Septuagesima

02/05/12

LSB Hymns 555:1,2,10, 555:3-6, 555:7-9, 812, & 785

Exodus 17:1-7, 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5, & St. Matthew 20:1-16

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.

The sermon text is the Gospel appointed, the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 20^th

chapter, with particular focus on these prior words from chapter 19 verse 30:

“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

The text in part, please be seated.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

What you hear this morning might surprise you. This text isn't really about fair wages, or earning your wage, or any of the things that workers might usually concern themselves with. The text is really about the vineyard owner, and the things that He does.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

So, okay then, you aren't really surprised that the parable needs explaining, for the disciples themselves often said, “huh!?”

And so that we might understand a bit better, together, we examine the text.

Just before Jesus tells this parable in Matthew's Gospel, Matthew records Jesus' words, our text this morning in part. “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” In fact, Jesus ends the parable saying, pretty much the same thing, “So the last will be first, and the first last.”

With the parable sandwiched in between these two identical sayings, our purpose this morning is to examine these texts, and to ask, “What does this mean?”

“THE LAST WILL BE FIRST, AND THE FIRST LAST.”

1. (You desire to be first.)

2. (You do not want to be last.)

3. (Yet, in Christ, especially those who are last, are made first.)

1. You desire to be first.

In the news, labor unions battle law makers over the right to work bill. …, On this I will not make further comment. Except this, who gets paid what, and seniority rights are very much the worries of the flesh.

As Christians you know that all good things come from God your Creator and Preserver.

Yet, just like the proud Pharisee standing at the temple, and the penitential publican prostrate on the floor,you and I in our flesh battle betweenselfish concerns, and the new baptismal life, faith in Christ alone.

Matthew records,“After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.”

The all-dayers readily agreed to the very fair and unexpected wage. Yet at the end of the day they complained, when others who worked far less, were paid the same.

Suddenly in their eyes they should be paid even more on top of the already fair wage. However, in God's kingdom when you look at what you do, you have your reward already in full. Their wage was then their reward, and they lost out on any thing more because of their selfish concerns.

Adam and Eve also had the perfect conditions, a wonderful arrangement with God. Yet they too wanted more, and they followed their lust for more, to be like gods.

They wanted to be number one, they wanted to be first.

And if you admit that you do worry about being first, then you would also have to agree that,

2. You do not want to be last.

If you play many games – cards, board games, WII, sports, video games, or even just watching sport teams – then you understand how competitive you, and others like you get. You don't want to be left the loser.

And this competitive nature bleeds into almost everything else you do.

In the parable the workers called first began to feel cheated because they felt they had to do more to get the same. To them they felt like losers for working so hard when obviously they hadn't needed too.

They wanted what their neighbor had, and with no more, and maybe even less work than those neighbors had to produce.

You too want as green of grass, as high of wage, as good-looking of spouse, and as successful of life. And before God you want to make sure that He notices your excellent giving to the Church, attendance at Church, and deeds of aid and help for your neighbor.

And you can't hope but notice, by the way, that you give more, attend more, and help others more, than your neighbor does. And truthfully sometimes you do wonder if God is getting it all written down.

You don't want to be caught losing at this game.

But remember Adam and Eve? They too were tricked out of paradise with the same fear of losing, of being last, of missing out of what they just knew that they deserved.

It is a miss-focused spiritual life, if you looking at what you must do, and how you must place in this competitive life on earth. It isn't about what you do as to how you fare before God.

And,

3. Yet, in Christ, especially those who are last, are made first.

Christ only came to save sinners. If you aren't bothered by your sins, if you don't understand your complete unworthiness, if you think you have heaven coming, then you don't need Christ. Well..., you do, but with these feelings you just don't understand your great need.

St. Matthew records Jesus' parable, and begins with these words,

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.”

In these words the whole parable rests. It is all about Christ, and what He does for you.

The kingdom of heaven is like a master, not just any master, but the Master, Jesus Christ. Jesus when out early, early on a Friday, after Maundy Thursday's six o’clock, and early in His young life of 30 yrs., and He was arrested in the garden, tried before King Herod and Pilate, beaten in the court, nailed to a cross, suffered, died, and rose again early on the third day.

And in His going out early, man's sins were paid for lock, stock, and barrel.

