Tuesday, March 31, 2009 – Peter who denies out of fear – Luke 22:54-62

Peter gave it scarce a thought
When he God rejected;
At Christ’s look, he fled, distraught,
Weeping and dejected…

When Peter would eventually deny the Savior he thought he was only finding a limb on which to climb. It was for him a way of “saving face.” “I wasn’t really denying my Lord,” he could argue, “It was merely a case of “mistaken identity.” Peter said to the crowd, “You’re talking to the wrong man!” What happens in our life? – Do we give a “false witness” when we, for example, compromise clear Biblical principles in order to fit in at work, or at school? What price will we pay to acquire acceptance, approval, acquiescence?

Have there been instances in our lives when we have not acted as becomes a child of God? Each of us can recall those moments in our lives in which we are not proud! Peter’s’ denial crushed him – but what he found was restoration by the Savior!

Peter’s freedom came at a price – the price of Jesus’ life. To be crushed by conscience and the Law is never a pleasant thing. But Christ’s redemption leads to recovery – to be reconciled to the Father and also to each other – all has been made possible by the Saviour’s amazing grace!

Jesus fix Thy gaze on me,
True repentance teach me,
When Thou evil there doth see,
Through my conscience reach me.

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Time in the Word - Palm Sunday

Almighty and everlasting God the Father, who sent Your Son to take our nature upon Him and to suffer death on the cross that all mankind should follow the example of His great humility, mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ in His patience and also have our portion in His resurrection; through Jesu Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The theme for Palm Sunday reminds us that Lent is a time of opportunity. Our lessons ask us to come to a decision as we ponder who is this Jesus who comes riding on a donkey through the streets of Jerusalem. In the Old Testament lesson (Zechariah 9:9-10) - our king comes with a promise. In the Epistle lesson (Philippians 2:5-11) in humility Christ came to earth to die. In the Gospel lesson (John 20:20-43) Christ came to Jerusalem to be king. The Psalms and hymn for the day fill in to round out this basics theme. On Sunday Christ has hailed as King and Lord. By Friday He would be dead. Yet in His rejection do we find life eternal, peace and rest. We are preparing for the most important weeks of the Church Year. The cross is coming into clear focus. What do you think of Jesus? How you answer this question will determine you destiny.

Monday, 30 March 2009—Psalm 24:7-10; antiphon, Psalm 118:26— In the antiphon the Psalmist echoes the cries of the crowd on that first Palm Sunday, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The long sought after King has finally arrived. Along with the children and crowd we hail Jesus as King and God forever.

Tuesday, 31 March 2009—Psalm 118:19-29 key verse v.26 — Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the housed of the Lord we bless you. The one who with God’s help has defeated the enemies is blessed. Yet as we look deeper at this passage we will see that it is written in the plural and of course, this makes it a reference to God and to Christ in particular. When the crowd would quote these verses upon Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday we see Divine prophecy being fulfilled.

Wednesday, 1 April 2009—Zechariah 9:9-12— Israel shall rejoice over the coming of a humble, victorious and peaceful king. God’s judgment is coming upon Israel’s wicked neighbors, but God as King will come to Israel. This is cause for loud rejoicing. He is coming as a humble king, symbolized by his riding on an ass. He is coming to conquer Israel’s enemies, and peace will result. In fulfillment of this, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on an ass and presents Himself to the nation as their king to the waving of palms and to the tune of hosannas.

Holy week with its horrors and tragedies begins with a shout of joy – “Rejoice”…”Shout aloud.” Even in the depth of pain and gore, there is a joy. Jesus endures the cross for the joy that was set before Him. The joy is that the Savior is coming to die for our sins and to assume kingship over our lives.

The Messiah comes on an ass, not on a mighty horse. An ass is a humble animal and symbolizes peace. The ass carried the Christ to the people. Today we can serve as asses to carry Christ to the world. To do so we must be humble.

Thursday, 1 April 2009—Philippians 2:5-11— Jesus’ humiliation and God’s exaltation of Him. Paul is pleading for unity in the Philippian congregation. He uses Jesus as an example of humility. In this passage Paul shows the dual reality of the humanity and divinity of Jesus. His deity is indicated in the words “in the form of God” and “equality with God.” His humanity is expressed in the phrases, “emptied himself,” “the likeness of men,” “in human form,” “obedient unto death.”

This humility, obedience, and self-renunciation led to Christ’s exaltation by God who gave him a name above all names – “Lord”. It is God’s will that every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

As a result of this horrible death, God honors Jesus with not a name but with “the name.” In Biblical thinking a name denotes the nature and character of the person. The name given to Jesus was “Lord” which every tongue is to confess and before which every knew is to bow.

