and minds. That we have not loved the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, nor have we loved our neighbors as ourselves. Like Israel, Sinai thunders in our ears and we find ourselves buried under an avalanche of our own trespasses.

And yet, as mountainous as our sin is, our Lord’s mountain of peace is far greater. For he does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love for you. As we journey through the Scriptures, we discover that mountains are more than heaps of rock, minerals, and earth. Mountains are where God reveals and delivers his presence, promise, and peace. A peace that comes to us now, and is yet to come. 

God’s peace comes to us now in Jesus who descended from his heavenly Mt. Zion to join us under the weight of our sin and in the rubble of Sinai. Jesus began his ministry teaching on the mountainsides of Judea. Jesus was transfigured on Mt. Tabor foretelling his greater glory of his death and resurrection to come. Jesus was went up Mt. Calvary taking our sin and death heaped upon himself, to be crucified on the mountain for our mountains of iniquity. Jesus is lifted up on that mountain so that we who are brought low in sin are exalted. Jesus is buried under rock and earth in our tomb so that when he raises us from the dead, we’ll dwell with him eternally on holy Mt. Zion. Jesus is judged for in our place to fill us with his promise and peace. Next to Jesus on Mt. Calvary, our sin is nothing more than an anthill crushed under his feet. 

Jesus is the greater Isaac, the sacrifice the Lord provides for you on his holy mountain. Jesus is the great I AM in human flesh born to deliver you from the slavery of sin. Jesus is the very presence, promise, and peace of God incarnate for you. The thunder, terror, and judgment of Mt. Sinai is quieted by Jesus’ sacrifice on Mt. Calvary. He bore the avalanche of God’s wrath over our sin. Jesus suffered the terrors of sin and death for us. Jesus was judged on the mountain in our place. And Jesus’ death for us on Mt. Calvary leads us to the heavenly Mt. Zion promised in Isaiah. 

It shall come to pass in the latter days  that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains,   and shall be lifted up above the hills. all the nations shall flow to it, says Isaiah,  and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,  to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the Torah (God’s Word), and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

This is no ordinary mountain. This is the mountain of the Lord. The place where YHWH dwells with his people. The place where all other mountains in Scripture lead. The place where YHWH’s promise and presence is known, not temporarily like at Sinai or the earthly Zion. This is an eternal, unshakeable, everlasting, heavenly mountain. A mountain where we are at peace with God forever. A mountain where God gathers all nations to receive his presence, promise, and peace. 

Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection has made the way to the mountain and house of the Lord safe for you. Jesus has traveled the road for you. Even now, Jesus carries you with him from Sinai, through Calvary, to Mt. Zion. This Advent, in his holy house, on this mountain of the Lord, the Light of Christ shines forth for us in Jesus’ Word, Water, Body and Blood. For now, we see this Mt. Zion by faith, one days by sight. 

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

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

First Sunday in Advent: "Certainty in Uncertainty"

+ First Sunday in Advent – December 1^st, 2019 +

Series A: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

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

At the beginning of The Hobbit, the reader is introduced to Tolkien’s beloved character, Bilbo Baggins, who, on the one hand prefers the simple things of life: good food, good drink, good pipe smoke, and the comforts of his hobbit hole. And who, on the other hand, longs for an adventure. 

We’re no different, really. We like to be certain about things: what the weather’s like, when your Amazon package will be delivered, that little piece of chocolate we know is hiding behind the door on the Advent calendar.

And yet we also like a little bit of uncertainty in life, at least the good kind. The unexpected phone call from a friend. The new restaurant that looked a bit sketchy but turned out to have amazing fish and chips. Or, the excitement of those unknown treasures under the Christmas tree. So, whether you think of yourself as a planner or the spontaneous type, the truth is, like Bilbo Baggins, we’re often a mix of certainty and uncertainty.

Welcome to the strange, yet beautiful, season of Advent. It’s a season of comfort and joy in Christ who comes, that’s what that little word Advent means. And so, Advent is the Church’s “back to the future” season. We look backwards in the rearview, to Jesus’ first coming in humility – in the Virgin Mary’s womb, in the manger, a home in Nazareth, the suffering servant on the cross. We also look forward to the future - the shout from heaven, the archangel’s trumpet, the clouds, judgment, resurrection, the power and the glory. And as we’re looking backward and forward, Jesus comes to us in the present, his great glory under simple, ordinary, humble words, water, bread and wine.