Before Christ came to you, you were already working for wages, and the wages of sin are death. Quite unexpectedly Christ came to where you were loitering and offered you His Gospel – His life, suffering, death, and resurrection – for the forgiveness of all your sins.

Such is your and my depravity, sinfulness, and unholiness that we are not able to even accept this wonderful gift without the help of our gracious Vineyard Keeper.

Oh we can reject, and walk away, but as for believing, well, St. Paul describes it this way,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:8-10).

Our works our His, Jesus', workmanship. So you see that even what the vineyard workers do in the vineyard is because the vineyard owner is working through them enabling them to do so.

The text is really about the vineyard owner, and the things that He does, does for you.

You want to be first, and often follow your own desires, despite the fact that it breaks God's Commandments. You break the first commandment making your own desire your god, before the one true God.

You don't want to be last, you often worry that you do too much, help too many, or give too much. You don't want to look the loser, doing too much for what others do so little for. And by looking at your own deeds and merit, you belittle Christ's sacrifice, trying to supplement with your own.

But for these sins of yours and mine, Christ sends His Holy Spirit to gather you to His Word. And here in the house of our Father you are shown your sins and worthlessness. Not much fun, discovering your sins, but Christ always has more to say.

And the Word was saying it centuries earlier in the Psalms, our morning's Introit.

The cords of Sheol en- | tangled me;*

the snares of death con- | fronted me.

In my distress I called up- | on the Lord.*

From his temple he | heard my voice.

I love you, O | Lord, my strength.*

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my de- | liverer,

For you save a humble | people,*

but the haughty eyes | you bring down.

Christ shows us our sins. This is true. He brings down our haughty eyes. He rescues us from the snares of death. He speaks His Gospel grace into our ears.

For the sinful children of Israel in this morning's Reading the Lord came to them in their wilderness of troubles and gave them cool waters to drink. They were grumbling against Moses and the Lord God, yet the Lord was merciful.

St. Paul urges you this morning to take your life on this earth quite serious, for many of God's chosen people fell away in unbelief. And if not for the work of the Holy Spirit, you and I would fall quickly away too. Such are the deeds of men.

Thankfully, the parable isn't about the workers, or their place in comparison with others. And thankfully, your salvation isn't about what you do, or how you place either. Both are about Christ alone, and what He does to save men, especially you.

You and I were all born as those who are last. Bottom of the line unworthy were we. Yet Christ came, and redeemed us from our sins. He has gathered you and me, the worst of sinners, and made us His in Holy Baptism, and He preserves us in His Holy name by Holy Absolution, and Holy Preaching/teaching.

Christ gives us to love our neighbors and help them, especially we get to share Christ with them. This we do in Jesus, our Lord and Savior. These acts of love and mercy don't earn salvation points, but they do thank the Father for all His mercies in Christ Jesus.

With eyes only for Christ crucified, rejoice dear ones, listen to this Word of God, you are forgiven, you are saved, and you have already begun to live forever (point to the fount). For Jesus' most holy Passion's sake. Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Please stand.

The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord

01/29/12

LSB Hymns 789, 414, 395, 631, & 873

Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Peter 1:16-21, & St. Matthew 17:1-9

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.

The sermon text is the Gospel appointed, the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 17^th chapter, with particular focus on these words:

And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here.”

The text in part, please be seated.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.”

Three of the disciples are taken, nine are not. These three are to be the eye witnesses of this the final Epiphany of the season. A faithful preacher from this very pulpit called this mountain “Transfiguration mountain,” and so it is.

Jesus and His three disciples are on this mountain top. But wait, there are two more. Faithful preachers from times of old, old prophets these preachers.

Moses looks stern with his two tablets of God's Law, and Elijah looks unbending with his teachings of repentance and keeping God's commandments.

No wonder St. Peter seems somewhat awe struck. But nevertheless he gets something right for he says, “Lord, it is good that we are here.”

It is good to be on Transfiguration mountain, however the three disciples didn't fully understand it then, and I daresay you and I don't fully understand it either. But there are some important things to take with you from this mountain, and this morning you shall hear of them.

Books on the Church year and the propers of the services will tell you the Collect for today is one of the youngest and longest of the whole Church year. And it does in its construction, moreover, outline that which Mother Church would teach her children this morning and so you look to the Collect.

