Jesus Rules Forever!

Last Sunday of the Church Year, Christ the King, 11/26/23 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 Jesus Rules Forever! I. He rules over death. II. He rules over his kingdom. Many years ago, I heard another pastor say, “It’s hard to keep a good pastor, and it’s even harder to get rid of a poor one.” I say that, not so you begin to ponder my service as your pastor, but so that you reflect on how that is in other facets of your life. For instance, if you are an employer or a supervisor, you have surely experienced how difficult it is to keep a good employee and how it’s even harder to terminate a poor one. Thus, in many work environments, mediocrity is tolerated. And, to some extent, that’s true with those who govern us. The Bible makes it clear that government is one of God’s representatives through whom he blesses us. And we’re overjoyed when we are being blessed by those who govern us. It makes life so much easier for us. But, it’s hard to keep a good government and even harder to get rid of a poor one. Today we celebrate the truth that Christ is King. We heard in today’s Gospel Reading of the saving irony by which Jesus became our King. He suffered the unholy taunts of his enemies and the hellish agony of the cross. On that Good Friday he looked like anything but a king. But King he is! Our Christian faith and our forgiveness of sins and our eternal lie are based on this saving truth: Christ our King not only died, he also rose again and rules forever. The Apostle Paul expands on that great truth in this morning’s text from 1 Corinthians 15. Unlike other ruling forces in our lives, Jesus rules forever. He is our eternal King. But as our King, what does he have in store for us? How does he affect our lives now and how will he affect them forever? Pay attention to his words before us this morning and take to heart his powerful and saving truths for your life. I. You’ve heard it said that there are only two things that are certain in life—death and taxes. We smile now as we hear those words, but you might not be smiling when you file your 2023 tax returns and are confronted with the cold reality of how much you pay annually in taxes. Imagine what you could do with that money if taxes weren’t a reality of life. Things are much the same with the reality of death. We might not think about it, we try not to think about it, we might spend a great deal of time and money trying to delay it, but it’s inevitable. One of my seminary professors used to say, “For all of our modern medical advances, the death rate remains the same: one for each person.” I’d like to think the Apostle Paul would say, “Yes, but...” Yes, but what? Listen again to his words, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” A little further on he states, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Paul states plainly what we all know, “As in Adam, all die.” The father of the human race eventually died as the result of sin. The Bible states only a few exceptions to this gloomy rule of life: all die. Even though we’d like to go on living, death is inevitable. But that’s where the rule of Christ our King comes in. Paul calls him “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Firstfruits? Are you familiar with that biblical term? In the Old Testament, the Lord demanded that the Jews offer to him the firstfruits of their crops. So, as a field full of wheat ripened, the farmer was required to bring the first of the ripe wheat to the Lord as an offering. This offering expressed at least a couple things. First, it was an offering of thanks to the God who had caused the wheat to grow and ripen. The first part of it was given to the Lord; the rest of it was to be used by the farmer to provide for his family. Second, it was an offering of trust. The farmer wasn’t allowed to make sure he had enough ripe grain harvested and then bring the final ripe grain to the Lord. His offering expressed his trust in the Lord to provide what he needed. Just as the first wheat ripened, so would the rest of the crop. Jesus is the firstfruit when it comes to the resurrection of the dead. He was the first to raise himself from the dead at dawn on the third day, just as he promised he would. That’s the foundation of the Christian faith—Jesus rose from the dead. We’re the rest of the crop. He has promised to raise our bodies from the dead on the Last Day and glorify them so that we can enjoy the bliss of eternal life for both soul and body. As impossible as that sounds, it will happen. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. And then the last enemy—death—will be destroyed. Where science will fail—eradicating death—Christ our King will succeed. He is the Victor! Jesus rules forever! He rules over death. I’m sure you’ve heard it said that death is a natural part of life. And it’s true. Unless we are alive on the day Jesus returns to this earth, we will all die. But death is also unnatural. In what way? Because God’s original intent for human life was for human beings to live forever here in a perfect world. But sin destroyed God’s perfect intent. And, as God told Adam, sin brings death. So, I get it when you and I want to avoid the topic of death. I get it when we want to avoid death, even if it costs us time and effort and money. I get it if we are enjoying the blessings of this life so much that the last thing we want to think about is being suddenly torn from this life. I get it when we have our fears and doubts about death, because there is no earthly preparation for it. You don’t get a trial run. Especially when death is untimely it can be horrific. The fallout for those of us still living can be devasting. So, what hope do we have? What comfort exists? What peace can be found? Christ your King! He destroyed death with his death and has brought life and immortality into reality. Yes, not just a dream, but a reality! In fact, it’s the focal point of everything he has done for us and will do for us. He wants us to live with him in soul and body forever. He redeemed both our souls and our bodies by his death and guaranteed it with his resurrection. Because he lives, we, too, shall rise and live. Jesus rules forever over death! II. We’ve learned our lesson. History teaches it over and over again. