This is the last Sunday of the church year, and next Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, a new year in the church. This Sunday and the four Sundays of Advent, we take up the second coming of our Lord. And we Christians have something to learn from this. That we must always be mindful and so prepared, for Christ will come on the day and hour that no man can know. 

Our Lord’s parable of the Ten Virgins is intended to teach us two things. First, it is meant to teach us about the state of the church. It is without a doubt that Christ is the bridegroom of the parable. And though he was delayed to the banquet, he still came, and yet when he found those who were to accompany him into the wedding feast, they had all fallen asleep. So before the bridegroom came, no one could distinguish them apart. They were all invited to the wedding feast, and they accepted the invitation by coming to the wedding hall. Those who had already rejected the invitation of the king have already turned away from the Lord and have been given over to their passions. On the last day, there are no second chances. Man will either receive our Lord’s invitation to His Son’s wedding in this life or will reject it for the life to come.

Therefore, these 10 women cannot represent all humanity from all times and in all places. Instead, they represent those of the church here on earth. However, shocking it may be. This means that only those Christians who truly cling to Christ and depend on him completely for their entrance into the final wedding feast in the kingdom of heaven will be saved. For when the cry went out, some fixed their eyes on the coming bridegroom, while others did not. Those who strayed away from the feast had no good reason to. Notice how the parable says that none of the oil went out; instead, they became occupied with the worries of this world as their lamps became dim. 

And so the foolish run off, even as Christ is coming, trying to find more oil while they only had to stay with the wise. On the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the doors are shut, all will be revealed, the wheat will be separated from the chaff, the sheep and the goats will be divided, and the wise and the foolish will be made known. 

So, if this parable invokes unrest or worry, that is evidence that the faith given to you by the Holy Spirit is at work. For without faith in Christ, we would not accept the warnings and instructions that our Lord gives. It is because of this faith that we listen to Christ and take his warnings sincerely. And so we avoid those things and remain steadfast to his word out of love for Christ. Fear the warnings from the Lord because faith can only fear what it believes in, Jesus Christ. 

Christ, our eternal bridegroom, has come into the world to betroth us to himself. For out of love for the world, he is sent by His Father so that we would come into his heavenly banquet. And as his bride, he has paid our dowry by his own suffering and death on the cross. And by his payment, the debts of our former life and the sins that we continue to commit our made satisfactory by his blood. God the Father accepts us as one with His Son and Himself. Even so, He ascends to the right hand of God and will return for His beloved bride. As a pledge of his return, he gives us the Holy Spirit who keeps us in the promises that our bridegroom has spoken. The grace given to us by the Holy Spirit prepares us day after day to see our long-expected Savior. When the midnight call goes out, it is our Lord Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit who will keep our eyes fixed on Him, our most excellent bridegroom. The time of our betrothal will soon be ending, and those of faith will be brought into the wedding feast that will never end. 

Secondly, this parable also teaches us how to prepare for the second coming of Christ, for we do not know the day nor the hour. In other words, how do we ensure that we will not be counted among the foolish on the last day? The parable does not reveal when we should prepare, but it does say we should always be prepared. This is not preparation for a great disaster, but of great hope that our Lord is coming to bring forth the fullness of salvation he has won by his cross and resurrection. He will come in triumph to bring you into his kingdom. And there will be no sorrow or trial or suffering, but only eternal joy in the presence of God forever. 

Look to our Lord Christ, who has already extended to you the invitation by sealing you in the one true faith. The parable is ultimately not about the oil at all. The parable is about those waiting. Those five foolish virgins became worried, and so they wandered off. And those whose oil was getting low would have certainly been let in by the Lord only if they stayed. Instead, they become occupied with other things, and though the oil was given to them by the coming bridegroom, they lost sight of Christ.

Are we not the same? Is it true that we become entrapped with our own lives instead of fixing our eyes on Jesus? What is the oil that is holding us back from Christ? We all have it. There is no denying. Could be fearing about the state of the world and how it is always getting worse rather than better. Maybe constantly checking our bank accounts to ensure our paychecks come in exactly on time. Or do we obsess over things that don’t really matter, such as whether our house is clean or the Thanksgiving meal is exactly perfect? Do we obsess over getting the highest marks, the best bonuses, the most trophies on our shelf, or having the best vacation for all to see on Facebook? These things and many more are the oil in our lives.

But thanks be to God that when our Lord Jesus comes again in glory, he does not judge us according to our works, how much oil we have stocked away. He does not examine our bank account, look at our report cards, ensure that we have the best house on the block, or even count the number of awards we possess. Instead, he wants us to look at him. That when we see him coming in glory to bring us into the wedding feast, we forget that we even have lamps of oil in our hands. That is when we see him pass by towards the heavenly banquet, we pull on to his robes until he lets us in with him to our marriage feast prepared by His Father from the foundation of the world

Therefore, let us hold fast to our confession. For only Christ, our eternal bridegroom, brings us into his never-ending feast. So hold to Christ even now this day, as he has come to you in his very body and blood as a foretaste of the wedding feast that is to come in his kingdom. At the table of the Lord is where your lamps are filled, and this oil will never run out.

The gospel brings us into the kingdom of heaven, which was bought and purchased for sinners by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As the revelation to St. John shows, the Saints around the throne of God and the Lamb are dressed in white robes that have been washed by His blood. Without Christ’s taking on human flesh, life of willing obedience to the Father, bearing the punishment that was undeserved upon the cross, and his glorious resurrection from the grave, we would still remain in our trespasses and sins. So, it should be no surprise to us that the Lord Christ compares the kingdom of heaven to a king who forgives the debts of the servants.