You and I want to know what there is to be gleamed from Transfiguration mountain. For that purpose the three points of the Collect for the day seem quite useful. These points, quoting the Collect, are:

1. “In the glorious transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah.”
2. “In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully fore showed our adoption by grace.”
3. “Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven.”

With this is mind we examine each of the three parts of the Church's Collect for the Festival of the Transfiguration of Our Lord.

1.

“In the glorious transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah.”

Christ's transfiguration does confirm the faith of the Church through the testimony of these fathers. Moses and Elijah are there on top of this mountain speaking with Christ, according to St. Luke, about His departure, His Exodus.

These prophets and others called by God like them have prophesied of the coming Messiah, and His atonement for the forgiveness of sins. And now that the Messiah is finally here He and these two faithful prophets, speak of the coming events.

For in Christ's departure mankind's rescue is fulfilled. Christ's life, suffering, and death pays for the sins of all men.

Even as the fathers were given to foretell of the Savior to come, so here finally is the fruition of God's deliverance of His people almost realized. Soon, Christ is to ride into Jerusalem and the count down then begins.

In John's revelation he records that all the hosts of heaven sing,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”Amen. (Re 5:12-13).

After Christ's work the hosts of heaven continually sing praises to the Lamb that was slain for the sins of the world. In the old Testament the prophets pointed always and only to the promised Messiah.

Now that He is come, and about to journey to the cross, what else would these two prophets speak about with their Lord, but the redemption of the world.

Oh yes Peter, it is good that we are here!

2.

“In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully fore showed our adoption by grace.”

On that mountain a voice speaks: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”That same Word was spoken by the same Father at Jesus' baptism. A baptism the disciples by now had all been baptized into, even as you also are baptized into Christ's baptism.

Baptism places you into Christ, and therefore into the Father's pleasure. Knowing that, the disciples and you are told that even as Christ's body is glorified, so also will your bodies by raised up with Christ.

For whatever happens to Christ, in whom the Father is well pleased, will also happen to those placed in Christ. The Voice verifies the Father's pleasure on Transfiguration mountain, and it verifies your security in Christ, you are adopted by God the Father as His baptized children.

“In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully fore showed our adoption by grace.” And then the Voice added one thing more on that mountain top, “listen to Him.”

And in that glorious confirmation of the Son, the vehicle of your adoption is pin pointed – it is Christ, through His Word – the Word and water of Baptism, the Word of Absolution, the Word of preaching teaching, and the Word in and with the Holy Communion.

Your adoption is only by grace through God-given faith in Christ alone, through His Word alone. No other name is given under heaven whereby you must be saved.

You the adopted children of God surely sing out with Peter, “Lord, it is good that we are here.”

Finally you come to the last point of the Transfiguration Collect.

3.

“Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven.”

And that point is this, that you, having fallen to the ground just like the disciples, in recognition of your total unworthiness apart from Christ, earnestly pray that the Holy Ghost works without ceasing to gather you safely to that heavenly home as coheirs with Christ. You yearn to hear the Words of Christ, “Rise, and have no fear.”

They are wonderful words to hear!

But there are other words, Holy Words to be heard, for Moses' and Elijah's words are still with you.

Moses still says, Thou shalt and Thou shalt not. You still break them all, these commandments.

Elijah still urges repentance, and to obey the Father.

Sadly, you still often find unrepentance in your heart with no better luck obeying Elijah's word then Moses'. What can you do? What can you do? What else is there to do, but to fall to the ground with Peter, James, and John, before Holy God.

Dear Zion and dear friends, you aren't left on the ground, just as the disciples weren't left there either. Jesus comes and touches you and says, “Rise, and have no fear.”

Frightened Peter is surely lead up from his fear back to peace with God. And in this word from Jesus Peter is glad once more to be there with Him.

But Peter, James, and John are not the only ones to hear such sweet words from Jesus, “Rise, and have no fear.” You get to hear these words, or their equvilent all the time here at Zion, your Transfiguration mountain.

What!? You don't remember hearing that! Well let's just see.

Earlier in the service after you confessed your sins, your sins were forgiven by Christ's minister. If you come to the rail with your confession of sins, a hand would have been laid on your head. But even without the touch, your sins are forgiven you. Even if you aren't kneeling, you are given to rise and have no fear.

Christ speaks His forgiveness even now and tells you, be not afraid, Peace be unto you. And in believing you rise, forgiven. See how good it is to be here.