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It’s inevitable. It might as well be one of the universal laws of nature. But with one exception. Listen to Paul describe it, “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he ‘has put everything under his feet.’ Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” Jesus has all power, and he always uses it for the absolute good, not evil. Paul refers to the kingdom of Jesus. That’s his gracious rule in our hearts. It’s a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly or visible kingdom. On the Last Day he will bring every member of his kingdom into eternal glory with him. And on that day, he will finally, once and for all, overcome evil. He will reverse everything that Satan caused when he lured Adam and Eve into sin. Everything that makes this life sorrowful, frustrating, stressful, and miserable will be overcome. Jesus rules! And then God will be supreme. But isn’t he supreme now? Yes, he is. But when Paul states that God will be all in all, he means that there will no longer be any human or spiritual forces that oppose him. They will be confined to hell, and nothing will ever oppose the Lord and his people again. And that glorious reign will endure forever. It will never end. Jesus rules forever! He rules over his kingdom. “Nothing can stop it.” That phrase often fills us with fear and dread. I’ve heard that there are fears over the use of Artificial Intelligence. Some think that if it gets into the wrong hands, it could be used to destroy all human life. A couple years ago, we wondered if we would ever be able to stop COVID-19. I read an article the other day that stated it’s probably here to stay. Nothing can stop it completely. But there is one situation in which “Nothing can stop it” is reason for us to rejoice. And that’s the rule of Jesus. It’s his kingdom. It’s you and me and all others who trust in Jesus as their Savior from sin. Nothing can stop the plans our Lord has for us to rise from the dead and enjoy his glorious kingdom forever. Find your hope in that great truth, Christian friends. No doubt this week will be just like last week and all the weeks prior to it in this terrible truth: evil will surround us. It will vex you. It will cause you to shake your head in disbelief. You will wonder again and again what this world is coming to. You might even think it can’t possibly get worse than it is right now. But it will end. Jesus will make sure of it. Right now, he is ruling over all things for the good of his church—you and me and all Christians. He will ultimately take his kingdom out of this sinful world and hand us over to his heavenly Father. Why? So that we can experience life with our God and all the blessings God has in store for us without any interruption from Satan or any other evil power. So, what can you expect out of Jesus, your King? Just bliss, eternal bliss. It’s all yours. Your King promises it to you by faith in him. He’s making sure it happens right now as he rules over all things. Jesus rules forever! Enjoy it! Amen.

What Should You Do While You Wait for Jesus to Return?

25th Sunday after Pentecost, 11/19/23 Matthew 25:14-30 What Should You Do While You Wait for Jesus to Return? How good are you at waiting for something to happen? I’ve never been good at it. I was unbearable waiting for something as a child and things have only gotten slightly better for me, even at my age. I recall waiting for my parents to come home from an appointment or waiting for relatives to arrive for a holiday celebration and it just about drove me crazy. And I succeeded in driving others crazy as well. But, as I said, it does get better with age. Wouldn’t you agree? And some of that progress is due to the fact that we’ve learned that things don’t always happen as fast as we want or expect them to. We’ve learned that delays are possible. We realize we might have some time on our hands, so we bring with us something to do. And there’s always our cell phone to occupy us. Or maybe you bring a book to read or some music to listen to. And, if you’re into podcasts, you might even use the time to increase your knowledge on a certain subject. While you wait, you try to do something to occupy your time. We’re nearing the end of the church year, and it’s no accident that our scripture readings turn our attention to the end times when the Lord will return. Last Sunday’s readings urged us to be watchful for our Lord’s return. This Sunday’s readings urge us to be faithful as we wait for him. Faithful doing what? Jesus spoke this parable before us this morning to answer that question. He encourages us to use our time wisely. Well, what should you do while you wait for Jesus to return? Keep that question before you as we prayerfully come to a deeper understanding of what Jesus is asking us