Sermons from Lord of Lords Lutheran Church

Lord of Lords Evangelical Lutheran Church of Casper, WY
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Located in Casper, Wyoming, Lord of Lords is a friendly, conservative Lutheran church offering life-related messages and opportunities to praise our great Savior, Christ Jesus

  1. Jun 7

    Ministry is Based on Mercy

    View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/ministry-is-based-on-mercy/Moses was the newborn son of Hebrew slaves. After he was found floating in a reed basket in the Nile River by Pharaoh's daughter, she adopted him into the royal family. Moses received a noble Egyptian education. But he remained a Hebrew. When he was 40 years old, Moses saw an Egyptian guard beating a Hebrew slave. Moses struck and killed the guard. Then he fled into the Sinai mountains and became a shepherd for 40 years. That's when the Angel of the Lord -- the pre-incarnate Jesus -- appeared to Moses in a burning bush. The Lord didn't see a weak, whining, inadequate shepherd. He saw a man who would speak face-to-face with God as a friend; who would be his chosen servant to speak face-to-face with Pharaoh and say, "Let my people go"; and would lead God's people out of Egyptian slavery and into the Promised Land of Canaan. Jesus -- as the Angel of the Lord -- appeared to Moses to call him into his public ministry. Matthew was a tax collector. As a Jew, he was employed by the hated Roman Empire to collect taxes from his own Jewish people. Tax collectors were notorious for their greed and corruption. When Jesus came upon Matthew's booth, he didn't see a sinner to shun. He saw a soul sick with sin that the Physician of body and soul could save. He saw a man who would no longer take taxes from people. He saw his future disciple, apostle, and evangelist who would give God's Word to the people. Jesus appeared to Matthew to call him into his public ministry. On the road to Damascus, the ascended Lord Jesus appeared to Saul as a bright light. Jesus knocked Saul off his horse and onto his self-righteous butt. In Paul's own words, "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13-14). The voice of the crucified One spoke from heaven: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me" (Acts 9:4)? And suddenly the shoe was on the other foot. The arrester was arrested. The slayer was slain. Saul was struck down and made blind. But three days later, he was baptized. His sight was given back. His life was given back -- a new life, a difficult life, and with this new life he was given a new name -- no longer would he be known as Saul, but now as Paul. Through Christ's grace and mercy, he was no longer a persecutor, but a preacher. No longer hunting those with Christ's name, but he was now a missionary serving in Christ's name. The ascended Jesus appeared to Paul to call him into his public ministry. Who would want these guys as their pastors? A murderer and run-away scaredy cat. A hated traitor to your culture and suspected cheater. A violent man who hunted your Christian siblings, threw some in jail, and killed others. Yet, these were some of the greatest leaders, apostles, and missionaries in the Bible -- Moses, Matthew, and Paul! God used them for his ministry. God used Moses' leadership, Matthew's wisdom, and Paul's passion. That's what he was looking for in his pastors. The Lord in his mercy called Moses, Matthew, and Paul into his public ministry. He said, "I want you. Leave your old life and follow me in a new life. No longer as a shepherd, but as my chosen leader. No longer as a tax collector, but as an apostle. No longer as a persecutor, but as a missionary." And for countless generations, the Lord has called men so they are no longer a farmer or businessman or builder or soldier or student or whatever, but as a pastor of God's people. What do you look for in a pastor? What are his duties? What is his role in the congregation? The pastor is a leader, yet he is also your servant. He is a shepherd, yet he is also a sinful sheep. He heals, skillfully using the double-edged scalpel of Law and Gospel. He is an evangelist, a teacher, a preacher, a confidant, a counselor, a scholar, an entertainer, and a friend. He visits the sick, marries those in love, comforts the grieving, buries the dead, admonishes those who sin, chases down the wandering, and feeds the faithful. He plans worship services, teaches Bible classes at church and in homes, visits members in the hospital or when they're homebound, goes out for coffee with members and outreach prospects, canvasses homes, organizes events like soccer camp and for WELS Wyoming Youth, does counseling, records podcasts, creates social media content, and more. So, when he posts pictures on Facebook of his hiking exploits, some friend will always ask, "Do you work?" The Scriptures have some demanding qualifications