The gracious king comes out of his palace to settle the accounts of his borrowers; he undoubtedly goes first to the man who owes him the most money. The man owed him ten thousand talents of silver. This is truly an extraordinary number. From what we know about biblical times, on average, a laborer would earn two talents of silver in his entire life. This debt is so great that it would take 5,000 men their entire lives to pay it. Or approximately 300 tons of silver. Knowing that the man is unable to pay the debt, along with his begging for mercy, the king immediately forgives the man’s loan. 

Who is this king other than the Lord Jesus Christ? For the Lord already knew how much the man owed even before coming to him. The only way that the man’s account could be settled by the king was through forgiveness. How foolish of the king would it be to give a man such a line of credit if he didn’t already plan to forgive it? Meanwhile, if the man only had a small deficit with the king, his mercy would be practical, as he would no longer want to hear of his servants complaining about his own foolish financial decisions. Yet, this line of credit could certainly be worth more than his entire kingdom, and still, he takes it away completely. 

This is how God, our Heavenly Father, has looked upon us. He sends His Son, Jesus Christ, who is one with the Father, the king of all creation, to come to our broken and fallen world in the form of a servant, taking on flesh and blood to settle the account of His Father with all mankind. The Lord Christ, already knowing the deficit of our sins, does not come as our angry debt collector, hunting us down until we promise to sign on the dotted line to pay everything we owe and then some. Notwithstanding, this is certainly what we deserve for our sins, as these are offensive to God, whose will we have transgressed. For our sin is a perversion of the will of God. We have turned it on ourselves, so instead of putting our fear, love, and trust in God above all things, we fear how we are perceived, we love our goals, expectations, and plans most of all, and we put our trust in ourselves, refusing to trust in God. Because at the end of the day, sin is one thing: misdirecting our love for God to ourselves. And when we begin to think about our sins, we find that they sum up to a debt that we cannot repay.

The gracious king, our Lord Jesus Christ, came to settle our accounts by taking on the price of our debt of sin. He looks upon us and all of humanity and says, ‘I will have mercy and compassion upon you because I myself will become the only acceptable payment for sins.’ Not even the effort of all people could pay for a single sin. Yet, the blood of the Son of God is not tainted by sin and is purer than gold and finer than silver. Since he is both God and man, his death makes satisfaction for the sin of every human being from Adam until the end of time. 

Yet, this is not the end of the parable. The man who has received an overwhelming amount of forgiveness is still unwilling to forgive his fellow servant who owes him a small debt. For the sake of comparison, the first was ten thousand talents, while the second owed a hundred denarii. One talent is worth 6000 denarii. So compared to the first, this second servant owns a few pennies. But he will not allow his fellow servant, his brother in Christ, to be released from his wrongdoing and will hold him accountable, even bringing him to near death so that he repays what we would find between the cushions or in our pockets. You could say that what this servant does is senseless, cruel, and does not mirror the king. If the debt in the parable is sin, then we could say that the second servant also had an enormous price to pay with the king, and the Lord certainly did not hold this one accountable as he did the first. But now, as it is between brothers, he is unwilling to do what his Lord does for himself.

It is easy to pity this man, but are we much different? First, do we deny forgiveness to those who ask for it? This parable teaches otherwise. Second, when we do forgive, is there always a string attached? For example, we could ask for a favor in return, such as a night out on the town without our spouse, an extra day off work, or giving an ultimatum that if this happens again, I’m filing for a divorce, I’m going to corporate, or I’m cutting you out of my life. This does not keep with the words of Jesus, for Christ says, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Meaning there is no amount of forgiveness that can be withheld.  And finally, have we already cut people out of our lives even while they seek our forgiveness? Have we already cut out friends and family because we think they are always out to hurt us? That somehow they have gone too far, and they are no longer worthy of being called our loved ones, but just people we are related to. 

This is the phenomenon of our age. The term “cut off” is especially common among young people. So if you have been sinned against, look to our Lord Jesus Christ, who goes out and seeks the lost sheep. For our Lord does not say that they have wandered off too often or too far. And the king does not go out to receive payment but to share the good news that their debt is no more. Go to your brother, tell him the sins he has committed against you, call him to repentance, and forgive him. As Christ has forgiven you, so you must forgive others.

As Christ finishes the parable with these words, “So also, My Heavenly Father will do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Therefore, do not fear these words for one moment. For when we forgive, it is not us on our own, but it is Christ in us; his Holy Spirit uses us to forgive our wrongdoers. As we have received the heart of Christ by faith, it is from Christ and by Christ that we can forgive. So, look to Him who has taken away from you all your burdens and has paid your debt by His cross, and he will strengthen you. 

Upon first read of our text this morning, it may appear that Jesus becomes impatient with this man. The nobleman pleads with Jesus at least twice in our text to come to the bedside of his son, whose death seems certain, so that he might be healed. The Christ seems to have been short with him, as if he had no time for this man’s misery. Jesus heals the son with a simple word, not moving a foot, and not deviating from his path to Golgotha.

This does not provoke him at all, as our Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord Christ, who has given this man faith by his word, now desires him to grow in that faith.  It is certain that the man already believed in Christ. As he leaves his dying son to seek out Jesus, he intercedes for his own child. Then he demands that Jesus accompany him so that the miracle can be performed.  Instead, he is left in contentment with the words of our Lord that “your son is alive.” At first, he doesn’t see a way besides Jesus coming with him. His faith does not cling to the words of God, only to the signs and wonders. Yet, this man’s demand remains unfulfilled. It is only after he has been humbled and while returning home that the man is informed that at the very moment Jesus spoke those words, his son was saved from death.

There are not one but two miracles in this text. First, of course, the son who was near death is completely restored to life again. The second miracle is the faith of the father, the nobleman. At the beginning, his faith is weak and immature. And finally, it is made to grow and develop. He is made humble and meek. The man no longer depends on what he must see with his eyes, but he can rely on the words that he can hear with his ears. For faith that can only believe in what it sees is lost when there are no more miracles left to see. This is the greater miracle that the father grows in his faith. The seed planted by our Lord’s word began to take root in the Earth and sprouts to become a tree. For we know if it is seeds in the ground or our faith given to us by Christ, it will not endure hardship and drought when it does not mature and increase. 