to do in the words of this parable. I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know when I say that this is the week of our country’s annual Thanksgiving Day celebration. And the focus of most of those celebrations will be a Thanksgiving Day feast, often a meal with turkey and all the assorted side dishes, and pumpkin pie to boot. But we try not to simply make it a day to eat more than we usually do at one meal. We try to be thankful. In fact, you might even take a few minutes to quietly reflect on all the blessings the Lord has bestowed on you. And as Christians, we thank the Lord for his generosity to us. In this parable, the master represents the Lord. And it’s difficult to miss his generosity, especially in the translation we’re using of Matthew’s Gospel. Our text informs us that the master hands out bags of gold to his servants. He entrusts his vast wealth to them. Each bag of gold was worth about 20 years of wages—an extreme amount of money. And I’m guessing you know whom the servants represent—you and me, followers of Jesus Christ. At first you might raise the objection that the Lord hasn’t blessed you with an extreme amount of wealth. But the bags of gold don’t just represent your wealth; they represent everything that Lord has given you—your time, your abilities, and all your possessions. So, the first thing the Lord is urging us to do is to recall his grace and generosity towards us. And the time to do so is now while you’re waiting for Jesus to return. But you probably noticed something. The master didn’t give each of his servants the same amount of gold. He gave 10 bags to one, 5 to a second, and only 1 to a third. And, at first, that sounds cruel and inconsiderate. Imagine being the servant who only received one bag of gold and watching as the first servant tries to manage holding all 10 of his at the same time. You’d feel cheated, wouldn’t you? But actually, the master was being extremely wise and considerate. He gives each servant an amount that he feels they can handle. He knows his servants and what their strengths and weaknesses are. The second and third servants don’t have as many skills and abilities as the first servant does. Giving them more of his wealth than they can handle would not only be foolish, it would be cruel. He would be setting them up for frustration and failure. And it goes without saying that he expects them to use his wealth wisely while he is gone. They know he will return, they just don’t know when. During that time, he entrusted them with his wealth to use it wisely. Doing nothing with it is actually wasting it. It’s failing to put to good use something which is valuable. But that’s exactly what the third servant does. The parable states, “The man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” And when the master returns, the third servant confesses, “Master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” And the master’s response is no surprise. He tees off on the servant for his laziness. His words are sharp and full of anger. He even calls him “wicked.” But it makes us wonder. If the master represents the Lord, is there forgiveness? We understand the scolding, but the judgment and the condemnation seems a little harsh, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t the parable end with forgiveness? But the parable isn’t about forgiveness. It’s about faithfulness. The master gave him every opportunity to use what he had and he failed. In spiritual terms, our God has given us faith in Jesus. He tells us that faith in Jesus will bear fruit. It will be evident in our lives. So, the question isn’t, “Is there forgiveness?” The question is, “Is there faith?” And there wasn’t. That’s why he was condemned. What should you do while waiting for Jesus to return? Spend your time matching your abilities with your opportunities. There’s another detail in this parable that I want you to notice. It’s this: “After a long time, the master of those servants returned.” No kidding it’s been a long time. It’s been almost 2,000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven. It would be easy for us even as followers of Jesus to think that his return is still a long way off. It would be easy for us to take the viewpoint of our world which is this: everything keeps on going and happening. One day follows another. Surely that’s going to continue. And if that’s our view of things, why should we do anything right now with the gifts our Lord has given us? Tomorrow or the next day will be soon enough. Or even next year or the year after that. It would also be easy to think that if we don’t use what our Lord has given us, someone will cover for us. There’s always someone who will take care of things if I don’t. Someone who isn’t as busy as I am. Someone who has more time or more energy. Really? Is that being faithful? Or, even worse, silently telling the Lord that you have nothing to offer. That you have no time or abilities or possessions to use faithfully in service to him as you serve others. To do nothing and silently make the statement, “Jesus, you gave others a bag of gold, but you gave nothing to me.” And that’s so easy to do because it plays right into our sinful selfish nature. Act talentless and no one will expect me to do a thing. So, what should you do while you are waiting for Jesus to return? Resist the temptation to do nothing. Instead, use what you have to serve and enjoy. First, serve with joy. Even people who aren’t Christian know the joy of serving others. You’ll see it in action this week as people, even