Paul claims that Jesus before the Incarnation was on an equality with God – “very God of very God,” as the Creed says. If He were equal with God, there was no need for Jesus to grasp any honor, authority, or power. This is a confession of the deity of Jesus Christ.

Friday, 3 April 2009—John 12:12-19— This is the accounting of Christ’s entry into the city of Jerusalem. Prophecy is being fulfilled. The King is being hailed. The very stones cry out if the crowd is silenced. The religious authorities will have nothing of it. They will see to it that Jesus is destroyed and His praises silenced. Soon His sufferings will begin but for this day we shall worship Him along with the crowd as our Savior and Lord.

Saturday, 4 March 2009— Psalm 24:7-9 - The hymn of the Day, All Glory, Laud and Honor – {LSB 442} The Lord Almighty the Lord mighty in battle has triumphed over all his enemies and comes now in victory to his own city. This is what Jesus proclaimed on the day of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Tomorrow we worship our Savior as Lord, Christ and King. Worship at its best happens when Christ is the focal point of our praise.

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing Lima, OH

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden (The Book of Books in Pictures).

Monday, March 30, 2009 –Judas one who betrayed Him for a Price – Luke 22:1-6

What are we to feel about Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus and handed him over to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver? Do we despise him for what he did, or do we pity him as a hapless player fulfilling the prophesy of King David in Ps. 41? Did he do this traitorous thing out of jealousy, or greed? Was he a disciple for the wrong reason, hoping for a powerful position in an earthly kingdom? Whatever his precise motivation, Judas—one of Christ’s chosen twelve—ended up going in a terribly wrong direction. In Luke 22 we learn that “…Satan entered into Judas…and he went away and discussed with the chief priests…how he might betray Him to them.” So Satan found in Judas a weakness, a character defect that allowed him the perfect opening to do his work.

And how does this make Judas different from any one of us? Are we not at times guilty of greed, of dishonesty, of jealousy, of seeking power even if that means hurting someone? Judas great sin may have handed Jesus over to His death, but our own sins, great and small, nailed him to the cross and pierced his side. What a wonder that each of us contributed to His death, yet we needed Him to die so that we might live!

So Judas was really one of us, just one more sinner contributing to the awful suffering and death of our Savior. The difference is that Judas faith was too weak to fight Satan’s assault. When he realized that Jesus really was going to be sentenced to death—that He would not use His almighty power to escape or destroy His captors—Judas was repentant and wanted to return the money. But he did not understand that Jesus was going to die even for him. So rather than throwing himself at the foot of the cross and asking for Christ’s forgiveness he took his own life in despair.

God grant us vigilance in our lives that we may not open our hearts to Satan’s power, and strength in our faith that we may never underestimate the bounds of His love and forgiveness.

-Jim Heckman

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Way to go Sparty

So my brackets didn't work out as planned. Actually had five of the elite eight then everything fell apart. Since MSU is now in the final four I have to go with "State" Ironic enough Michigan State won the NCAA tournament thirty years ago in 1979 when Magic went up against Bird from Indiana State. And to be playing in Detroit how sweet is that if you're an MSU alum or fan?

The official logo of the NCAA 2009 Division 1 national championship © NCAA

Lent 5 - John 12:20-33

The hour for Jesus has come. He recognized that fact. It was the hour of death but it was also an hour of glory. By His death, God would be glorified, for God’s plan of salvation would be fulfilled. When the Greeks came to see Jesus, He was the pan people wanted to see, hear, and know. As we approach Holy Week with the passion, trials, and death of Jesus, we focus on Jesus as the man of the hour.

Behold the man of the hour –

1. The wanted Jesus – Vv. 20-22 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

God’s glory was the dominating purpose of Christ’s life. the time for glory was there for Jesus. Before, the time had not been ripe. At Cana, when Jesus performed His first miracle He would tell His hearers “My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) The life of Jesus was arranged so that He could reveal the glory of the Father by word and deed and then seal that glory by His sacrifice on the cross.

2. The troubled Jesus – Vs. 27 Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

It was Christ’s cross that produces His glory. On the one hand Christ despised the cross. He was human. According to his human nature Christ did not look forward to the dreadful sacrifice.

Jesus knew that His death would not be peaceful. The Father would forsake Him because He would be suffering for the sins of all. His death was a frightfully depressing prospect.

But Jesus knew that this cross had to be experienced to bear the fruit of His glory. He likened Himself to a see that must be planted. He admits that this is why He came into this world. He let Himself be “lifted up” from the earth.