for every man who is called into the public ministry. Here are just a few of God's qualifications: He must be above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, an example for believers in life, in love, in faith and purity, watching his doctrine closely, blameless, upright, holy, and disciplined (1 Timothy 3:2-7; 1 Timothy 4:12,15-16; Titus 1:6-8). Ministry is based on mercy. Christ shows the minister mercy. Then the minister shows Christ's mercy to those to whom he is called to minister. The minister does not do his job to speak to an audience but to preach God's Word to God's people. It's not about gaining glory but about being used by God to gain souls for God's Kingdom to his glory. It's not about receiving prestige or power, but about becoming weak so Christ can be his strength (2 Corinthians 12:10). There is both honor and humility for a pastor when he sees God using men like Moses, Matthew and Paul in his public ministry. If God can use "losers" like these three, well ... then God can use a loser like your pastor, too. If God could convey his message through a staff-turned-snake to stir Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10), and teach a lesson to an unhappy preacher through a vine (Jonah 4:10) or speak to Balaam through a donkey (Numbers 22:28) ... then God can speak through someone like your pastor. It's through Christ's mercy that both pastors and people confess with Pastor Paul: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:15-16). Do you remember playing dodgeball in grade school? I shared a meme this week that dodgeball felt like being a rebel on the planet Hoth dodging laser bolts from AT-ATs. Most of us weren't good at dodgeball. No arm. Slow. Can't catch. Can't dodge. Just getting pummeled! Paul doesn't sugarcoat it. Satan pummels us with our sins! Don't worship. Don't pray. Don't respect our leaders. Don't evangelize. We curse. Cuss. Gossip. Despair. Cheat. Hate. Retaliate. Lust. We're mean. Lazy. Greedy. Hypocritical. We are the worst of sinners! Chief of sinners, though I be! The surprise for Paul was that God chose him despite whom he had been. The surprise is that God chose a man to be your pastor despite who he is. The surprise is that God chooses you despite whom you had been ... and still are. Understanding that we are the worst, God sent Jesus to display his unlimited patience, to forgive us, give us faith, call us to follow him, and grant eternal life. What a stunning expression of mercy! Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). What a stunning expression of mercy that God continues to convey his treasure of salvation through a cracked pot like your pastor. By his mercy, God uses men like Moses, Matthew, Paul, me and other pastors to preach, teach, absolve, counsel, and administer the sacraments. It is both in humility and with great honor that the pastor is the voice of Christ to speak his Word of forgiveness to sinners and proclaim comfort to the suffering and grieving. He is the man Christ has appointed to exercise his keys -- locking heaven for the unrepentant and unlocking heaven for the repentant. Your pastor may not be the greatest orator, but it is the pen of the Holy Spirit who gives your pastor the words to preach. The pastor may dress up to look classy or dress down to look cool, but that's why your pastor wears a clerical robe. Then you don't focus on the man and his clothing but focus on the message and Christ's righteousness which covers the man like a white robe. The pastor may not be the greatest counselor, but he has compassion for the wounded sheep and hurting lambs in his flock. Your pastor may not be the greatest singer, but as one of my previous organists pointed out, "Pastor, we should write music for the three notes you can sing." At one time you may have a pastor who is fresh from the Seminary, but your sins are still absolved even though the pastor lacks experience, for Christ is speaking through your pastor and Jesus has plenty of experience forgiving sins. Another time you may have a pastor who is older, getting close to retirement age, his cadence may be slow, but Christ's voice is still clearly heard and the gospel still purely preached. You may have a pastor who is no longer as young and energetic as he once was, but God still works through him to grow his kingdom, feed his sheep, and baptize and commune his family. You may have a pastor who grew up working on a farm so working hard is what he expects of himself. Through his mercy, Jesus uses men like Moses, Matthew, Paul, and your pastors to minister to you with Word and Sacraments. Through his mercy, Jesus brings sinners like you into his church. To pray. To praise. To confess. To listen. To sing. To support his church. I visited Bob Albrecht this week as a shut-in visit. We talked about God bringing new families to our church. Bob is one of