To be clear, it is faith in Christ that is given to us by the Holy Spirit that saves us. It is this faith that is accounted as righteousness. For we do not merit such grace from God. Saint Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” We do not choose to believe in Christ. As children do not decide to be conceived and born, nor do seeds decide to be planted. So is it with the children of God. For Christ plants the seeds of faith, and we are born again of above, being children of our heavenly Father.

This work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts does not remove the fact that faith in Christ must be maintained and nurtured so it can increase and meet trials and hardships. Our Lord says in John chapter 15, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Note that he does not call us the fruit but the branches. These branches, of course, come from Christ. And so do the fruit on the branches. For branches on their own, cannot produce fruit, they cannot grow, and they cannot even survive. The only way the branch will survive is by being attached to the vine. 

Christ desires us to bear much fruit, to be branches that yield 20-fold, 30-fold, and 100-fold. Not an order that we would be saved by our works. In order that we may endure the things that try to take us away from Christ. Vines that produce only a little fruit will not endure and will die off when the birds of the air come to eat the fruit or to take the leaves for a nest. The entire branch will be bare and wither away when it is struck by the sun and scorched by heat. Or if an animal comes into the vineyard to eat every sprouting fruit and only leaves it to chew on the vine until it is gone. Or, if pests and insects carrying diseases infect the fruit, the branch will also become infected. 

These are all things that happen to our faith daily. As the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh try to cut us off from Christ. Yet, it is the branches that are firmly attached to Christ that grow and flourish. So when the birds, the pests, the insects come that aspire to pluck our fruit away. It is our faith in Christ that produces even more fruit in times of hardship, which are so abundant that when a grape is taken, a bushel grows in its place. We are deeply rooted in Christ, and his Spirit has given us growth through his words and sacraments. 

For even our increase in faith is not by our own doing, but it is by the work of God. As he has given us the faith in his Son, he desires to see to it until the very end. And we will obtain the goal of our faith, what Paul calls the end of faith, for we will know Christ face to face. And there our redemption will be complete, and we will behold the fullness of our salvation in the company of all the Saints in light. For on that final day, we will be gathered in our Lord’s harvest and brought to his heavenly banquet that will have no end.

It is God who has given us faith in His Son, and he will also give us the growth. So if you wonder if you have grown in your faith or if you haven’t grown enough, that is certainly not the case at all, because it does not come from ourselves. It comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, who has by the cross paid the sacrifice of sins, so that he may give us the Holy Spirit and faith in him. And similar to this man who came on behalf of his son, our faith grows, assurances strengthened, and convictions endure. As Christ saved his son’s life not according to his desires, but in a way Christ desired that would save not only the son from physical death, but ultimately his entire family from eternal death, as they all came to believe.

So, as we journey to our final homes, you are much like this nobleman. We are given the words of Jesus and sent to go on our way, that our faith in Christ would grow and increase all of them more. Therefore, cling to the words of life he has spoken and hold Christ to those words. Plant yourself in the Word of God, and your faith will grow into eternal life. When we reach our final homes, we have no one else to think but Christ Jesus, who has supplied the faith and the growth. Thanks be to God. 

As this past Sunday was our celebration of the Feast of All Saints, I thought it would be more than appropriate for my first issue to reflect on baptism. This is not only because St. John’s witnessed a baptism during our All Saints’ service, but this holy day also brings to mind our own baptisms, as this is how Christ makes us His own, for we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and are made children of our Heavenly Father.

First, what is baptism? Luther explains in his Small Catechism, “Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the word of God included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.” Baptism is not just a ceremony we perform for small children and those who have not yet been baptized. It is much more; it is a sacrament. It is the word of God that, combined with the element of water, makes it a sacrament. We follow our Lord’s command as he tells his disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” 

We are truly sealed by God through this sacrament. Just as kings and rulers would stamp a seal on a decree, marking it as a legitimate statement that has authority and influence, the Lord does the same. For we are all descendants of Adam and born under the condemnation of sin. Before faith, we have no access to God, we cannot merit forgiveness, and we cannot produce anything good in ourselves. Still, through the Holy Spirit, God gives us faith. We are made children of God through adoption, not by any work or worthiness of our own, but entirely upon the death of Christ, in whose words we are baptized. 

Second, what benefits does baptism give? Or, in other words, what do we receive from God as adopted children? Luther again states, “It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all those who believe as the words and promises of God declare.” As we know, it is the word and name of God in baptism; therefore, it must have an effect on us. It was the word of God that created the heavens and the Earth, and it is in the name of Jesus that the apostles cast out demons and performed miracles. The word of God accomplishes its purpose as our Lord says in Mark 16, “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”

Third, how can water do such great things? For a washing without the word is no baptism, as it remains plain water. Ordinary water has many purposes. Water can destroy things, such as in a flood. Water can give life to plants and animals. Water can also wash away dirt and stains. Water can rarely perform any two of these things simultaneously. Meanwhile, this is what we see in baptism, as it is a combination of water and the word. For it drowned and condemns the old Adam inherited in us, gives us new life and Christ, and forgives us our sins. As Paul says in Titus 3, “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured on us graciously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we, having been justified by his grace, might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”

Finally, what does baptism with water indicate? It indicates that by faith, the old Adam in us, our sins and evil desires, should die daily so that we may rise to righteousness and purity before God. In the same way that our status before God has changed by faith and baptism, this means that we change as well. We now live under the kingdom of God, and we demonstrate this through our words, thoughts, and actions. And while we still struggle against sin, we know that it is the new man in us that will win the final victory by the death of Christ for our redemption. As St. Paul also writes in Romans 6, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we may live a new life.”