On this first Sunday in Advent, we’re reminded that this blessed paradox of the certain and the uncertain is at the heart of the Advent season. Listen to the words of Isaiah, St. Paul, and Jesus:

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days, Isaiah declares.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand, St. Paul proclaims.

Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming, Jesus announces. Jesus will return. The Day of the Lord, the consummation of this age will come. Jesus uses the word Parousia to describe his coming, his return in glory. Jesus is coming again. He promises. The Day is coming. It will happen. It’s certain.

And yet, Jesus reminds us, there’s also a certain uncertainty about his Parousia, his second coming. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Jesus repeats this theme throughout his end times teaching. His coming will be sudden, unknowable, unexpected, uncertain, at least from our perspective. Therefore, he instructs his disciples, and us, watch, wait, be ready. Advent is a season of patient watching and waiting. St. Paul has us imagine the hours of early morning, just before the alarm goes off. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. You open one eye, it’s still dark, but there’s a glint of light on the horizon. You want to roll over and go back to sleep, but it’s time to wake up. Get ready. Your King is coming to you. Salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. 

His coming will be, Jesus says, will be as the days of Noah were, “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Now, wait a minute, you might be thinking. Where’s Gabriel, Zechariah, or John the Baptist? I thought this was Advent. What’s Noah doing here? What does the flood have to with Advent?

The point of comparison is this: Jesus’ coming will be sudden and without warning, just as the flood was. Life was business as usual. So too, the timing of Jesus’ return is unexpected, unknowable, and uncertain. So you can safely, and confidently ignore anyone who claims to have some secret code or know the date. They don’t.

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Watch. Wait. Prepare. Be ready. “But how?” we wonder. Because if it’s up to us to prepare, wait, and watch, let’s be honest, we’re failures and procrastinators. We grow complacent, we’re prone to nodding off, like the disciples in. We’re so full of worries, fears, doubts, sin, and death that anything we do is far too uncertain.

Thankfully, it’s not up to us. We wait, watch, and prepare all by God’s grace, just like Noah. Jesus prepares us. He makes us ready. His Word keeps us awake and our eyes watchful for his coming. His absolution keeps us prepared in his forgiveness. His holy supper feeds us and sustains us on our pilgrimage. We stay awake by receiving his gifts to us in his word, his forgiveness, his body and blood. We stay awake by loving one another, by reflecting Jesus’ light in the darkness. We “walk properly, as in the day…and to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.” 

Amidst all the uncertainties of Jesus’ coming, Jesus’ promises are certain. His death and resurrection for you is certain. His body and blood shed for you is certain. His gift of faith in you by water, word, and the Holy Spirit is certain. 

In Christ you are already prepared for his coming. You are baptized. You are clothed with Christ. You are children of the light and of the Day. Your sin, with all its uncertainties and unholiness, has been drowned in the flood of Jesus’ word and water at the font. In Christ, you are like Noah, tucked safe in the holy ark of his church while the wicked world around you is swept away and drowned. In Christ, you are brought through all the uncertainties of this world - the hurts, pains, sin, and death – to a new heaven and a new earth where you are made a new creation. 

Once He came; soon He comes. Once He came by way of a Virgin mother; soon He comes with the angels. Once He came by way of the crib and cross; soon He comes with the glory of heaven. Once He came riding atop a borrowed donkey; soon He comes with clouds descending. Once He came as a beggar King; soon He comes as the King of kings. Once He came to die; soon He comes to raise the dead. Once He came in weakness; soon He comes in power. Once He came to be judged; soon He comes to judge. Once He came to save us; soon He comes to give us salvation.

That’s the spirit of this the Advent season. Advent sets our eyes on the horizon, on the rising sun, on the coming King, on the mountain of the Lord. 

A blessed Advent season to each of you…

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

In Memoriam - Carol Samek-McKinlay: "Lasting Words"

+ In Memoriam - Carol Samek-McKinlay - November 30, 2019 +

Luke 2:25-32; John 10:11-16

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

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

A person’s first words are usually a memorable and important experience, and for good reason.  Parents, grandparents, family, and friends recall with joy the first time a child says, “mama”, or “dada”, “Ga, or Gampa”. 