The Gospel reading, and the sermon, both, start with this word: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.”

Jesus had been teaching, and after six days Jesus takes His disciples to this mountain for them to witness, and to be taught. So it is with you for Sunday after Sunday and after six more days to pass comes another Sunday. The Holy Ghost at Christ's sending gathers you here week after week, and soon in Lent, midweek after midweek.

In our weakness we really don't understand what happens here at Mt. Zion, our Transfiguration mountain. By Word and Sacrament you and I are transfigured from dead to alive even as here at this altar just bread and wine are transfigured through the Word to Christ's body and blood, with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of all your sins.

We don't fully understand how marvelous this is, or nothing would keep us from coming here every time Zion gathers. Here is where Christ speaks and feeds you His forgiveness. Knowing that Christ is here, why would you even want to be somewhere else!?

Certainly Moses and Elijah speak stern Law words to us. And by their words, God's Word, you and I are shown our weakness, helplessness, sinfulness. Yet the Father gives us to listen to the Son.

Despite your weaknesses, or just maybe because of them, the Holy Ghost does gather you here to receive Christ's Word, a Word proclaimed, a Word heard by you, and with it, and through it, Christ does forgive you.

Come to Zion, your transfiguration mountain. Come to hear Christ. Come to listen to Him alone. Come to rejoice! “It is good that we are here.”

Because, you who are born dead in your trespasses, are transfigured into the Baptized of Christ Jesus.

We pray,

O God, in the glorious transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully fore showed our adoption by grace. Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Little Zion and friends, it is good that we are here, for here, you are forgiven, you are saved, and you have already begun to live forever (point to the fount). For Jesus' most holy Passion's sake. Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Please stand.

The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Third Sunday after Epiphany

01.22.2012

2 Kings 5:1-15a, Romans 1:8-17, & St. Matthew 8:1-13.

LSB – 555:1-4,10, 401, 587, 620, & 528:1,2,7

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.

The sermon text is the Gospel appointed, the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 8^th chapter, with particular focus on these words:

And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

And:

But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

The text in part, please be seated.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

In this Gospel account you see two examples of proper faith. Especially appealing is the account of the centurion and his strong faith, for it is praised by Christ for its strength.

Your flesh and mine puffs up a little imagining for a moment that our faith is of such caliber. In that moment the neighbor and his lesser faith is considered, and we feel a little sorry for them that they are not like us.

We are thankful in that moment that we are not like them. But these moments deceive us, for we are all the same. Before almighty God we are indeed all beggars.

We need to look closer at the faith of these men, for our flesh confuses the facts. Both men can help us this morning through the grace of our Lord Jesus.

IN CHRIST JESUS, WE TRUST IN THE FATHER'S MERCIFUL WILL.

Let our consideration, thus summarized, be examined using the Lord's word to Moses on the mount from last Sunday.

1. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,
2. And I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy (Exodus 33:19).

1. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.

Moses is most certainly employing parallelism in this verse from Exodus. Stated more simply, Moses says the same thing twice, a different way each time. Its use is to help the reader or listener to a better understanding.

A dictionary employs the same technique – first the word, and then the definition. Yet, with Moses' use in this verse, and even St. Matthew's reason for recording the two accounts, the leper and the centurion, each half of the parallelism's equation offers a distinct point that aids a richer understanding.

Moses records then the first have of the verse which is the Lord God speaking to Moses, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.”

As the Lord says, so does He do. It is an article of faith that we trust the Word of Lord. He is always faithful to His promises. However please note that He isn't promising to be gracious here, is He? I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. This statement all alone doesn't say much, does it?

You need the other promises of God to clarify this one. God wants all men to be saved. St John records Jesus' words, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:17).

God is graious to men through Jesus Christ.

Beginning now in our Gospel text, the leper comes to Jesus after the Sermon on the mount.

And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

The leper is a Jew grown up with the Holy scriptures taught to him, if he wasn't Jewish the text would have identified him as Gentile. The next man is identified as a Centurion, which would be a Roman officer, Gentile.

The leper knows the Lord's Word to Moses, and the promises of the Messiah to Abraham's descendents. He may not know all the details of how Jesus would save His people but He trusted in the Lord, and it was counted to him as righteousness.

The leper is an outcast from his family, and community. His plight it rather desperate. Yet he shows a simple faith here. He kneels and prays to Jesus, “If you might want, you are able to heal me.”