those who aren’t Christian, do what they can to help those who are needy. It gives great joy to serve. So imagine, then, the joy you have as a Christian, knowing that when you are serving others you’re also serving your Lord Jesus! The One who gave his all for you—his very life—empowers you to serve him as you serve others. That’s being faithful! Second, enjoy. Especially enjoy hearing this, “Come and share your master’s happiness.” The happiness in this parable represents the happiness, the joy, the bliss that Jesus won for us. It’s the eternal joy of life in heaven with our Savior. It’s a life without sin, stress, death, or pain. It’s paradise. Literally paradise. It’s beyond our comprehension, and it’s all yours by faith in Jesus. That’s what your Savior has in store for you when you grab opportunities to use your time, abilities, and possessions faithfully here on earth is ended. What should you do while you wait for Jesus to return? Serve and enjoy. Do it faithfully. That’s what this parable is all about. But that doesn’t leave us all warm and fuzzy, does it? In fact, this parable makes us more than a little uncomfortable. It shows us (dare we say, shoves in our faces?) what Jesus expects us to do while we wait for him to return. He expects us to be faithful using everything he has given us, including our faith in him. Of course that makes us uncomfortable! No one is faithful all the time! Our reality is that we even purposely decline or even refuse opportunities to use our gifts faithfully. We’re even good at creating excuses for it. I know mine. What are yours? Could Jesus call us wicked and lazy and worthless? He could. He should. He does. And that’s where this would end if we were to take Jesus out of the parable. Recall again what the parable is about. It’s about faithfully using the gifts Jesus has given us. It’s about producing the fruits of the faith that Jesus has placed in our hearts. That faith centers on this great truth: Jesus died for my sins and rose again. He has forgiven me for all the times I have not been faithful while I wait for his return. And when he does return, his last great service to me and you and all other Christians will show his eternal love for us by raising us from the dead, glorifying our bodies, and taking us with him into his eternal happiness. Jesus will return and do just that. As you wait for him, live in the faith he has graciously given you. Faithfully use your gifts to his glory. Amen.

What Does a Watchful Christian Look Like?

24th Sunday after Pentecost, 11/12/23 Matthew 25:1-13 What Does a Watchful Christian Look Like? I. They are faithful. II. They are prepared. What does a sports fan look like? Let me sharpen that question just a tad. What does a football fan look like? Well, they might wear their team’s colors, perhaps even an official-looking jersey. They might have other team apparel. Their team’s games might be the highlight of their weekend. They might even spend a good deal of money to attend a game. But looks can be deceiving. Perhaps they received the team apparel as a gift and don’t care at all for the team. Perhaps they’re sitting in the stands at a game, but it’s only because it’s a social or work outing. Here's another one: What does an employee look like? They might be wearing the required uniform. Or maybe the shirt they’re wearing has the company logo on it. Maybe their name is printed on a badge, a desk, or even a door. Those are all good indications that such a person is an employee, but they don’t tell you how dedicated they are. Maybe they’re just putting in their time. Maybe they’re good at finding everything but work to do. Sad to say, they might even be engaged in activity detrimental to the success of the business. What does a parent look like? Well, we hope it’s one who loves their child deeply and is constantly watching out for the good of their child. But you know that isn’t always the case. It’s sad when we know or hear about parents who are no longer fit to parent their child. Just because they are legally the child’s parent doesn’t mean much. Are you wearing the name “Christian”? I hope so. And if so, what does it mean to you? How does it affect your life? When others see you, do they immediately recognize the Christian jersey you’re wearing, and, is it obvious to all the connection between your name and your life, or is it just a jersey you’re wearing because someone gave it to you and you feel like wearing it that day? What does a Christian look like? Our worship theme this morning makes one characteristic obvious: They watch for the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, to return. That’s what this parable in Matthew 25 is all about. Watching for Jesus. But just what does that mean? What does it look like? What does a watchful Christian look like? Let’s listen as Jesus helps us answer that question this morning. Part I. Consumer marketing has any number of guidelines, rules, and/or tactics which are designed to enhance the marketing of a product. In retail sales, one of those guidelines is to offer a prospective customer something to get them in the door the first time and then continue to offer them something to keep them coming back. Repeat customers/loyal customers are the golden goose of retail sales. Christianity has nothing to sell you, and it’s not in the business of monetary profit (at least it shouldn’t be), but keeping Christians engaged in their faith is one of the ultimate goals of the Christian church on earth. The Lord Jesus wants you to enjoy and appreciate