  2. May 31

    United in the Trinity

    View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/united-in-the-trinity/The local youth are spending too much time in the billiard parlor. That's going to lead to bad habits of smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and reading dime novels. It will lead to bad language like "swell" and "so's your old man." It will lead to loitering, missing school, and mocking public officials. Harold Hill starts to influence the townsfolk by singing, "Ya got trouble ... Right here in River City! With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for Pool!" Harold Hill starts this moral panic out of thin air. He wants to scare parents into buying band instruments from him. There's a lot of division in River City. The School Board is constantly bickering until they start singing in a Barbershop Quartet. The old ladies don't like the young, pretty librarian. The mayor doesn't like his daughter's boyfriend or the idea of a boys' band. St. Paul didn't need to create any division in the Corinthian congregation. There was plenty there. Read Paul's first letter to the Corinthian Christians to hear him tell the story. Paul begins his letter by writing, "I ask that you all express the same view and not have any divisions among you, but that you be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10). In the Corinthian church, the people were divided over their favorite pastor; some were boasting of their acceptance of sin; some were bringing lawsuits against other Christians; others were partaking of the Lord's Table on Sunday after eating at the table of demons on Saturday; some were boasting about their spiritual gifts; and others were trying to discredit Paul and his gifts. Their church was filled with disorder and division. These problems caused the church to be splintered and hostile. Paul could very easily have written in one of his letters, "Ya got trouble ... Right here in Corinth City!" Paul knew that Jesus desired for his Church to be unified. So, as Christ's called apostle, he worked to lead God's people to repent and forgive one another. Paul spoke strongly and lovingly about the work of Satan among them, begging them to leave their wicked ways and to unite around God's truths. Paul could not accomplish this unity on his own. That's why he closed his second letter to the Corinthians with this threefold blessing: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14). Disunity and division aren't limited to Corinth or River City. There's plenty of disunity and division in America. People are divided over politics of Left or Right. They're divided over issues like immigration, Iran, and data centers. Wyoming residents are divided over Colorado residents. Well, not really. It seems Wyomingites are united that Coloradans should stay in their own state. 😊 Christians can be divided in the church. It can be divisions over long-range vision, worship times, budget items, color of carpeting, and so much more. Jesus once prayed that God's people would be as close and unified as the closeness and unity of the Triune God. Jesus wants his followers to be as one just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. Jesus prayed, "May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I am in you. May they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me" (John 17:21). Unfortunately, that's not what we experience in our churches, homes, or nation. Among God's people there's bickering, quarreling, and dissension. There's trouble right here in America ... in Casper ... in our church. We need this same threefold blessing spoken over us. We need to be united in the Trinity. St. Paul was writing to Christians who had all kinds of issues within their congregation. They were slow in forgiving their offending brother. They were disorderly in their worship. They had been consumed with the sexual sins of their culture. They tended to fracture into factions instead of being united around the gospel. Paul blessed them, "The grace of our Lord Jesus ... be with you all." They desired this grace. They needed this grace. They cherished this grace. We, too, need this grace. Are we 21st century Christians really any different from those 1st century Christians? The times and locations have changed ... but the sin and sinners have not changed. We still deal with sexual sins in our culture and in our own bodies. We are slow to confront sin and equally slow to offer forgiveness. We easily splint into factions and cliques at home, at work, in school, and even in church. We need to repent of all these sins. We desire grace. We need grace. We cherish grace. What is grace? Grace is God's undeserved love. Shelley and I have noticed there don't seem to be mosquitoes in Casper. I'm guessing it's because of the high winds and lack of humidity. I don't know, I'm not an entomologist. But we're grateful! Where we lived in Wisconsin, it seemed there were enough mosquitoes to drain your veins like tiny vampires. What do you do with a miserable mosquito? You squash it under your hand. If you didn't get it in time, there's going to be a bit of blood with the mosquito corpse. God has every right to squash us like mosquitoes under his righteous right hand. We are just as guilty of drawing blood from Jesus as were Pontius Pilate, the Roman soldiers, and the Jewish religious leaders. The blood of Jesus is on us and on our children. It was us and our sins that drew blood when we slapped Jesus with the high priest's hand, when we tore his back with the soldier's scourge, when we nailed his hands and feet to the Roman cross, and when we pierced his side with the spear. We are worse than bloodsucking insects for we know better. We are worse than bloodsucking insects for we have drawn blood and killed the Son of God. But God doesn't squash us. He forgives us! He covers us with the innocent blood of his Son, Jesus Christ to pay for our sins and remove them from us. Instead of turning his righteous anger on us, Jesus absorbed his Father's anger. Instead of squashing us, God nailed his Son to the cross. That's grace! That's powerful! That's magnificent! God unites us to himself and each other through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul continues with his blessing, "The love of God ... be with you." Our love is often fickle. We love if it suits our needs. We love if we have the time. We love if it's convenient. We may feel like we are in a loveless family. We may check social media and read all the loveless comments. We often respond with less than charitable words and actions. We need to repent of our lack of love toward God and absence of love toward those around us. On February 10, 1970, John Baca led his army unit through intense fire to rescue a platoon in South Vietnam. After they were successful in setting up a protected firing position, Baca and his pals started to fight back. That was when a grenade was thrown into the middle of the unit. Baca covered the grenade with his helmet and then he covered the helmet with his body. ... Then the grenade exploded. That was love. Not the smoochy-smoochy type of love people celebrate on Valentine's Day. Instead, it's the type of love we remember on Memorial Day. It's the type of love that led John Baca to receive the Medal of Honor. It's also the kind of love that St. Paul mentions in "the love of God." It's agape love -- a self-sacrificing kind of love. The kind of love that is willing to die for friends. It's the love Jesus taught about, "No one has greater love than this: that someone lays down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). That's the kind of love John Baca had for his pals. That's the kind of love Jesus has for us. Well, that's not quite right. Jesus has a love far greater than that of John Baca. You see, while Baca was ready to die for his friends, he was also willing to shoot at his enemies. Jesus, though, allowed his enemies to crucify him. Jesus died for his enemies. Scripture says, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners [enemies], Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). That's love. That's agape love. The love God the Father has through Jesus Christ, his Son. We need this love. We desire this love. We cherish this love. No matter how difficult your family life is or how divisive your workplace is or how dysfunctional our American political system is -- you have the comfort of knowing that the God of the universe loves you. Paul completes his threefold blessing by saying, "The fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you." Fellowship involves sharing, connecting, and enjoying things in common. The Corinthian Christians certainly needed that blessing of fellowship. One of their problems was factions within the congregation -- separate cliques standing around in holy huddles. God's work was not getting done. That's why Paul urged them, "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you" (2 Corinthians 13:11-13). We talked in this week's Thirsty podcast about what Paul means when he writes, "Greet one another with a holy kiss." Pastor Klusmeyer teased about "liturgical smooching." ... We're not advocating that, by the way. However you choose to demonstrate love -- a hug, handshake, or holy kiss --it reflects the type of love Jesus has for you. When we separate into cliques, holy huddles, or factions within the church, we need to repent of our lack of fellowship. Then God's work is not getting done. Because of the grace of Jesus Christ and the love of God, now we have fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Because of our sin, we are separated from God because a three-time holy God cannot be in the presence of sinners. But through the sacrifice and resurrection of t