A person’s final words are important as well. In fact, they can tell you a lot about that person. Take St. Paul for example, in his parting words to Timothy. 

 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Paul knew what was coming. He knew his departure, his death, was near. And yet Paul gives Timothy, and all who hear his words, a message of comfort in his final words. Great words of faith that reveal the greater faithfulness of our Lord Jesus. In the midst of death, Jesus is his life, and ours, just as he is Carol’s life. And our life, just as it was for St. Paul, is entirely wrapped up in Jesus’ life because of his dying and rising for us.

Or consider another man early on in Luke’s Gospel named Simeon. St. Luke says he “was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 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.” 

And then one day, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into the temple. Simeon saw God’s promise with his own eyes, and held God’s faithfulness in his own hands. Much like we and Carol and God’s baptized children see and receive God’s promises here in the Lord’s holy house. And seeing all that, Simeon was ready to die.

Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Simeon’s last words were ones of hope, consolation, and peace in Jesus.

Or perhaps you recall Jesus’ last words on the cross: It is finished. His work of redeeming, rescuing, and saving was done. Complete. Fulfilled. He had finished the race, accomplished his goal, carrying Carol, you, and me across the finish line on his back and his outstretched, crucified arms. Jesus’ last words on the cross give us comfort, consolation, and confidence, even in death.

This is also the confidence that our Lord gave his dearly beloved, baptized child Carol, throughout her earthly life, and in her last days. As I met with Rick and Cheryl they recalled for me some of Carol’s last words. “Lord, I’m ready to die now, please”, she said. 

Some may hear those words and be saddened or grieved. But those are words of joy, not sadness, hope, not despair, confidence in Christ’s power over death, comfort in his gift of eternal life; and consolation in Jesus’ death and resurrection, which we, and Carol, and all the faithful in Christ share in by his grace. 

Carol’s last words remind me a great deal of Paul’s words of confidence in Jesus, and of Simeon’s words of trust in God’s promises. They are words that point us, who mourn to the One who gave Carol such great faith, countless earthly blessings, so many beloved family and friends. Carol’s words point us to Jesus.

For Jesus, too, was ready to die - from the moment he drew his first earthly breath to time when he breathed out his last on the cross, indeed Scripture says even from all eternity, Jesus was ready to die, for Carol, for you, for me.

Jesus our Good Shepherd was ready to lay down his life for us wayward sheep. As our Lord says in John’s Gospel: 

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

From our first words to our last words, Jesus words bring us comfort, as they did for Carol throughout her earthly life and in her last hours. Words of promise that we cling to like Simeon, St. Paul, and Carol - the sure and certain word that promises resurrection of our mortal bodies to life immortal and everlasting. Words of life that Jesus delivers to us from the cross to the font, the altar, in his Word - words that will raise us from the dead as easily as Jesus raised up Lazarus from his grave. Words of hope and joy that will fill our hearts, minds, ears, and mouths, not only in this life, but for all eternity. As we join Carol and all the faithful  departed in singing praises to the Lamb who was slain and yet lives, the Shepherd who laid down his life for Carol and for you.

Today, when words might be difficult to say because of grief or sadness. Fear not. Jesus our Good Shepherd has plenty of words - eternal unending words - and promises to fill your ears, hearts, minds, and mouths with today, and always. He did that for Carol. And he’ll do that for you too. For you, and for Carol, Jesus has the first and the last, and the abiding word.

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 

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

Sermon for Thanksgiving Day: "The Lord Remembers"

+ Day of Thanksgiving – November 28^th, 2019 +

Deuteronomy 8:1-10; Philippians 4:6-20; Luke 17:11-19

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

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

If New Year’s is about making resolutions and the future, Thanksgiving is about remembering and the past. As we sit around the table, pass the stuffing, load up our potatoes with gravy, and reach for our favorite dark or light turkey meat, we remember.

There are the joyful memories: new friends at school; added family members around the table; kindness of friends, family, or complete strangers; simple moments of life, love, and laughter shared with your spouse. Even the ordinary things of daily bread: food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, beloved pets and good friends.

Sadly, there are painful memories too: an empty chair or two around the table where grandma or grandma, or mom or dad once sat; words spoken that were better left unsaid; illness in body or mind that just won’t seem to go away or get better.