the gifts he gives you so much that you keep coming back to him for more. I realize that some of the details of the Parable of the Ten Virgins can be confusing. How terrible that some of the women miss out on the banquet! Why? And why does the bridegroom, who is Jesus, shut the door on them when they try to enter? And why does he end this parable with these harsh words, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.” Wow! That hurts! Jesus speaks this parable for a couple main reasons, and one of them is that Jesus not only wants people to become connected to him, he wants them to remain connected to him. In other words, he wants—better, he requires—faithfulness. And that, my friends, is the first characteristic that Jesus looks for in a watchful Christian. Listen again to the opening words of this text, “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.” If Jesus is looking for faithful Christians to be watchful, at first it sounds like this parable introduces us immediately to ten of them. But the very next sentence we read inserts a distinction. Five were wise and five were foolish. And Jesus immediately informs us on what basis that distinction is made. The wise ones brought extra oil while the foolish ones did not. We could spend a good deal of time discussing what Jesus means, but let’s cut to the chase. Here’s what Jesus means. He’s not just looking for his people to say, “Yes, Jesus, I do want to be with you and I will watch for you.” He’s looking for follow-through. He’s looking for commitment. He’s looking for faithfulness. That means he’s looking for his people—Christians—not only to profess being Christians but to follow through with it in their daily lives. He's looking for people who are in this for the long haul—however long it takes—until the Bridegroom shows up and the heavenly banquet begins. And that takes commitment. Unwavering commitment. Commitment even in the face of ungodly pressures to relax our commitment to him, at least for the time being. Commitment to resist the thinking that we can come back to Jesus in fuller measure when we aren’t so busy or have nothing better to do. Really? Is that really such a huge problem? Do some Christians really struggle with being faithful to Jesus? Do I really need to help you answer that for yourself? I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I would lay big money on the bet that every single one of us knows someone close to us that used to be close to Christ and isn’t anymore. Am I right? And if it’s happened to someone close to us, what makes us think we’re immune to it? I don’t think any Christian ever woke up one morning and stated, “I’m going to start drifting further away from Jesus today.” It doesn’t happen that way! Instead, Satan lulls us with spiritual drowsiness. That’s why Jesus spoke this parable—as a warning to his people. He wants every one of us to be watchful. But just what does a watchful Christian look like? They are faithful. Raise your hand if you are absolutely confident that your faithfulness to Jesus is flawless. That’s what I thought. I didn’t raise my hand either. I’d like people to think my faithfulness is flawless, but I know better. The sinful choices I make in my life are the screaming evidence that I’m not always committed to Jesus. Like yours, my faithfulness to Jesus ebbs and wanes. Like a roller coaster ride, it’s full speed ahead one moment and barely moving the next. Jesus knows that. It’s why he shares this parable with us. He wants us to recognize and confess the fact that our faithfulness to him isn’t what it should be a single day of our lives. And our watchfulness for our Bridegroom suffers. But isn’t it wonderful to hear about his forgiveness? Isn’t it comforting to know that he removes our unfaithfulness and replaces it with his holy faithfulness by faith in him? What a relief to know that the same Jesus who sacrificed himself for us, lives in us and empowers us to be faithful in watching for him to return! Part II. In this parable, Jesus is urging us to be prepared for the future. And we take pride in doing so. None of us wants to be caught unprepared. We spend a good deal of time with professionals receiving financial advice, employment advice, retirement advice, health advice, so that we are prepared for what may come. But how can you prepare for the return of the Bridegroom, Jesus? If you think you’re prepared right now (you’re sitting in church, after all), how can you be sure you’ll be prepared tomorrow? Next year? Twenty years from now? For the answer to those questions, let’s go back to the details of the parable. The wise women took extra oil for their lamps. So, what does the oil in the parable represent? There are several good answers, but I think the most complete answer to that question is what the Holy Spirit wants to do for you every day of your life on earth. The oil is his work in you. In his Explanation to the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, Martin Luther wrote (say it along with me in your hearts and minds if you recall it), “The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” Do those words ring a bell? In short, Luther stated that the Holy Spirit not only wants to bring you to faith in Jesus, he wants to keep you in that faith. That faith is represented as the oil. Five of the women still had it when the Bridegroom arrived. The faith of the other five ran out. They lost their faith. They were shut out of the banquet. How did that happen? They didn’t keep connected to Jesus through his means of grace—his