  3. May 17

    Resist the Roaring Lion

    Last weekend, I completed Hunter Safety Classes. It was me and about thirty 11 and 12-year-olds. On the last day, we were given instructions on what to do if you spot a bear while hiking or hunting ... or for me -- biking. If you spot a bear, walk quickly and quietly away.If the bear sees you but seems disinterested, stay calm and walk away. Never turn your back on the bear.If the bear becomes interested and begins to approach, back up slowly, avoid eye contact, and speak in a soft monotone.If the bear continues to approach, stand your ground. Be prepared to use bear spray.If the bear makes physical contact, drop, and cover. Lie flat on your stomach, interlace your fingers, and place them on the back of your neck. Do not fight back.That's for a bear that is acting in a defensive/aggressive manner. But if the bear is not defending anything -- like its cubs or kill -- and it's interested and deliberately approaches you, then it's a predatory bear. Do not back away. Instead, stand your ground.Make yourself look as big as possible. Hold your arms out, use your coat, or stand on a rock or log.Yell at the bear in a loud, firm voice.Use rocks and branches to deter the bear.Use bear spray or a weapon to protect yourself.There were grizzly attacks last week in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. So, these instructions are necessary. I'll be honest with you. When we watched the video on encountering a bear, I thought, "If a bear wants to gnaw on me, I don't care if it's a defensive or predatory bear. I'm assuming it's predatory. I'm going to fight back!" There are plenty of physical predators in Wyoming that will enjoy you as a meal -- grizzlies, mountain lions, and wolves. St. Peter writes about a spiritual predator who also wants to make a meal out of you. "Your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). The Devil is like a lion looking to devour you. With his hellish demons and worldly followers, they'll stalk and surround you. Sometimes, they'll come straight at you with bold and blatant attacks. Other times, they'll fake and feint, then strike from a different direction. Like real-life lions, they'll pick on the young, weak, and alone first. They'll come at the elderly. So, even though they know better, I've heard the elderly Christian say as they near death, "Do you think I've done enough good to get into heaven?" They'll come at the injured. I've heard Christians in the hospital after their surgeries or parents who have suffered a miscarriage, "What did I do wrong that God is punishing me like this?" They'll come at the young. They'll use temptations that older Christians don't deal with as much -- anxiety, sexuality, social media, identity, and inclusiveness. People in our nation have become captured by the Adversary. Because they will not listen to God's truths, their conscience, and even sound logic, they will listen to whatever is popular in the culture at the time. They are listening to what the Devil and the world are whispering into their itching ears. They have turned away from God's truths to the popular myths of this current age. The institutions of American culture have been taken captive to these dangerous philosophies -- public schools, universities, government, military, Hollywood, music, news and media, etc. First, they tolerate, then accept, and then promote. Finally, they will persecute those who disagree. These issues of believing the Devil's lies aren't just "out there" in the world. They're also in here -- within our own hearts. We've bought into these lies that the Devil tells and the world promotes because we have lost God's holy image. Therefore, we're susceptible to these lies because our sinful nature is hostile to God and his truths. At the same time, we are naturally inclined to the Devil's untruths because they are scratching our itching ears. In addition to believing these lies, we also don't stand up for God's truths. Instead, as Christ's modern-day disciples, we are often drawn away from God's truths and his Christian Church. We want to belong. We don't want to be left out. We don't want to be weird. We want to appear "nice." Standing up for God's truths is hard. God's truths are polarizing. Sitting quietly on the sideline while other Christians are fighting is much easier and safer. We show love to those who are trapped in the Devil's lies by ourselves first resisting the Devil and his lies. We submit ourselves to God, his will, and his truths. Then we share God's will and truths with others. We can't get upset at unbelievers. They are trapped. We work to free them from their imprisonment by telling them about a Savior and Conqueror who has come to set them free. We understand that most won't listen to us. Instead, they'll hate and oppose us. They refuse to love God's truth and be saved. Still, we keep on speaking the truth in love. We unleash the Holy Spirit upon them through God's Word. He's the only one who can convert them. He can replace their fallen human image with God's divine image won by Christ Jesus. As we learned in our Everyone Outreach workshop, we are called by God to help others resist the roaring lion of the Devil. We call a sinner to turn from the error of his ways. Why is that loving? You are being used by God to win a soul for heaven. We speak the truth in love. We speak the truth -- Jesus is Truth Incarnate, for he is the true Word in the flesh. We speak this truth in love for God so loved the world that he gave us Jesus. We speak this truth in love, even if it breaks the 11th Commandment of "Thou shalt be nice". Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering from persecution. That's why he writes, "Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Don't be surprised that the world considers you an enemy for speaking the truth. They try to win you over to their side through their falsehoods. You lovingly win them to Christ's side by speaking his truth. Peter writes, "Therefore humble yourselves under God's powerful hand so that he may lift you up at the appointed time" (1 Peter 5:6). Remain humble as you speak to others about their sin. Remind them you were once trapped in sin and unbelief like they are. Remind them, also, that you remain a sinner. You appreciate the love and forgiveness of Christ so much that you want to share this freedom with others. As a church, we cannot be silent about where we see the Devil and his lies confusing people and causing chaos in our culture. We must be willing to speak up -- pastor, parents, grandparents, teens, and so on. Silence doesn't work. If Christians remain silent, then the only voices that will be heard are those of Satan and his followers. Perhaps we've gotten to this place in our culture where there is so much chaos and confusion in government, Hollywood, music, public schools and universities, etc., precisely because Christians and the Christian Church have remained silent for far too long. We must speak Christ's truths in our churches, schools, institutions, governments, and so on, so that we can combat the Devil's lies and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit. He's the one who changes hearts and minds through his Word. The Devil is the ruler of this world (John 12:31). So, we must go on the offensive to break Satan's stranglehold on our culture. Jesus wants to use his Word to bring freedom for those enslaved in sin and hope for those deluded by temptation. It's not our goal to change the culture, but to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified into the culture -- then the culture will either reject him and continue in chaos or accept him and change for the better. "You are from God, dear children, and you have overcome the false prophets, because the one in you is greater than the one in the world" (1 John 4:4). Though the pressures on us are enormous, we remember that we are from God. Jesus has already defeated the Devil and all his false prophets. We just need to witness that to people. "So, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Keep on resisting the Devil. When you use God's Word, Christ's cross, and Christ's name, the Devil will flee from you. These spiritual weapons that we use to resist and terrify the Devil are God's Word and Sacraments. They appear foolish to the world, but they make the Devil scream and demons flee. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight." (I know you're grateful I didn't sing that for you.) This song was written and recorded in 1939 by South African, Solomon Linda. Linda grew up as a herder who spent his time protecting the cattle from bush lions. His hauntingly hypnotic song contains two words, "Mbube Zimba". It's the cry of a child cattle herder pleading, "Lion, stop!" Like Solomon Linda's original melody, the apostle Peter wrote about a lion that does not sleep. The Devil has been prowling and devouring unsuspecting victims throughout the world since the beginning. We should not be lulled into a false sense of security that we are safe in God's peaceful village. We need to be vigilant. Peter says, "Be alert" (1 Peter 5:8). While hiking, biking or hunting, keep an eye out for predators. Look for signs like footprints, claw marks or scat. Although, I was advised that you can be alert and not spot a mountain lion. Unlike a bear that may be defensive or predatory, the roaring lion of the Devil is always predatory. He always and only wants to consume your soul. So, be alert. Peter urges us to stay alert, have sound judgment, and stand firm in the faith. Stay alert because that lion masquerades as an angel of light. Have sound judgment because that old evil foe knows your weaknesses. Stand firm in the faith because one little word can fell him. This roaring lion is vicious; but he has no power against the victorious Lamb of God. Jesus' crucifixion took