This prayer simply acknowledges that Jesus is God, and has the power to heal him. The leper knows His God is a loving God for right before His eyes is the long awaited Messiah finally come.

The leper is content to be in the presence of His Savior and leave whether he is healed or not to the Lord. Jesus' own prayer in the garden reflects this same attitude toward the heavenly Father with “Not my will, but Thine be done.” And we too, pray for aid according to the gracious will of God.

God will be gracious to those to whom He will be gracious. First He has said it and second He already has been gracious by sending His Son to live, suffer, die, and rise again for the forgiveness of all your sins.

Surely His grace continues throughout the lives of His baptized children, even to all eternity.

And now for the second part of the Lord's Word to Moses,

2. And I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy (Exodus 33:19).

Now admittedly the prayer of the Centurion is very similar to the leper's. The centurion says, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” He too comes in faith. He simply tells the Lord his troubles, his servant is suffering.

He is content to just give the Lord his trouble, for he too has been brought to faith and knows Jesus to be the promised Messiah of the Jews, yet trusts that Jesus is for Gentiles too.

Neither he nor the leper know what we know after the fact, but what God says, God does. Somehow this Messiah was come to save men from their sins.

Even though a successful officer in Caesar's army, he is quite humble before the Lord Jesus, no Pharisee in the temple here, but more of the pose of the prostrate tax-collector.

Jesus even offers to go to his home and heal the servant, but the man doesn't want Jesus to become unclean in his unworthy, Gentile home, and so confesses his absolute faith in the Word of Jesus.

Just say it and it will happen for the universe obeys your commands even as my soldiers and servants do mine. He too knows that what God says, God does.

So you see, just like the Lord's words to Moses, these two expressions of faith in Jesus are really the same side of the coin, yet together they help us to see the grace and mercy of God a little more fully.

Our flesh though wrestles with these notions of complete faith. The flesh wants to not only spell out the trouble to God, but to demand the proper remedy.

• We might struggle with our bills, and pray to God, “If you let me win the lottery Lord, I will give 10% no, 20% to You. Amen.”
• We might struggle with an ailment of body or even mood, “If you heal me Lord, I will help others more. Amen.”
• We might struggle with our children, “If you straighten out my children Lord, I will be more faithful than in the past.” and again, “Amen.”

The trouble is the flesh doesn't want to leave anything to chance and the flesh doesn't trust in Jesus. It is looking for a trade. The prayer of flesh is always the same. If you do this then I'll do that.

Our flesh, yours and mine, really says, some of the time, “Because of my great faith Lord, I should be rewarded.”

But God doesn't want our trades or deals. All our righteousness is as filthy rags says Isaiah. The leper and the centurion didn't offer any deals, they simply stated their troubles and their complete trust in Jesus.

And everything you have is already the Lord's you are His simple steward.

Part of the trouble for the flesh is that the Lord doesn't promise to heal you, fix your money worries, or repair your relationships, not in this life anyway.

Yes He most certainly does heal, provide things, and give peace on earth at times and quite often, but His Word doesn't promise physical healing, monitary wealth, or peace with your neighbors on earth.

But you know the extent of His grace and mercy for you, Jesus went all the way to death on the cross. Loving you enough to die for you, doesn't He make good on His promise to be with you always even to end of the earth?

For,

• Jesus is here today for you in the Word heard,
• Jesus is here today for His baptized in the Word of Absolution,
• and Jesus will soon be here today in His Holy Communion.

We need to look closer at the faith of these men, for our flesh confuses the facts. Both men can help us this morning through the grace of our Lord Jesus. It isn't our faith that we should look at though, always and only we look to Christ. If we look too hard at our faith we are foolishly looking at ourselves.

Jesus may have commended the faith of these men, but they didn't consider their faith, they had eyes only for Jesus.

Jesus forgives you for your confused and false prayers of the flesh for they confess a faith in the deal instead of in the Savior.

Jesus has taught you to pray in the Lord's prayer, “Thy will be done.” And it's a joyful prayer, for you know His will to be gracious and merciful, for you know to whom Christ has been gracious and merciful, to you, for you are forgiven, you are saved, and you have already begun to live forever (point to the font), for Jesus most Holy Passion's sake, Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Please stand.

The Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen. 