As members of the Church here on earth, we wait to behold Christ face-to-face and join in the company of all the Saints. So when we still struggle with the burdens of this world, we have our baptisms that have lifted the burden of sin by the death of Christ and have united us to our Savior. As united to Him, Christ always remembers us, desires to forgive us, and will bring us into His heavenly kingdom.

On this All Saints Day, we give thanks to God for those who died in the faith, both in recent memory and in days of old. First, we must ask: what is a saint? A baptized faithful member of the Christian Church. We cannot understand the church apart from baptism. Before Faith and baptism, we were naked in our trespasses and sins, and now we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. So, when the Lord Christ speaks his Beatitudes, Jesus speaks about and to the church as the baptized

Before Jesus speaks his blessings upon the people, Matthew records that he opens his mouth. This, of course, seems obvious. Yet, Matthew makes this point clear that these words are from the very mouth of the Son of God, the Word made flesh. The word that was in the beginning that formed the heavens and the Earth, the land and the sea. And now, in the person of Jesus Christ, God continues to create the Church. For when we baptize, we do not follow the words of a mere man, but we speak the words of the crucified and risen Savior baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Before we are given faith in Jesus Christ, we are under the kingdom of darkness. We did not belong to Christ, as we are under the realm ruled by Satan and his demons. And in this darkness, we were impoverished of the light. Yet our sin is so deep and corrupting that before Christ gives us the kingdom, we are unaware of our spiritual hunger and need. Yet, God has looked upon us in mercy and compassion and has given us the kingdom of Heaven, not by gold or Silver, but with his Son’s precious and holy blood.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” When the Holy Spirit has come into our hearts and been confirmed in us at Holy Baptism. We become knowledgeable of our sins and how we have violated God’s will and purpose. Our sins should truly terrify us as they are no less grievous than in the days of Noah, as his generation was drowned and died. Still, by the death of God’s son, Jesus Christ, we are forgiven by his death and comforted by his resurrection. For by baptism, we have died with Christ and have been raised with him.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.” Meek, a word that means gentle and humble, is the result of repentance. After God has made us aware of our sins in the spirit, we do not remain in terror. God humbles us so that we may receive the promises of our Lord Jesus. This promise is, namely, the inheritance of eternal life in the new heaven and new earth won by our Lord for his people.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” Faith is the right knowledge of God, and, consequently, we desire him more and more. The saints of God, who are humbled by the Spirit, want to be fed by their God. We will always remain baptized as we receive the washing away of our sins. Yet, baptism also leads us to the Lord’s Supper, and we are now fed by our God. Not just once, but every time we come before the altar of God, he feeds us with his body and blood.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Before Faith in Christ, the Old Adam in us was selfish, envious, and disobedient, and a slave to his passions of desire. Now Christ has come into our hearts and has removed the hearts of stone and given us hearts of flesh. In the Spirit of our God, we put away the things of the old man and walk before the Lord as a new creature that is righteous, pure, and holy because of the blood and sacrifice of Christ. It is the new man in us, the righteous man, that we look upon our neighbors with the same mercy and compassion that our Lord has looked upon us. So when we are sinned against, we do not take vengeance or refuse to forgive because we have been forgiven by Christ.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” It is only the new man in us that possesses the pure heart from the Lord. And if we continue in our course of faith, our Lord says that we will see God. When our Lord reappears on that great and awesome day, he will judge us according to the fruits of our hearts that result from our faith in Christ. He will give to us and all who believe in his Son, the very kingdom of God, the new heavens and new Earth. Where we will all gather around the throne of God, clothed in the white robes with palm branches in our hands, forevermore saying “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb.” For it is only by Christ and through Christ that we are saved, as the lamb of God bleeds for our salvation.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Our Lord says on the evening of his resurrection to his disciples, “Peace be with you.” Peace is used in the language of justification by his resurrection. As the old man in baptism was drowned, the new man is a son. As our Lord also says that he is now going to “my God and your God.” And so we are made coheirs with Christ. As his holiness, righteousness, and obedience to God, the Father have become ours. So when he looks upon us on the last day, he sees his son Christ Jesus.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” When we are baptized, Christ robs us from the world, the devil, and our sinful flesh. And these evil forces will do whatever they can to bring you back into darkness and evil.  This is often done in persecution. So when you are persecuted, it is because you have the kingdom of heaven on your side that you are suffering for the sake of righteousness. Therefore, cling to Christ, for he has suffered all things, even the cross, for your salvation. For Christ has strengthened you to endure all things. And when these things come upon his baptized children, they also come upon himself as well. 

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for they so persecuted the prophets who were before you.” In this final Beatitude, we find our purpose for being baptized. For struggling against the old, sinful man. Even suffering persecution. It is because of God’s promise that he will not leave us or forsake us. As we look to the Saints of old, namely, the prophets, as well as those we will remember this day. That as God was faithful to them. He is also faithful to us. 

So rejoice and be glad, for Christ has washed you clean in holy baptism. We are not saved by keeping these words. Rather, our Lord has saved us by his Son so that we may find comfort in these words that define us as his baptized church, his saints in Christ. And we look to the resurrection of the dead, when all of the saints of Christ will be united with us in the kingdom of heaven. For he has called us blessed in our Lord Jesus Christ.

A common motto in the reformation was “the word of the Lord endures forever,” and it was often abbreviated in Latin as VDMA. This quotation from Isaiah chapter 40 was the driving force behind the world-changing events of the Reformation. Martin Luther and others knew that it was not the words of men that had ultimate authority over the church, but the word of God. For there were many in the time of Jesus, the time of Luther, and even now, where God’s word is wrongly made second-class to the opinions of men. For the words and opinions of mortal men can only lead to death, while the word of God is eternal, and produces eternal life in those who believe it. 