  4. May 10

    I Will Not Leave You As Orphans

    An 11-year-old girl is living in a run-down orphanage. She carries with her a locket and a note from her biological parents -- hoping that someday they will return for her. She and the other girls in the orphanage are living in harsh conditions and endure the cruelty of their alcoholic matron. Life changes for the little orphan girl when a cold-hearted billionaire decides to host an orphan at his mansion for a week to improve his public image. The little girl quickly charms the staff and breaks through the billionaire's tough exterior. Seeing how much she longs for her parents; the billionaire offers a $50,000 reward to find them. A corrupt couple plots to claim the reward by posing as the long-lost parents. After a tense chase and rescue, the villains are caught. The orphan learns her real parents passed away years ago, but she finds a new family when the billionaire officially adopts her. What is the name of this red-headed little orphan girl? Annie! She's adopted by Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks. The plot and songs of the movie are seared into my memory. It's a fine movie. The songs are memorable. But this is why I remember it so well. We didn't go to the movies too often as children. One time my mother took us to the movie theater, my sisters and I got to pick the movie. It was either "Annie" or "Star Wars" -- which was being replayed in the theater that May of 1982. I was outvoted by my two sisters. It's been 44 years. ... I'm almost over it! Today, Jesus talks to us about being "Little Orphan Annies." He's not going to leave us in a dumpy orphanage. He knows we'll feel alone and afraid. He understands that we'll be confused. He is aware that unscrupulous people will try to take advantage of us. He appreciates that we need human and divine relationships. That's why Jesus teaches, "I will not leave you as orphans" (John 14:18). The disciples are gathered in the Upper Room. It's Thursday of Holy Week. The past few weeks, Jesus has been talking about being betrayed, arrested, and put to death. Now he reminds them that we won't be with them much longer. "Dear children, I am going to be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come" (John 13:33). Jesus will soon leave to return to his heavenly Father. The disciples must be filled with all kinds of feelings -- confusion, fear, and anxiety. Much like an orphan. The orphan feels like she is alone. Her parents are gone. There's no one to care for her. Those who are around are untrustworthy and dishonest. We may feel like orphans at times, too. We discussed in our recent Bible study on Artificial Intelligence about how social media connects people instantly and from around the world. Yet, people feel more lonely than almost any time in human history. Roughly 57% of Americans reported feeling lonely in 2024 -- an increase of 46% since 2018. The elderly and middle-aged adults can certainly feel lonely. But it is the young adults ages 18-34 who report the highest-levels of loneliness. Some surveys show up to 79% of Gen Z experiencing these feelings of loneliness. That's because relationships are hard work. Young women have bought into the feminist lie that they are equal to men in every way, so they don't need a man in their life. The women say they want a man who agrees with their thinking. But when they find these men, they are disgusted by them because they're weak, soy boys. Young men have encountered these feminist women and don't want anything to do with them. So, they stay in their parents' basements playing video games and watching porn. Women turn to AI to create a "man" who agrees and affirms them. Men turn to AI to create a "woman" to meet their needs. I told both the teens and adults when we studied AI that I wonder if AI is used in these ways by people who are in stable, healthy relationships with their spouse, children, friends, church, etc. God created humans to be social people. He desires that we desire relationships with others. It's not good for us to be alone -- even if we're introverts who like to be alone. I also wonder if AI is used by people who are in a stable, healthy relationship with their divine God. Jesus promises that his disciples of all ages will not be orphans because he's going to send them the Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you" (John 14:16-17). Jesus says he will send the Holy Spirit as "another Counselor." The Greek word translated as "Helper" or "Counselor" is the word "Paraclete." "Paraclete" literally means "someone called to a person's side to help." Up to this point Jesus had been the disciples' counselor/helper. Now the Holy Spirit will assume that role. A Paraclete refers to someone who is needed for admonition, comfort, guidance, and so on. The title was sometimes used for an advocate or defender in court. In my role as pastor, I've served as a Paraclete as both a counselor and an advocate. After a couple had their children removed by Social Services, I counseled the couple on their biblical roles as husband, wife, and parents. Then I served as the advocate in the courtroom. I also spoke with the judge in his private chamber on behalf of the parents to get their children back. John records Jesus' words about the Holy Spirit being our Paraclete in the Upper Room. John later uses that word Paraclete in his Epistle. John writes, "My children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate before the Father: Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1). In this verse, Jesus is our Paraclete. He is our Advocate before the Father, pleading our case for forgiveness by his blood before the throne of God. In John's Gospel, the Holy Spirit is our Counselor or Advocate, pleading God's case to human hearts, bringing them to faith. Here Jesus is promising to send the Holy Spirit. This was fulfilled in a special way on Pentecost in Acts 2. We'll hear about the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in two weeks. The Holy Spirit comes to create a relationship with us and our heavenly Father. By nature, we are separated from God. The Holy Spirit reunites and reconciles us through the waters of Baptism. John's fellow disciple, Peter, writes in today's Epistle lesson, "In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you―not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:20-21). When we are feeling like orphans, we remember that the Holy Spirit has brought us into God's holy family through Baptism. We are now children of God through water and the Word. Being a part of this divine family means that the people around you are your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are never alone because you have others who are just like you -- people who are at times lost, alone, confused, and afraid -- that you are called on to love, comfort, console, and counsel. At other times, you are the one who feels like an orphan. Your Christian brothers and sisters can be the ones fulfilling Christ's command, "If you love me, hold on to my commands" (John 14:15). Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, so you don't feel like orphans. Jesus also gives you himself to keep you out of the spiritual orphanage. He teaches, "I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. The one who has my commands and holds on to them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:18-21). Orphans are left alone. Like Little Orphan Annie until Daddy Warbucks comes to adopt her. Jesus promises that although the unbelieving world will not see him again, his disciples will see him when he comes to them. He will come visibly and physically on the Last Day. But as Lutherans, we also believe that he comes to us invisibly and humbly through the Means of Grace of Word and Sacraments. We are confused by a world that doesn't know what a woman is. We hear Jesus' voice speaking clearly, "From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6). We are angered by a culture of death that celebrates the slaughter of the unborn. We hear Jesus' voice speak clearly through his psalmist, "For you created my inner organs. You wove me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:13-14). We are disheartened by a society that discards the elderly and dying. We hear Jesus' voice speak clearly in his Levitical laws, "You must rise in the presence of gray hair and show respect in the presence of an elder, so that you fear your God. I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:32). Because we oppose fundamental cultural doctrines like transgenderism, abortion, and euthanasia, the world will oppose us. This will make us even lonelier and more afraid. But Jesus says the world will always oppose us, "He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you" (John 14:17). The unbelieving world will not -- and cannot -- receive the Spirit. The world will not see Jesus after he leaves, so they will oppose Jesus, his followers, and his teachings. Jesus' disciples of all ages will continue to see and hear Jesus with the eyes and ears of faith. The disciples will know that Jesus and the Father are one; they will keep Jesus' commands; and live. The world will not enjoy any of these blessings. Not onl