Thankfully, our Lord gives us memories that are far greater than even our best memories, and far deeper and more comforting than even our most painful memories. These are the memories of God’s mercy and grace. The love of Christ shown to us in simple act of kindness by a friend or a stranger. God’s word of forgiveness shared and reconciliation made with friends or family. Jesus’ daily work of drowning our sin in and raising us to new life in our Baptism. The Holy Spirit who dwells with you and in you and points you to Jesus. Even the simple things ordinary bread and wine where Jesus feeds us an extraordinary feast of forgiveness in his body and blood.

Yes, Thanksgiving is a day of remembering.

This is what Moses is saying to Israel, and to us, in Deuteronomy 8: you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness

Moses reminds Israel who they are, where they came from, and everything the Lord had done for them. Remember, Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Remember the Passover lamb whose blood covered your doorpost. Remember how the Lord parted the Red Sea, drowned Pharaoh and his army, and rescued you from slavery in Egypt. Remember the water from the rock, the manna and the quail. Remember the Lord who spoke to you at Sinai, and made his covenant and promise with you. Remember that man shall not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. And above all, remember the Lord who has done all this for you by his grace. For I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of slavery.

Today, God is telling us the same thing through Moses’ words. Remember who you are, where you have come from, and everything the Lord has done for you. Remember how God sent you a prophet greater than Moses – His only begotten Son Jesus – to die and rise for you. Remember how Jesus’ side was split open like the rock, pouring out blood and water into the chalice and the font for you. Remember how he calls you and names you his holy child in water, word, by the Holy Spirit. Remember how Christ our Passover Lamb was sacrificed for us. Remember how he feeds you, a pilgrim and stranger in this land, with his own body and blood, precious manna from heaven. Remember the Lord who does all this for you by his grace.

Thanksgiving is a day of remembering. 

And yet, as good as it is for us to remember, it is far better that God remembers. We may even foolishly think, like Israel did time and time again in the wilderness, that God has forgotten us. Or fear that the Lord won’t provide for us as he promised. Like Israel, we often fail to remember that anything good we have is all God’s doing. We forget.

Not so with the Lord. The Lord never forgets you. Never fails to remember you. He always remembers. Always keeps his promises. Always gives us what we need and more. For God to remember is for God to act. When Scripture says “the Lord remembered Israel, or David, and so forth” it’s not that God was simply thinking nice thoughts about his people. No. more than that. For God to remember is for God to act on behalf of his people. 

Remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness…

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills;  a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey;  a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.  When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

God did not forget Israel, neither will he forget you. The Lord remembered. He acted. He brought Israel into the good land where they settled. Generation after generation, through judges, kings, and prophets, through exile and return, the Lord remembered again and again and again, until that great, glorious day when the Lord who led Israel in the wilderness took on human flesh to save us.

And what’s truly remarkable is that the Lord who knows all, sees all, and remembers all, promises to remember our sin no more. He takes all our forgetfulness of his promises, all our failures to keep his Word, all our sinful and selfish fears, our thoughts, words, and deeds – he takes it all, heaps it on His Son Jesus, who dies on the cross for us, buries it all in his tomb, and rises again. All so that he will remember our sin no more.

God gives and we receive. So we remember the Lord best by receiving his gifts. Jesus’ daily bread on our table, and his: true bread of life come down from heaven to earth to feed you in this wilderness. Jesus’ word, water, and promise to give you an eternal garment that will never wear out in your Baptism. Jesus’ word that will feed you, satisfy you, and give you life.

So as you’re scooping the green bean casserole and hosing down your pumpkin pie with cool whip, remember that Thanksgiving is a day of remembering. God’s redeeming, rescuing, and remembering you in his Son Jesus crucified and risen. 

A blessed Thanksgiving day to each of you…

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

Sermon for the Last Sunday of the Church Year: "Hope in Jesus Crucified"

+ Last Sunday of the Church Year - November 24, 2019 +

Series C: Malachi 3:13-18; Colossians 1:13-20; Luke 23:27-43

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

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

10.9 earthquakes and towering tsunamis. Nuclear winter or World War 3. Alien invaders, a zombie apocalypse, or apes taking over the planet. That’s what we usually hear when people talk about the end of the world. Lots of hype and hysteria. But far too little hope.