At the time of Christ, the people were under the thumb of the Sadducees and Pharisees. These people taught that their obedience to the law was the only thing that could save them. That by attending all the festivals in Jerusalem, by giving the appropriate tithes to the temple and synagogue, doing all the cleansing rituals required of Jews, and finally by perfectly keeping the sabbath, you could be seen as a faithful Jew. In those days, it was more important to follow the teaching of your rabbi than to follow the words of Holy Scripture. The Sadducees and Pharisees took the people captive by saying that their words and wisdom were higher than the words and wisdom of God. 

Undermining the word of God has always occurred throughout history, beginning in Eden. As the man and his wife colluded with Satan. When the serpent said to the woman, “Did God actually say not to eat of this tree?” The tree appeared to be good for food. And so they turned their back on the word and promises of God, as they held their opinion of what is good to be superior to God’s. It is the same spirit that took hold of the people at the time of Jesus.

To save his people from the opinions of men, God must send his Son into the world, who is the Word of God in the human form of Jesus Christ. So God must first send John the Baptist. Yet not all in the Baptizer’s generation received him. As both the leaders and the people held the opinions of men above the word of God that when the word was finally fulfilled after 400 years by the arrival of John, they did not believe in him.

As Christ says, “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to their playmates, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.”’ They were unable to acknowledge the fulfillment of God’s word in sending John the Baptist and in the final fulfillment of Jesus Christ because the thoughts of men did not allow it. They had no need for the word of God, then how can they believe in something they did not value? For this is why they say that John had a demon, and they accuse Christ of sin. Even in spite of this, the Word of the Lord endures forever. 

And it was no different during Luther’s time. Still, as people attended church to fulfill their obligations, the church was the most powerful institution of the time. Christians did not know the word of God, for the church kept the word from the people. Therefore, they could not hold the church, the bishops, and the priest accountable to the word of God. The people were obligated to trust what they were told. So the priest told them to devote themselves to the rosary to ask the mother of our Lord for intercession or to buy countless indulgences to get their loved ones out of purgatory; they had no choice. And when Martin Luther spoke about this time in the church, he saw great sin in the highest ranks of the church, but also much shame and vice among the common people. Yet, he ultimately blames this on the pope and his bishops; the word of God that would have taught them these things was kept locked away. This is what makes the reformation so significant: the word of God returns to his people to hear and know so they may live according to it as they are justified by faith given them by the Lord Jesus.

It is for this reason that the church of God is always in need of reformation. To be brought back to the word of God, which is superior to the opinions of men. Look at Christianity as a whole in our present age. There are many who call themselves Christians, but they teach doctrines that are not of the Scriptures. They say that the Bible does not speak to our modern sensibilities and problems. Therefore, we should agree with the culture on marriage and love. Or they say that Jesus is not the only way to God, as there are many other ways. Or it is me and Jesus together that work out my salvation, by my decision and my obedience. That the Christian life is never to be one of suffering, and finally, we don’t need the church and the sacraments to be saved as long as I have some faith in the good, I am able to make it to my rightful place in heaven. 

You will not hear any of these ideas from this pulpit, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t need to be in a constant state of Reformation. Just as Jesus and the Reformation brought people back to the truth of God’s word, this does not mean we do not need reformation in ourselves, either. For when the word of God is taught its truth and purity, it shows us our sin and leads us to repentance, and it brings us the gospel. That despite our sins, we are justified not by works of the law but by the faith given to us by God himself in his Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ. It is the faith that is received and not earned that saves us. It is faith in the word of God that justifies and not the works of the law. 

When we speak of our need for reformation, we must always return to the word of God. It is only God’s word that endures, while the opinions of the day are soon gone tomorrow. The world will chase after the next big thing until it finds another. However, the Word of our Lord is a constant assurance, as it points us to our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to die for us to save us. Let the word of God reveal your sins and your Savior. When faced with difficult decisions, turn to the Word of God. When you feel alone and afraid, rely on the word of God. God’s word is given for your good—to shape your life and guide every step. In other words, it is meant to bring reformation—drawing you out of sin and despair into forgiveness and light. So you can walk a new life in Jesus Christ, who has done everything for you and justified you by His own blood. And when darkness tries to pull you away from Jesus, the word of God reminds you that I am saved because of Christ. 

Therefore, do not neglect the word of God, but always gladly hear and learn it. For it is your light and your stay. It is the very words of Jesus for you. And there is no one who can take you away from the word of God that endures forever.

Dear family and friends of Anna Mae Wolfgram, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen.

The Christian life is not one of ease or convenience. When we are guided by the Holy Spirit into the waters of holy baptism, where we die to sin and rise with Christ to new life, we do not magically escape from the suffering of this world; rather, in our suffering and our struggles, we have our Lord Jesus who remembers us and does not leave us or forsake us. Through the water and the word, we are joined to our Lord, and he is made one with us. So when we Christians endure hardship imposed upon us by the world, the devil, or our sinful flesh, these hardships also come upon our crucified and risen Savior. And this hope of our Christian faith was no different in the life of our dear sister Anna Mae. 

In our second reading from Saint Paul’s second letter to a young and timid disciple, Timothy was most likely one of the last words that he wrote before he himself departed this world to join his Lord Jesus, as he was about to be killed for professing the name of Christ to the nations. Saint Paul says that his departure is at hand, and as he begins to reflect on his years of ministry, he says, “for I am already being poured out as a drink offering.” Again, he says the word “already.” Not that he will soon be poured out or that he awaits being poured out. But that he is being continually poured out before the Father, as an offering. This tells us that the Christian bears the image of God here and now as we suffer hardship and struggle because we bear witness to Jesus. 