  5. May 3

    Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled

    Sermon Overview: This sermon says that both pastors and church members carry many troubles, but Jesus speaks directly to those fears in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” The main message is that Christians need not be overwhelmed, because Jesus has risen, prepared a place for them in the Father’s house, and is himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Even when life brings loss, guilt, conflict, sickness, or uncertainty, believers can find peace in Christ’s death and resurrection, in the promise of heaven, and in their Baptism, where God claimed them as his own. The sermon concludes that because Jesus is alive, there is ultimately nothing to fear. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. A pastor's life can be full of troubles. When members don't come to worship; when seats are empty in Bible study; and especially when people leave the church; the pastor takes it personally. When the church doesn't grow -- and especially when the church shrinks in size -- the pastor carries those weights on his shoulders. He knows it's the power of God's Word that causes a church to grow. He knows that God's Word is a stumbling block that will offend people and drive them away (1 Peter 2:8). He also believes in the power of the divine call, so he believes God has put him in the right place at the right time --whether that's to find the lost or nurture the found or even close the church when necessary. When I was a very young and raw pastor -- within the first six months of my ministry -- the president of the church and his wife became offended and left the church. They were founding members of the mission church, and I'm guessing they were big financial supporters of this six-month-old church. I took the loss hard. I believed this meant trouble. When I related the story to an older, wiser, more experienced pastor, he told me, "Michael, did Jesus rise from the dead?" I was confused. I replied, "Of course, Tom." He said, "Well, if Jesus is alive, there's nothing to worry about." It turns out, he was correct. With that family leaving, other members picked up the slack, more people became involved in the ministry, and they filled the gap with their giving. Plus, they supported their new pastor. Those are some of the troubles of pastors. You live in the "real world". You have all kinds of unique troubles, too. Difficulties in your marriage, with your family, or with your friends. Problems in the classroom, on the athletic field, or in the workplace. Complications with the pharmacy on your kitchen counter, with eating healthy, and exercising regularly. We all have our own troubles. Jesus knows that his disciples of all ages, place, and times will be burdened and bothered. Both pastors in the pulpits and people in the pews will have their unique troubles. That's why Jesus begins our Gospel lesson saying, "Do not let your heart be troubled" (John 14:1). The setting of our sermon text is Thursday evening of Holy Week. Jesus has entered Jerusalem with a Palm Sunday procession. On Monday, Jesus chased the money changers and sacrificial animals out of the temple courtyard. Then Monday and Tuesday, Jesus taught in the recently vacated temple courtyard. It seems that Jesus took Wednesday off. On Thursday evening, Jesus is in the Upper Room with his disciples. He washes their feet. The Passover Meal is just about ready to be eaten. But before they sit down to eat, Jesus teaches his disciples covering five chapters in John's Gospel. Part of that teaching are these words: "Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. You know where I am going, and you know the way" (John 14:1-4). One reason you don't need to be troubled is you know where you're going. We allow ourselves to get so worked up when gas prices increase, our vehicle breaks down, or we receive a poor prognosis from our physician. We get worked up because we have become so earthly-minded. We forget that everything here is temporary and that we are transitory. We are filled with anxiety because we need to make expensive repairs to our house ... forgetting that Jesus has prepared a mansion for us in heaven. We are filled with worry because the bills for our surgery and car repair came in the mail on the same day ... forgetting that Jesus has paid the biggest bill of all with his death on the cross. We are filled with apprehension because our family seems to be filled with more anger and arguments than love and peace ... forgetting that Jesus has united us into the family of believers. St. Peter pictures this family of believers like a house made from unique field stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-5). Things in this life come and go, change, and decay. But our God is our one constant in our lives. What comfort to know that beyond this ever-changing world we have a place prepared for us by the Son of God in his heavenly home. No matter what we face in life, we know there is a place in heaven for us -- a home that has our name on the mailbox. Jesus doesn't promise to remove our troubles. Instead, he promises to remove us from our troubles eventually and eternally by taking us to the home he has prepared for us through his suffering, death, and resurrection. Hearing this, Thomas is clueless. He's been following Jesus for the past three years, but he still doesn't get it. He asks, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way" (John 14:5)? By God's grace, many of us have been following Jesus for longer than three years. Yet, we still don't get it. We're just as clueless as Thomas! Jesus replies to his clueless, troubled disciples of all times by teaching, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus calms our troubled hearts with the knowledge that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Despite the enormous cost, the engineers eventually opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net ... but all were saved. Faith in the net replaced their fear of falling to their deaths. When it comes to faith, it doesn't matter how strong your faith is. What matters is the object of your faith. It's whether that person or thing you put your faith in is worthy of that faith. It's whether it has the ability to hold on to you when you're about to fall. On that Golden Gate Bridge, many very talented people did their very best to not fall ... but fall they did. When they knew they would be protected when they fell, it changed the way they worked. They now worked by faith, not fear. There is no object of faith that can match Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way, the door, the only entrance into heaven. He is the absolute truth about salvation. He is the world's one and only Savior. Jesus is life itself, and he gives life to everyone who believes in him. Only through Christ our Savior do we ever come to the Father. Jesus teaches, "If you know me, you would also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip replies, "Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough for us." Jesus answers, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I am telling you I am not speaking on my own, but the Father who remains in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. Or else believe because of the works themselves" (John 14:7-11). One more reason Jesus gives for not being troubled is that through Jesus, we get to know the Father. This morning, we witnessed the baptisms of Austin and Magdalene. By God's grace, they were given the gift of a strengthening of their faith the application of water and the Word. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit performed a mystery today as they marked this family as being part of the family of God through the waters of Baptism. The sanctifying Holy Spirit works through these baptismal waters so this family can be in the protective care of Father through the saving work of the Son. So, when you're feeling troubled, recall your Baptism. When you're feeling lonely and alone, the Father says, "You are my own. I have chosen you to be in my family. Even if it seems like no one else loves you, I do." When your sins trouble you and the guilt threatens to overwhelm you, Jesus says, "I am God. Yet, I became human. I suffered punishment I did not deserve so you could receive forgiveness you do not deserve. I paid for your sins on the cross. I removed your guilt in the grave. All that was given to you as a gift in your Baptism." When the Devil and his demons tempt and torment you, the Holy Spirit shouts at the Devil and his demonic horde, "Leave him alone! Stop bothering her! You no longer have any power over them! They are baptized into Christ!" Now you know the secret. Even though pastors are in the Word and leading God's people in the church, they can be just as clueless and troubled as Jesus' first disciples. Even though you've been following Jesus for a long time and you know better, still you can be just as forgetful as Thomas and Philip. So,