This sacrifice accomplished much for God’s glory. It brought salvation al all people. “I…will draw all men to Myself.” This sacrifice says the most about God’s righteousness and mercy, everything that needs to be said about God was sid when Christ died. This is His glory manifest.

3. The glorified Jesus – Vs. 28 Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." Jesus prayed for this and received an immediate answer. The glory that was to come to Christ and the Father is many sided.

God receives glory every time he reveals Himself to us. It started in the Old Testament through the promise of the Savior. The glory of God is evident from the good things said about God, especially that he is merciful.

When Christ was born, the heavens were filled with angelic voices praise God. (Luke 2)
In His ministry, Jesus directed the credit to His Father in heaven. What He said and did was always to give God glory.

The revelation of the glory of God was inclusive (cf. the Greeks vv. 20-22) When the Bible talks of the glory of God and of Christ it is talking of God’s righteousness, mercy, and love along with the total of all His attributes.

4. The magnetic Jesus – Vs. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

What is the best way to bring to the world to faith in Christ? To do so is the central purpose of the church and of each individual Christian. Some try offering various church programs. Others promise good luck and success. Some may go the emotional route – with huge gatherings, meetings, manipulative revivals, etc. All of these methods are futile. Jesus gives us the secret: His death on the cross. Our responsibility is to proclaim Christ and Him crucified. When the cross is seen, it draws men to the Master.

By faith we share in Christ’s cross and His glory. We share the same attitude toward this life that Christ had. He who loves life will lose it. Yet, he who hates life will keep it to eternal life. This life is lost in Christ – lost as far as the world is concerned.

But in losing this life will we bring honor. The glory we hare as slaves and servants of the Master is a gift. The heaven prepared for us is the same one Jesus occupies. Says the Savior in John 14:1-3, Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

This glory God has and shares with his children could not have happened without the cross. The cross brings glory. Through the cross comes everlasting glory.

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Sunday, March 29, 2009 – 5th Sunday of Lent – John 12:20-33

When I first read this Bible passage, I didn’t understand it. I struggled, trying to write about something that I didn’t comprehend. Then, I asked my brother to read it aloud to me, and I got it. I had an epiphany, a revelation! I told him, “If sudden knowledge had an impending force, I would be a pancake right now.” This is my take on these verses…

When Jesus stats talking, he mentions a grain of wheat. I believe He is referring to Himself here, as the wheat. He says that until He dies, He is alone, meaning that Satan is winning, at the moment. But when He dies, He has beaten Satan. Next, He explains about following (serving) Him. This would be talking about heaven, being where Jesus is. I also think that the words, “My Father will honor him,” meaning the person who serves Jesus, is attributing to Revelation twenty-one, where the Bible talks about the Book of Life, and his name will be in that book. “My soul is troubled” could be a parallel to “My God, My God, who have You forsaken Me?” which Jesus said on the cross. The next verses support this, saying that Jesus has come for this hour and will not ask to be saved from it. “Father, glorify Your name” would mean that Jesus will rise again, like a stage of exaltation.

Some say the voice thundered while others who heard the same say that it was the voice of any angel. This means God is both terrible and beautiful, somehow at the same time. Jesus says that the Voice came to warn us, not Him, that Jesus is going to die. “The ruler of this world will be cast out” means that Jesus will overcome Satan. Jesus concludes, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself,” signifies that when he goes to heaven, He will bring all believers with Him. Through sacrifice comes glory.

Lord, I am so very sorry that You had to die for me, to be a grain of wheat, all alone until you died. Help me to understand what You went through to save me. Thank You for loving me so much.

-Alyssa Strickler

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Saturday, March 28, 2009 – The Raising of Lazarus – John 11:43

The story of the raising of Lazarus is one of Scripture’s most interesting accounts, not only because a man is given a second chance at life, but we also see a very human side of Jesus. Lazarus was a friend of Jesus, a very close friend, and his death shakes Jesus. This is a side of Jesus that is generally hidden and the image of Jesus weeping for His friend is quite wrenching.

This story and Jesus’ great declaration “I am the Resurrection and the Life” are recalled in many great works of literature, including A Take of Two Cities and Crime and Punishment often at a point where a character is in search of redemption, Most of them find this redemption in one form or another.

But what does this say of our salvation? We, as well as those fictional characters see our own salvation in Lazarus. We, like Lazarus, are friends of Jesus in need of life, a life we can’t have without Jesus. And it is faith in the divinity of Jesus, as confessed by Martha that causes our resurrection.

O God for our redemption You have given Your only begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by His glorious resurrection You have delivered us from the power of our enemy. Grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance and that day by day a new person many arise to live before You in righteousness and purity forever.

-Lydia Dahling

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.