Look to the life of Paul. After his conversion on the road to Damascus to be a follower of Christ, he became an enemy to the world, to Satan, and to sin. He speaks of his suffering in another letter that he has been beaten and flogged and shipwrecked. He has also endured the loss of sleep, food, water, and shelter while always being on the move, not only to escape from death, but more importantly to spread the gospel of Christ Jesus.. Even in all this, his main concern was for his churches and not for himself. As he says again, “Now I rejoice in my suffering for you.”

This sounds like our beloved sister. The many things she has carried for the sake of her family and for those whom she loves so dearly. From her childhood of losing her mother to polio, and needing to step up for the sake of her younger siblings. Or as a mother putting the needs of others before herself, caring for Daral and their five children, which can be no easy task.  See the fruits of her labor as a mother and spouse sitting in these front pews. Being brought up in this church and taught the fear and knowledge of the one true God. They were raised to prioritize our Lord Jesus Christ and the family that the Lord has given them. To be a faithful spouse to Daral, in not just one round of cancer, but two. To see her own son, her firstborn, to fight cancer and win, and tragically be taken home to his heavenly Father. Oh yes, there were many joys in Anna Mae’s life that cannot be taken away. To see the birth of many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As she rarely forgot a birthday. To see children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren be baptized, confirmed, and married. And during her own illness of ovarian cancer, she did not let any of these trials overcome her joys and her faith in Jesus Christ. As our Lord has been there for Anna Mae every step of the way in times of joy and times of struggle.

This is also something that she taught her children and those around her. When times were hard, she taught them to depend on Christ, telling them, “Remember that Jesus and I love you.” And then those times of sorrow and grief she told them again “Cry and you cry alone. Laugh and the whole world will laugh with you.” 

For Christians, we do not boast in our accomplishments or hold up our hardships because it is not we who bear them alone. It is our Lord Jesus Christ who provides strength, wisdom, and courage to bring us through these things. It is faith given to us by the Holy Spirit that was given to her by the hearing of the Word of God, which created and kept her in the one true faith until life’s end. For this faith given to Anna Mae and to all Christians is not faith in a mortal man, such as the Apostle Paul, but in the very Son of God, our Lord Jesus. Christ, who has looked upon Anna Mae and all humanity with love and compassion by taking upon himself human flesh and blood for our salvation. So that he would carry the sins of the whole world committed from the very beginning until the very end is he died on the cross of Calvary. He is the very Lamb of God who was led to the slaughter to save us from our sins. He became sin itself as he hung and died.

And even on the cross, he says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” What marvelous and comforting words for us, since he was forsaken, we will never be forsaken or forgotten by our heavenly Father. Through everything that we carry on our backs, every tear from our eyes, and sorrow that breaks us down, Christ is in the midst of us even now. He knows our suffering through his cross and has given us the victory by his resurrection. As he ascended on high, he continues to make his dwelling among us, in our hearts. And there he continues to give us faith until he brings us to our final home.

And if we could ask Anna Mae, what was it that brought you through it all, even until the end? Her answer would certainly be quite simple, mirroring the words of the apostle, “It is not I, but Christ who lives within me.” 

And now our sister in Christ has obtained the goal of her faith, which is eternal life with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Do not fret or be dismayed, but do not feel as if you cannot mourn or weep. Yet, we do not mourn as those who have no hope. For she has fought the good fight and has finished the race, not on her own, but because and through her Lord Jesus.

Therefore, you also keep the faith. The Lord does not abandon. The Lord comforts and leads us unto himself in his heavenly mansions that he has prepared for those who love his appearing. Christ Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and through his Holy Spirit, he will bring us to the way that leads to eternal life, where we will be joined with such a great cloud of witnesses, including our sister Anna Mae. May Almighty God, through the death of his only begotten Son, accomplish this in us by the power of his Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 Today, in our gospel reading, we find a surprisingly unique interchange between Christ and the Sadducees and the teachers of the law. They attempt to confuse and entrap Jesus, but to their amazement, Christ not only answered a question that they cannot answer. They were also put to shame. And in return, he inquires of them about who they believe the Christ is. And to this, they have no answer because, in the end, it would result in Jesus as the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of the law, and the payment for sin. 

The question for Jesus was, “Which is the great commandment in the Law?” It is a last-ditch effort to try to stump Jesus. Prior to this passage, Jesus had answered all their questions using the scriptures pointing to him as the Christ. It is one lawyer who fires this question across the galley in order to provoke him. The Gospel of Matthew says that this was in order to “test” the Lord. This young lawyer and scholar of the Scriptures obviously does not know the word of God at all. As he is not the first one to test the Lord. 

We do not need to look further than in the book of Exodus. After the Lord has delivered the people of Israel out of bondage from the house of slavery in the land of Egypt by crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, and even after receiving the bread from heaven. They became thirsty and began quarreling with Moses and testing the Lord. It is their natural inclination to sin that takes over the hearts of the people of God as they become indignant and impatient with the servant of God who brought them out of the house of slavery, and in the end, they do the same to God himself. As the Lord brought the people into the wilderness to test them. And they would be purified and prepared to enter into the land of promise; it is the people who test the Lord. 

In their groaning, they prove themselves to be sinners. To be taken over by their passions of body and soul, to be satisfied the moment when desire comes. In this way, the young lawyer is just like the people of Israel, wanting to trap God to get what he wants instantaneously. He desires Christ to change the Law so that he may justify himself. For even asking such a question, he would like to limit the law so that it would never accuse him of any sin whatsoever. And as a result, Jesus humbles this self-justifying man by exhorting him to love God with all that he is, and to love his neighbor as himself.

It is easy for us to look down upon the young lawyer and the people of Israel in the wilderness as they tested God to change his commands, but are we much different than them? How often do we allow our tendency to sin to obscure our vision of the law of God? This may be when we say to ourselves or to God, “Yes, I feel bad about what I did, but I technically didn’t break a commandment.” We might say I told that small lie to save my job, and God doesn’t want me to lose it. Or it technically isn’t stealing because they owe me that in the first place. Or it’s not really adultery, because we truly love each other.