  6. Apr 26

    Hardy Wyoming Sheep Follow Their Shepherd's Voice

    It's fairly easy to raise sheep in New Zealand. It's an island nation with no natural predators like wolves, coyotes, or bears. New Zealand has 7.7 sheep per human on the island. It was a little more difficult to raise sheep while I was growing up in Wisconsin. We never worried about predators. We just had to make sure the sheep had food and water, stayed in their pens, and didn't headbutt us from behind. It's much more difficult to raise sheep in Wyoming. Sheep will graze on the sparse, varied, and native forage that cattle often won't eat. Yet, sheep in high-altitude, open ranges are helpless against blizzard conditions and finding proper forage in the winter months. They are entirely dependent upon their shepherd for sustenance. Unlike New Zealand, there are plenty of predators in Wyoming that can decimate a flock quickly. Coyotes, wolves, and mountain lions all find sheep to be a delicacy. The sheep are under constant threat. It's difficult for ranchers to find enough hired hands to watch, feed, and move the flocks. A hired hand might abandon the sheep in a crisis, but a Wyoming rancher who is deeply invested in the sheep for their wool and meat, will risk everything to protect them and keep them healthy and safe. Sheep are notoriously difficult to keep healthy and safe. They are not typically smart animals. If they roll over onto their back, they may die that way, because they are unable to roll over again. They're not fast -- unless you're a human trying to catch one. They're prone to wander, fall off cliffs, get stuck in mud, and get their heads trapped in holes. They're susceptible to a myriad of illnesses. It's said if you look at a sheep wrong, it will keel over dead. There are cattle guards all over Wyoming. I was surprised to learn that cattle guards don't work as sheep guards. Cattle are afraid of the gaps in a cattle guard. Though sheep aren't typically smart, they are tricky. Sheep have been known to walk along the edges, jump over, or carefully walk along the rails to bypass the cattle guards. So, ranchers need a good gate to keep their sheep fenced in. Sheep learn to recognize the voice of their shepherd. Even over vast landscapes, the shepherd can call his sheep and they'll come to him. There are particular breeds of sheep that are more hardy so they are popular for ranchers to raise in Wyoming's harsh climate and severe environment. Throughout Scripture, God's prophets, apostles, and only-begotten Son compare believers to sheep. They describe Jesus as our Good Shepherd. We are no different than the sheep raised and ranched around us in Wyoming. This statement is true for both physical sheep and we as God's spiritual sheep -- hardy Wyoming sheep follow their Shepherd's voice. Jesus teaches, "Amen, Amen, I tell you: Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the door, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ... A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:1-2, 10). There are thieves and robbers who will attempt to steal sheep after they've been branded. There are predators that will attempt to devour the sheep. The Devil, his demons, and his false preachers are like thieves and predators. They attempt to tempt and trick us into unbelief. They lure us out of the safety of God's flock. They attract us away from the green pastures and quiet waters of God's Word and Sacraments. They bait us with sweeter water that's really poison to our faith. They entice us with tastier food that's really sickening to our soul. They tempt us to trespass where we don't belong. Their goal is to rob us of our salvation. The Devil is a roaring lion looking to devour us as a tasty meal. He employs his demons as ravenous wolves and the world like crazy coyotes. We're not typically smart or fast to run away from danger. We have no natural defenses against spiritual, demonic predators. So, they chase us. They wear us down. They intimidate and terrorize us. Their goal is to separate us from our Shepherd. We sang earlier the beloved verses of Psalm 23: "The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He causes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:1-4). It takes hardy sheep -- you -- to live in Wyoming. Wyoming isn't for wimps. The environment is difficult with dry, warm weather this winter and now snow in late April. There's always plenty of that four-letter "W" word. There aren't many green pastures and even fewer quiet waters in Wyoming. There are lots of booms and busts with the energy industry. The economy is difficult. The confessional Lutheran flock is small in this state. It takes God's hardy sheep to live in Wyoming. The way to survive here -- and really anywhere -- is by listening to the voice of Jesus as your Good Shepherd. There are lots of competing voices for your time and attention. Our sinful nature wants to listen to all of them ... rather than listening to the one voice that can nurture, rescue, and save us. That's the voice of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. Jesus is no hired hand. He doesn't run or scatter when thieves or predators attack him while attempting to get at his sheep. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:11). Because of the hours of tender care, the shepherd knows each of his sheep by name. The shepherd knows the distinct personality of each sheep. The sheep follow because they know the voice of the shepherd while they are wary of the stranger's voice. The shepherd places a brand on his sheep so other shepherds know whom they belong to. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows each of you by name. He knows your distinct personalities. He made you his own at your conversion. He placed his brand on your forehead when the pastor made the sign of the cross over you at your Baptism. He leads you to the green pastures and quiet waters of his Word and Sacraments. He restores your soul with the words of his absolution. He guides you in paths of righteousness, so you go he wants you to go. He protects you from the Devil by shutting his roaring mouth. He keeps you safe from the demonic wolves and worldly coyotes by bonking them on their heads with his righteous rod. Some of you are going through various health issues. My Uncle Gary died of cancer this week. Jesus leads his hardy sheep like you and my Uncle Gary through this dark valley of the shadow of death to the mountain of the Lord in heaven. Therefore, fear no evil, for your Good Shepherd is always with you. That's why we want to always and only listen to the Good Shepherd's voice. Jesus teaches, "The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers" (John 10:3-5). The Bible speaks repeatedly of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. "The Lord is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1). "Like a shepherd he will care for his flock. With his arm he will gather the lambs" (Isaiah 40:11). "As a shepherd searches for his flock when his sheep that were with him have been scattered, so I will search for my flock and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the settlements of the land" (Ezekiel 34:12, 13). Jesus said again, "Amen, Amen, I tell you: I am the door for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture" (John 10:7-9). Jesus is the way into the kingdom of God so we may sit at the Lord's table and dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:5-6). Yet, in our polytheistic culture, people want to believe in lots of gods and trust in many paths for salvation. They want to have salvation without a Savior. They want heaven without Jesus opening the gate to heaven for them. They want to live their lives with the robbers without ever following the Shepherd. They imagine they can survive in the company of the predators without being devoured. Fences have become a way of life. People put up privacy fences to keep others from seeing into their yard. Farmers put up fences to keep the cattle in the field and sheep in their pasture. Businesses put up fences to keep thieves away from their warehouses. But every fence has a gate -- a passageway for those who are supposed to get to the other side of the fence. Jesus says he is the gate -- not into a yard or a field -- but into the presence of God and eternal life. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus. He opened the way to God by removing all the barriers that stood in our way -- our sins, guilt, and the accusations of the Devil. He prepared us for life with God by washing us with the water of Baptism and assuring us that our sins are forgiven through the Sacrament of his Supper. He leads us through the gate as he gives us his Word, which nourishes us and causes our faith to grow. He protects us from the thieves who urge us to ignore the gate and try to reach eternal life by jumping over the fence. Through Jesus, we the fullness of eternal life with God. Jesus said, "A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). We enjoy peace, joy, and conte