Second Sunday after Epiphany

01.15.2012

Exodus 33:12-23 Ephesians 5:22-33, & St. John 2:1-11.

LSB – 507, 402, 399, 631, & 823

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.

The sermon text is the Gospel appointed, the Gospel according to St. John, the 2^nd chapter, with particular focus on these words:

“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

The text in part.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Today's Gradual: Reads Ps. 107:20–21

He sent out his word and | healed them,* and delivered them from their de- | struction.

Let them thank the Lord for his | steadfast love,* for his wondrous works to the chil- | dren of men!

Many of you may think the whole running out of wine thing doesn't sound like a big deal. Especially if you don't drink much wine you're probably thinking, “so!?”

Well..., it was a big thing then. They didn't have kool-aid punch, lemonade, or diet coke. The choices were water or wine. There was fresh milk of course, but it didn't keep long without refrigeration.

Wine was the customary drink of the day, expected in almost all cases where hospitality is being shown. The parable doesn't say that any were drunk, in fact, that Jesus made wine should indicate it was a good, right, and salutary use of wine at the wedding.

Besides, you surely have encountered high stress in those who were responsible for a wedding planning and execution at some point in your lives too.

As for the miracle itself, turning water into wine is a big deal. No one but Almighty God can do such a thing. The miracle as a sign of Christ's divinity is the main point of this Gospel reading. Yet, if all that you see are the six jugs of made from water wine, they you have missed some very important secondary focuses here.

MORE THAN JUST A SIGN OF CHRIST'S DIVINITY, THROUGH THIS MIRACLE CHRIST IS TEACHING ABOUT THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY, AND SHOWING WHAT FORGIVENESS REALLY LOOKS LIKE.

1. THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE
2. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY
3. WHAT FORGIVENESS REALLY LOOKS LIKE.

1. (THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE)

Let's not forget who instituted this holy estate of Holy Matrimony. Moses records in Genesis,

“And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Ge 2:22-24).

And centuries later, Jesus added to Moses' Creation record of marriage the following:

“What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mk 10:9).

Jesus performs His recorded miracle at the beginning of His newly assumed office as Christ at a wedding feast, the celebration of the marriage. Quietly, known only it seems by Mary, the disciples present, and the servants, Jesus changes water into wine so that the family peace my continue at the beginning of this new marriage.

By performing His miracle at this feast Jesus shows that He cares and still protects this Holy Estate. Think how often the Scriptures compare the marriage of husband and wife as the relationship of Christ and His bride the Church. (Today's Epistle Reading for example.)

Christ laid down His life for His bride – He lived, suffered, died, and rose again for the forgiveness of all sins, especially those in the Church, His bride. All sins are paid for yet, only those who believe, benefit from His mercy – are forgiven, saved, and given eternal life.

And Christ wants our marriages to be mirrors of His relationship to His Church. Wives are to love, submit, and respect their husbands, and husbands are to love their wives as themselves, and even lay down their lives for them if need be.

Even as Christ shows His continuing interest and protection of this Holy Estate, how much more so does He show His love, mercy, and preservation toward His body the Church for the first estate is temporal and passing, but life in His body is everlasting.

2. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY

St. John records in our Gospel Reading,

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

At first it seems like Jesus is acting rather sternly with His mother's report to Him. For He says, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Yet, He is Christ the preacher/teacher here, and reminds all listening, His mother and disciples, that He is indeed, as the baptizer had just declared in the last three days, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

But even if Mary had forgotten who Jesus is, she is not offended by His Words, for she knows that “His hour” when come, accomplishes the best good for all men, including her.

The Son loves His mother and always listens to her. He grew up from infancy to a man, as St. Luke records more than once, that Jesus was submissive to His parents and that He grew in wisdom and stature before God and men.

Jesus listens to His mother's concern, and she knows that, through the teaching moment, for she further instructs the servants to do whatever He tells them to do.

Besides this example of keeping the fourth commandment to love and honor your parents, Jesus is preserving the peace and joy of a wedding feast. Marriage is the beginning of the family for its fruit from God are the children.

Even childless marriages are blessed by God. They have each other and are often able to help others with their children – nephews, nieces, friends, and fellow Christians especially.

And it is through childbirth that God's promise to redeem His people was kept. The Son of God became man, true God and yet true man. It is this Jesus born of the virgin yet conceived by the Holy Ghost that still protects and preserves house and home, family and wife.