We live in a hopeless world: pessimism over politics on every side of the aisle. Despair over illness in our own lives and those of our families and friends. Worries over family members and finances. Doubts about whether or not Jesus is even going to return some day, much less take care of me today.

The antidote, some would say, is simply to be more optimistic. Turn that frown upside down. Don’t worry, be happy. It’ll get better. Hakuna Matata, and so on. 

Reminds me a little bit of the old joke, or some variation of it. The optimist says his beer mug is half full. The pessimist says his beer mug is half empty. The realist says his beer mug needs a refill.

There’s a difference though isn’t there, between optimism and hope, at least when it comes to God’s Word. Optimism isn’t the same thing as hope. Optimism (or pessimism for that matter) is often about how you perceive things. Hope for the Christian, however, is the way things are even if you don’t see them. Take ourselves for example. When we look at ourselves – honestly, through the lens of God’s Word – we join Paul in confessing “oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death. And yet when God the Father looks at us through the cross, he no longer sees me the sinner, but the blood of his Son Jesus crucified for me, and for you. This is why seeing isn’t always believing. But hearing is. Hearing the Word of Christ. That anchor holds. 

Today on this last Sunday of the Church year, Jesus speaks and delivers his sure and certain hope into our hopeless world. Hope anchored in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Hope as we long for Jesus’ glorious return. Hope as we await the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting. 

When the Scriptures speak of hope, it’s not in the form of wishful thinking or wistful daydreams, but in sure and certain promises. The kind of hope God gave Israel and gives us through the prophet Malachi, “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

The kind of hope God gives us through St. Paul’s words in Colossians 1. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

The kind of hope Jesus gives to the criminal on the cross next to him as he is crucified for the life of the world. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”  Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

No one in the ancient world would’ve looked at that scene and described it as hopeful. Darkness and thick clouds. Three men suffering the horror and anguish of crucifixion. Beaten. Weary. Dying. And yet, this is the where the thief found true and lasting hope, in Jesus crucified. 

Here’s a man whose life did not merit the Kingdom. He’s utterly hopeless were it not for Jesus. And yet, when Jesus speaks, the thief is born anew to a living hope where all human hope and optimism had perished. 

Hope to a dying thief pinned on a Roman cross for his crimes who cried out: “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”. The Lord meets that prayer with a sure answer: “Today, you will be with Me in paradise.”

The same is true of us. When we look at the world around us, when we look at ourselves, we find no hope. We have nothing to cling to. Along with the faithful criminal, we confess that we’re under the same condemnation. For the wages of sin is death.

But here’s the important difference. In Jesus, we do not receive the due rewards of our deeds. We don’t get what we deserve. Just the opposite in fact! In Jesus crucified we get what we don’t deserve. Jesus takes our punishment and we go free. Jesus who knew no sin is made sin for us. Jesus dies our death and we live. Jesus takes all of our depravity, doubt, despair, disease, death – everything that causes us such hopelessness – and he delivers us hope in his death and resurrection. Jesus saves others by not saving Himself. Jesus saves sinners by dying for them. Jesus justifies the ungodly. Jesus saves the unsaveable and redeems the irredeemable.

In the waters of your Baptism, Jesus joins you as surely as he did that thief on the cross – with all the saving power and grace of his dying and rising – and he says to you the same words. Today you will be with me in paradise. In his word of absolution, resounding from the cross and the Last Day to our ears in this very today. Today you are forgiven all your sins. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive Jesus’ body and blood that fill us and feed us with hope in the forgiveness of sins. And that cup is not half empty, or half full, but spilling, running, and flowing over the brim with the faith, hope, and love of Jesus crucified for you.

In the changes and chances of this mortal world, our hearts are fixed where true joy and hope is found. For the criminal on the cross. For you and for me, and for all. The cross of Jesus is where our hope is found.  

On this, the last Sunday of the church year, we live in the hope that prayed earlier in the collect of the day, “Lord Jesus Christ, you reign among us by the preaching of your cross.” In these last days, surrounded so often by pain and pessimism, by sin, suffering, and death, Jesus gives us hope in the midst of death. Hope that our Savior rules not in spite of the cross, but through it. 

The cross of Jesus is where our hope is found.  Today, on the Last Day, and every day until our Lord returns. Amen. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

A blessed Last Sunday of the church year to each of you…

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