word, and his sacraments. So, how will you make sure your faith doesn’t run out before the Bridegroom returns? Keep hearing and reading the word of God. If you’re not baptized, be baptized. And then keep receiving the Lord’s Supper. Pretty simple, isn’t it? What Jesus wants from us—to be prepared—he supplies for us through his word and sacraments. What does a watchful Christian look like? They are prepared The trend in modern society is for people to consider their spiritual lives to be very personal and private. Someone else’s spiritual life isn’t my business and mine isn’t theirs. We’re accountable to no one but ourselves. But that’s not what we’re all about as a congregation of Christians who are committed to the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. We’re in this together. We need each other desperately. The path to heaven is simple—by faith in Jesus alone—but keeping in that faith is a daily battle against the forces of hell and our own sinful nature. You are prepared for the Bridegroom by faith in Jesus—confessing your sins and trusting in him for forgiveness and eternal life. Now make sure the person next to you is prepared. Think of your loved ones. Think of your friends and acquaintances. Do what you can when you have the opportunity to help them in their spiritual lives. And all the while recall this question: What does a watchful Christian look like? They are committed to Jesus, and they are prepared by faith in him. May the Lord accomplish that saving goal in each and every one of us! Amen.

What Do You Expect, Christian?

22nd Sunday after Pentecost, Reformation Sunday, 10/29/23 Matthew 10:16-23 What Do You Expect, Christian? Regarding… I. Your environment II. Your response III. Your relationships There is little reason in our modern world not to know what you’re getting into. For instance, if you’re thinking about taking a vacation, making a hotel reservation, or trying out a restaurant for the first time, you check it out. You search websites and read reviews. You watch videos. You see and hear what specific locations look like, and then you read reviews to find out how accurate the portrayals are. Is the service as good as advertised? Is the price you’ll pay worth it? Would those who have experienced what you’re contemplating do it again? Or, do they tell you to beware? I can’t help but think that people are doing that very same thing regarding their decision whether or not to join us for worship on Sunday morning. I used to receive phone calls asking me about what Resurrection offers. Not any more. Not for a few years. It’s apparent people check out our website and likely watch one of our services before they decide to walk inside those doors. They want to know what they can expect. And we’re not surprised. Not to do so is failing to take advantage of an opportunity. Why not check things out first before committing to attend worship with us? But let’s take that one step farther. Let’s take it from a place of Christian worship experience to life experience outside those doors. As you make efforts to live your Christian life out in the world, what are you finding? What’s your experience? There are Christians who will claim the Christian life out there can be all peaches and cream. The other evening as I was watching television the face of a nationally recognized Christian preacher appeared and began to tell me that he has the secret to happiness in my life. And if I go to his website, he’ll inform me how to change my thinking about things so that I can enjoy that happiness as I live my Christian life in this world. And he’s not alone. Countless Christians think the same way. But it makes me wonder if they ever read these words of Jesus from Matthew 10. In them he speaks about the Christian life out there in the world, and it’s not a pretty picture. It’s realistic, but it’s not pretty. Today we pause to celebrate Luther’s Reformation of the Church, an event which rocked Christianity and world history. Historians have ranked the Reformation as one of the top three events in the last 1,000 years. But it didn’t result in loads of peaches and cream. Not for Luther, and not for us who choose to be known as Lutheran Christians. As much as this is a day to celebrate the saving truth that we are saved by grace alone, by faith alone, through scripture alone, it’s also a day for a reality check. And Jesus gives us that opportunity in these words before us this morning from Matthew’s Gospel. They lead each of us to ask ourselves the question, “What do you expect, Christian?” Keep that question before you as we delve into this portion of God’s word. Part I. If you know even a little about the history of Luther’s reformation of the church, you know it wasn’t easy for him. He began it thinking it would be easy. That’s because he was under the delusion that the leaders in his church were unaware of the spiritual abuses that were going on. He discovered that the forgiveness of sins was being peddled for money in order to build a huge church in Rome. Surely the pope was unaware. But Luther was pitifully naïve. The pope did know, and when Luther found that out and began denouncing the teachings of his church, he quickly found out what danger he was in. In short order he was excommunicated, he was placed under the ban, which meant he could be shot on sight by anyone. In fact, for years after leaving the Roman Catholic Church, Luther refused to contemplate becoming married because he figured he would be killed soon by his enemies. That’s what he got for proclaiming