Such is His devotion to preserving His people in their marriages and in their families, that He even concerns Himself on this day with the wine inventory. Which leads us into our third part of this morning's consideration:

3. WHAT FORGIVENESS REALLY LOOKS LIKE.

St. Luke ended this account with our sermon text in part:

“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

Had the wine run out, even in first century Cana, life would have went on. The father of the bridegroom would have suffered some public embarrassment and certainly the new husband's and bride's cheeks would have felt the warmth of that social blunder.

Yet in a few weeks or months it would not come up so often in idle conversation and soon it would slip from the normal fare of gossip. But Christ's love for His bride the Church is such that he spared this couple and their family the ordeal by quietly providing wine for the rest of the party.

Through out His three year ministry Jesus preformed many miracles, and these signs showed that He was indeed true God. No one doubted His humanity, but His divinity is believed only through faith in His Word. Signs don't cause faith, they can help strengthen faith, but not produce it.

These few disciple called so far that were with Him, even though with Him only a short time, had heard the prophets' Holy Word in temple, and by their parents. And John had taught some of them too. And they had been with Jesus these last few days.

There was Jesus' baptism and the presence of the Holy Trinity, and there was the declaration of John – “Behold the Lamb of God.”

Certainly they didn't understand Jesus walk to Calvary had already begun, they wouldn't get that understanding it seems until Pentecost, but somehow through the Word heard they had begun to believe that this was the promised Messiah and this sign helped strengthen their new infant faith.

This turning water into wine begins to show Christ's compassion for His people in their everyday lives and vocations. If He is going to die for you, think how much He loves you.

Jesus protects the celebration and demonstrates the all compassing love and mercy that His forgiveness is. Greater love hath no man than this, that he is willing to lay down His life for you.

Well, that great love becomes even greater as it is seen being demonstrated helping even with temporal joys and comforts of this earthly life. Christ's forgiveness is greater than our toss of a few coins in the charity's can – cheaply accomplished and quickly over.

Christ gives help where He wills and permits even ill where His all knowing, and all loving sees that hardships will help us cling tighter to Him than winefuls will.

Christ suffered and gave up His life to pay for the forgiveness of all men. His glorious Easter resurrection shows the Father's acceptance of Christ's great once and for all sacrifice.

Christ's forgiveness is given on earth right now, right here. The children got a taste of corporate confession, private confession and Holy Absolution this week in Catechism class. It is an exciting and wonderful thing to have a sin plague your conscience and then have it removed and washed away by Christ’s grace.

You experience it before every Divine Service here in the General confession and Absolution. Forgiveness for all your sins.

All men and all creation groan under sins and the consequences thereof. Yet, rain falls, crops grow, babies are conceived and born, food is brought home to the family, and sometimes there is steak on the table.

All of these temporal things are from the same God who laid down His life for all men. It is the forgiveness for all spilling over into the lives not just being prepared for eternal live, but the lives already living eternally, and even those lives of which will be brought to faith.

Forgiveness from Christ spills over from His Church. The cup runneth over! You are forgiven, and so you begin to share that forgiveness out in the world. You are loved so you begin to love your neighbor and help him too with the here and now.

Perhaps running out of wine isn't a big deal for you, but there are plenty of things that are. Think of the food on your plate, or the water in your home, or the electricity in your appliances. Think about your health and the health of your loved ones.

If any of those run short, you worry and are sometimes distracted from Christ. The focus can become, instead of looking to God for all good things, rather looking to the things with far too much longing, longing reserved for the one true God.

For a moment Mary might have lost sight. We do know that Christ gently refocused her eyes and expectations not on wine but on the great work of the Messiah that saves His people from their sins.

His hour had not yet come on the day of that wedding feast, but thanks be to God His hour came for while He stills shows you your sin with His teaching and preaching, far more glorious He shows you His suffering, death, and resurrection done for you.

Mother Church still points to Christ alone, and urges us to do whatever he tells you. Soon in the Holy Communion a greater miracle than mere table wine will occur, and you will receive in and with the bread and wine, His body and blood for the forgiveness of all your sins.

For His given to you forgiveness runneth over and gives you to know for certain, that despite your many sins, you are forgiven, you are saved, and you have already begun to live forever (point to the font), for Jesus most Holy Passion's sake, Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Please stand.

The Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.