These are all cases where our sinful nature takes us captive once again. We diminished the law’s accusations against us. It is as if, instead of using a magnifying glass to examine the Ten Commandments to find all our shortcomings and wrongdoings, we turned the glass over to magnify ourselves and to make the law of God unreadable. We do this to call ourselves great and noble Christians by making the law so precise that no person could be found guilty. 

What makes this thinking dangerous is that when we make our sins so small, we also make small the need for a Savior. We may think we are doing ourselves a favor, but instead, we are doing ourselves much harm. As it is of no benefit to us, for this is how we sin against God. 

But to this, I say, let the law accuse you. Let every commandment of God find you guilty. And let every secret sin be brought to light before God. Let the commandments of the Lord leave you dead in your trespasses and sins, so only Christ can raise you up. For he is your pure and holy Savior waiting to forgive you for all that you have done. Waiting to receive you. Waiting to comfort you with his love and grace. This is why Jesus looked upon this young lawyer with compassion. As the Lord offers him a question concerning the Christ. He is asked, “Whose Son is He?”

Jesus is, of course, the Christ. And he is both the Son of David and the Son of God from all eternity. Christ is the one whom God says, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” What a marvelous saying of our Lord’s victory! For our Lord is not referring to us as God’s children still long under the bondage of sin. The enemy that must bow down to Christ, must be forced into submission under his feet, and finally must be destroyed by God himself, is not us, but is sin itself. 

And where are these words and promises of God fulfilled? It is at the Cross of Calvary, where Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, in flesh and blood, who is also the Son and Lord of David, takes his proper place upon the throne of his forefather, not in a luxurious palace, but in the place of the skull where he dies. He does not die, the noble death of a king, but he dies in the company of hardened criminals. For he bears our chastisement and the condemnation of the world. By the death of Christ, we do not fear the law; in it, we have our perfect and obedient Savior who has washed away all our sins and has thrown them into the depths of the sea.

So when we come to the judgment seat of God, we do not need to fear that he will put us under his feet. So when the law of God is placed before our eyes, we can say, “Yes, I have committed all of these and many more, but I have the blood of Jesus Christ, who loves me and who has given his life for me.” Do not fear any letter of the law, for it is given by your savior who has loved you and has redeemed you. And he is the giver of all good gifts.

When Christ asked the Pharisees whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, he was really asking whether they knew the purpose of this day of rest. And in the end, he is asking them if they know God’s salvation in the first place. And to this, they have no reply. For the Pharisees, the Lord’s salvation is severely misunderstood. In their eyes, the Old Testament laws of the sabbath should be kept by the letter in order to be a good Israelite and to be saved. In our Lord’s questioning, Jesus shows them the frailty of their interpretation as he asks them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” Here, Jesus shows the absurdity of their belief. For who would not put more value on saving a life in danger than a day of rest?

By healing this man from dropsy, the Lord teaches us that the sabbath day was created by God from the very beginning for the purpose of mankind. It was meant for hearing God’s word and for serving our neighbor. For one cannot be saved by strictly obeying the law, yet it also instructs us how to live our lives before God, and to our neighbor. As Jesus sums up the entire law in these two words: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself. If Jesus had turned the man away, he would have used the Ten Commandments against their purpose, and therefore neither would have shown love to this man nor to his father in heaven. The Lord instructed the Pharisees that the true meaning of the day of rest is to put aside our work for God and for neighbor. 

It is for this reason that Christians should not neglect the third commandment, “You shall remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” We do not intend it as the Pharisees do, believing that by not lifting a finger on one day of the week, we will keep God’s word. Instead, Christians keep the third commandment whenever they hear the word of God. As Luther explains this commandment in his small catechism, “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and his word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.” This is not a commandment that only affects us on Sunday, but in every day of our lives. For we find our day of rest whenever we hear the word of God. When we pray before meals, saying “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest…” When we wipe the dust off our catechisms to find comfort in those words we used to know so well. Either before we start our day or before we close our eyes to open our Portals of Prayer, to hear the words of Christ crucified for us. These are all times we keep the third commandment, not in order to be saved. Instead, because God desires us to find rest in his word. 

Of course, there is Sunday morning Divine Service. This is where we, the people of God, find rest in the word of God as the community of the baptized. In this unique way, God comes to us all in the absolution pronounced by the ordained minister of the word, in the corporate reading of the scriptures, in the preaching of the word of God in the sermon, in the prayers as we commit our cares to the Lord. And finally, in the Lord’s supper. For holy communion is the very word of God, the body and blood of Christ, in bread and wine for your forgiveness, to restore you to the Father, and give you rest. It is in the Sunday service that you are drawn away from the worries of this world, which leave you anxious and dreadful for the next day. Your worries assail you, for the purpose of taking you away from the promises of God. For in the house of God, there is no poor or rich, as we are all poor sinners seeking the mercy of God. Here, there is no one who has better health than the other, for we are all infected and tormented by sin as we all come from the one Adam. And no matter how great your sin may be or how far it has led you astray from God, Christ Jesus is here to give you rest. If it’s your first time in church in a while, or you were here last week. God rest is for our good for all those who put their trust in him. 

This miracle also teaches us that the sabbath is for our neighbor. For we hear the word of God and allow teachings to conform our lives, we find that keeping the third commandment brings us to the latter six. How we are to love and serve our neighbor. Just as Jesus loved this man and had compassion on him, the man was healed of his disease. The word of God teaches us to have compassion and mercy for those in need. The faith that is given to us by the Holy Spirit is not simply knowledge, beliefs, and principles that we know about God. Yet, when it is given to us, it is meant to be lived out, to conform us to his will, and make us more like Christ. So when we love our neighbor as ourselves, put the needs of others before our own, or act with mercy and compassion, we do not do this in order to be saved. We do this because we are given the gift of faith, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and saved through Christ. And when we do these things, it is Christ in us who does them. For apart from him, we cannot. 