and defending the truth of God’s word. Is it really all that different today? Our environment in many respects is very similar to the one in which Luther lived. Try standing up for what God says in his word. You’ll be labeled hateful and intolerant, a Jesus freak. Choose any moral topic our world is facing today—beginning of life, end of life, human sexuality, marriage, divorce, humankind’s accountability to God—and you’ll face endless ridicule and inhuman derision. And one of the reasons for that is that the people of this world will not tolerate the phrase, “thus says the Lord.” They refuse to accept the fact that there is only one true God, and he has a claim on our lives and holds us responsible to him for the way we lead them. Don’t believe me? Put something out there on social media that is uniquely Christian and see the kinds of responses you get. That’s the spiritual environment in which we live. And truth be told, it’s not much different from what Luther faced or Jesus faced while he was on this earth, or the apostles after Christ, or God’s prophets in the Old Testament. That’s the environment in which we live. That’s what you can expect, Christian. So, as Christians who have firmly taken a stance on the truth of God’s word, it seems to me there are only two options. One, we can surrender to our world, just give it, make the Christian life easier for us and more tolerable for them, or, we can take up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and continue serving in the high calling our Lord Jesus has given us, knowing and believing that he is the one who has placed us in this environment, as sheep among wolves. We do so with the divine promise that when the Last Day occurs, his word will still stand. Christian, that’s what you can expect. Part II. And as you live in that environment, listen to your Savior encourage you on how to respond, “Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Luther had barely begun his reformation of the church when these words were fulfilled in his life. He literally proclaimed the truth of salvation as presented in the word of God before the Holy Roman Emperor and he did so knowing that he could be executed for his firm stance. But he wasn’t the first to do so. Shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven the apostles faced the same opportunity, first before the Jewish ruling council and ultimately before the world’s most powerful ruler at the time, the Emperor of the Roman Empire. And they paid for it with their lives. It happens far too often that Christians in other parts of the world take a stand on the word of God and are martyred for it. Will that ever happen in our country? I pray not. But the fact remains, the truth of God as declared in his word is opposed all across our country every day. Jesus knew that would happen. And so he gave us his promise that the Holy Spirit will still empower us and give us the words to speak as we defend God’s eternal truth, which even Satan himself cannot overcome. That’s our calling. That’s our mission. That’s our privilege. We’ll face opposition to our Christian testimony, but the victory is ours through Christ. That’s what we can expect as we respond to the attacks on our faith from our world. Part III. It’s difficult enough when the world in which we live opposes the truth of God’s word; it’s crushing when that opposition comes from the people who are closest to us. Listen again to these words of Jesus, “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.” The truth of God’s word might even drive a wedge in our relationships with our closest relatives—our own flesh and blood. And when we first experience it, we’re stunned. We can’t believe what’s happening. Perhaps the opposition to your faith is coming from a close relative who once heard and believed the same truths that you still hold to, but now want nothing to do with that truth, and it hurts deep inside you. So, what can we do? First, if the opposite is true—where you have relationships with family and friends in which you share the same faith and encourage each other in it—cherish those relationships. Foster them! Remind each other how critical it is that you continue to hear that word together and find your comfort and joy in it. And where that isn’t the case—where strife exists because you hold to the truths of Christ and won’t comprise—pray and work. Pray and work. Pray and work. Pray for the Lord to strengthen you and to work in their hearts, and then be the one who is willing to share the truths of God’s word as Jesus gives you the opportunity and the words to speak. God’s word always works; we just don’t know exactly when or how. As much as our celebration of Luther’s Reformation of the Church is a joyful, encouraging, uplifting event, it’s also a reality check. Like Jesus, like the apostles, like Luther, we’ll face staunch opposition as we determine to live according to the truths of God’s word and proclaim those truths. The life of the Christian is not easy. And there are times when we’ll cave into the pressure from our world to suppress God’s truth. But our Reformation confidence is that Jesus never suppressed the truth. He always proclaimed it and he died for it. He died to fulfill the truth that our God is our Savior, the God who won forgiveness and eternal life for us. Jesus rose from the dead to guarantee his saving truth. And our world, and not even the gates of hell, can overcome that truth. Jesus wins, and we win with him. That’s what you can expect, Christian. Praise God for it! Amen.