And if you feel that your mercy and compassion may be lacking, let me assure you that it is not. As they do not come from yourself, but they come from Christ Jesus. Rely on him and his word, and he will give you rest. 

It is by the power of his cross and his suffering and death that our Lord Jesus Christ comes to give Sabbath rest. For he has first looked upon all humanity with mercy and compassion. And as he sees our human race lost and restless because of our sin, he takes sin upon himself and dies on the cross and rests in the Earth for three days. And as believers in Christ, we will inherit his eternal Sabbath in the kingdom of Heaven, where there will be no worry or anxiety or fear. And he comes to you even now as he says, “Come to me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” So let us come to him in this sacrament, and we will find rest for our souls. 

Seen in last Sunday’s gospel reading, with Jesus preaching that we should not be anxious about our lives. That we should look to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and God provided for them, so how much more will he provide for us? For Jesus says, “Seek the kingdom and all will be added unto you.” And now we come to the widow of Nain. This woman has lost her husband and is now burying her only son. It appears all the Lord has provided her is now gone. What a stark contrast! Yet trials in this life are not given to us to burden us, but to strengthen us in the Faith of our good and gracious heavenly Father who has restored us to new life. 

This woman is a member of a long procession of faithful people of God who have been given burdens and trials in this world by the Lord. It is true that the Lord tests his people. These trials are not to draw them away from God, but to draw them closer to him. To rely on him all the more.  That Saint Peter would go as far as to say in his first epistle to the church, “You have been grieved by various trials,that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to the praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” As as seen in the Saints of old, were called to put their trust in the Lord in difficult times and their faith is truly refined.

First, of course, there is God’s servant Job. The story of Job is one of testing and faithfulness. The Lord allows all his goods, his property, and even his children to be taken away from him. And still Job says, “The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” And Satan struck him with many sores, and yet the Bible says, “In all this job did not sin with his lips.” Even as his companions tried to comfort him by saying that he must have some fault that he is unaware of, something that he has not completed, a secret sin, or grievance with God yet to be settled. Throughout the entire book, Job insists that he has done nothing wrong, and yet God remains good, faithful, and just in what the Lord is doing. For the servant of the Lord, even says, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the Earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh. I shall see God.” The Lord allowed him to be tested, and he never lost hope that he would be vindicated by his good and gracious God. 

Then we come to the widow of Zarephath, the same woman who receives the miracle of the flour and oil that would not run out. Now her son, whom the prophet Elijah saved from starvation, is dead. Despite her question, she has done nothing wrong against this man of God. Still in her pain and misery, she gives the Prophet her dead son. This is a great act of faith and worthy of imitation. Her faith receives its result as the Prophet Elijah says to her, “See, your son lives.” Just as gold is purified by fire, for this woman trials refine and increase the value of faith. 

Now to the widow of Nain. This woman has already buried her husband, and now her only son will join him. She entirely relied on her son, and now she has no security. Many have come to march with her to the outskirts of town, and now, how many of those people will have compassion on her after everyone has moved on from the death? Despite this trial from the Lord, she remains faithful as she lays her son in the ground with the hope of the resurrection. For she does not turn the Lord away from this parade of death. 

The Lord Jesus turns and looks upon her with compassion. Because even in such a trial, the Lord does not allow death and Satan to have the last word. He has compassion for those whom he purifies. The Lord’s mercy is properly acknowledged not when it is expected, but when it is called upon. When this woman saw the Lord Jesus, could she have known what was going to happen next? Maybe some words of encouragement or an embrace from Jesus and the disciples. Instead, this faithful woman receives her son back alive and well. Through her pain, she is brought to greater reliance and faith in Christ Jesus. This woman, who undoubtedly believes that her son would outlive her, would remain comfortable and secure for the rest of her days. She takes her son by the hand, leaving his casket on the road, even with more joy and gratefulness in the Lord than on the day that he was born. As this man was raised from the dead, this woman’s faith is also raised, being more precious than gold.

And what does this mean for us? It is without a doubt, as seen in all of Holy Scripture, that trials will come. And when they do come, they often come from the hand of the Lord. They may not be as extreme as the examples already mentioned, yet you know what I am talking about, now or in the past. I may not know the cross you bear, and you may not know mine, but since we are Christians, we know that from the hands of the Lord come hard times and trials, and the Lord sees us through so that our faith in his mercy may grow and be purified. These could be times when we lose our jobs for no fault of our own, when we lose friends for something we never said, or when our families no longer want to speak to us because we refuse to deny the truth. God uses all things for our good, to put our faith and trust in him.

It is out of his great love that he desires your faith to increase and to be seen by all. Look at Job —how great a witness does he give to his three friends who believe he is a fool?  When trials come, we bear witness to Christ and the Holy Spirit at work within us. For example, one of the fruits of the Spirit is love. If it is love that must increase, for the Lord will give us our opportunities for love. If it is patience, the Lord will give us the opportunity to grow in patience. If it is gentleness, the Lord will provide times to be gentle, and so on. The Lord does not do this to shut you out, but to bring you closer to him, to rely on him, and to ask for love, patience, and gentleness. 

Let me leave you with this: do not let the world deceive you. As the world doesn’t endure trials from the Lord. For God only can purify those who already have faith. The Lord will not test you beyond your abilities, as he always provides a means of escape. For he is the Lord, who raises the dead to take death upon himself. And he has been raised and ascended to the right hand of the Father, to be your advocate and your helper. So whatever may come your way, either from hell below or heaven above, neither life nor death can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.