  7. Apr 19

    But We Were Hoping ...

    The two disciples find it difficult to walk the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Not because of the elevation or distance. It's difficult for them to move with any kind of urgency. Every step is slow and plodding as they head home. The minds of these two disciples are clouded with disappointment and dashed hopes. Their vision is hazy with fear and uncertainty. The road to Emmaus is a grim place to be this spring Sunday afternoon. As they're shuffling down the road, they talk about what happened the past week in Jerusalem. The arrest, trials, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus. They're in mourning. This wasn't just a teacher or a friend who was killed. This was the One they believed to be their Savior. They had staked their lives on Jesus from Nazareth. They had believed that Jesus was the true Messiah who was going to redeem Israel. They believed he was the prophet who was to come. Now, it all appeared to be over. Jesus was dead. They were wrong. They were lost. They were without hope. Their hopes were buried with Jesus in the tomb. Then they heard stories about Jesus' resurrection. About the tomb being open, Jesus' body missing, and even angels at the gravesite. Now confusion was added to their desperation. So, what could they do? The only thing they could do -- go for a walk. While they're walking and talking, there's a stranger walking and talking with them. They didn't see him coming at all. It's as if he's an alien who materializes out of the mist. The stranger asks them, "What are you talking about" (Luke 24:17)? The disciples are mystified and answer, "Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days" (Luke 24:18)? "Where were you the past few days ... living under a rock?!" The two disciples explain, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death. And they crucified him. But we were hoping that he was going to redeem Israel. Not only that, but besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Also some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning. When they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb. They found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him" (Luke 24:19-24). "But we were hoping ...". These two disciples had lost hope because what they experienced was not what they expected. They expected Jesus to remain alive, to defeat his religious and political enemies, and restore Israel to its former glory under Kings David and Solomon. "But we were hoping ...". Doesn't that describe us when we're going through difficult times? We were hoping to get that job promotion, but it went to someone else. We were hoping for a better outcome on our medical tests, but the doctor gave us bad news. We were hoping for two days of rain, but we got six inches of snow. We were hoping that all these young people flocking to Christian churches would turn our nation around, but things seem to keep getting worse. These two Emmaus disciples had been part of Jesus' larger group of 70 disciples. But they just didn't get it. They thought the cross ruined everything! But that's exactly how Jesus redeemed the nation of Israel! And all nations of the earth! Through the cross! The two Emmaus disciples concluded that the cross ruined everything they were hoping for! If it hadn't been for the cross, everything would have been great. This stranger is bold when he accuses, "How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter his glory" (Luke 24:25-26)? Then the stranger leads a Bible study along the road to Emmaus. Like those two Emmaus disciples who were blessed to have Bible study with the resurrected Jesus on Sunday afternoon, we are blessed when we come to Bible study, too. Whether that's on a Sunday morning, a Sunday afternoon Teen class, a Wednesday evening, a Saturday Men's or Women's study, or an Everyone Outreach workshop. Whether that's reading your Bible on your own or discussing a devotion with your family. Jesus uses his Word to correct his disciples' faulty thinking. Jesus gave his two Emmaus disciples a strong rebuke. He called them foolish and slow of heart. They should have known these things were going to happen from Scripture. God had spelled it all out. As they walked and talked, Jesus worked through the Old Testament, explaining what they had prophesied about him. Jesus did a Bible study with them on the road to Emmaus. He corrected their faulty thinking. It is in his Word where Jesus continues to correct our faulty thinking, too. When we lose hope from not getting that job promotion, God reminds us, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to give you peace, not disaster, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). When we lose hope after the doctor's diagnosis, God reminds us, "Even if our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. Yes, our momentary, light trouble produces for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond any comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). When we're worried about the lack of precipitation, God reminds us, "He makes clouds rise from the end of the earth. He sends lightning for the rainstorm. He releases the wind from his storehouses" (Psalm 135:7). When we're concerned about Christianity within our nation, God reminds us, "I am confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living― Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:13-14). Wherever we're going; whatever we're going through; however we're feeling; we need to remember that the cross doesn't ruin anything. The cross is the point of everything! Like those Emmaus disciples, so often we just don't get it! At our confirmation, we made vows to take up our crosses daily to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away as we follow Jesus. But what happens when the crosses we are called to carry become too heavy? The cross might come in the form of unemployment, an empty pantry, homebound by illness, or shut-in by old age. We've asked Jesus to give us this cross. We've promised to bear the cross in Christ's name. It's silly for us to then complain when God gives us the cross we asked for. We don't learn patience until we deal with problems. We don't learn discipline until we go through difficulties. We don't learn trust until we endure troubles. Jesus came to these two disappointed and doubting disciples to show them how the cross was not a surprise. It was not life spinning out of control. The cross was necessary. Jesus' death was a necessity. Not for ruin, but for good. Not to shatter hope, but to give hope. The cross was not the defeat it appeared to be! It was always God's plan from before the foundations of the world were laid to use the cross to defeat sin, death, and the Devil (1 Peter 1:20). God had been giving allusions to the cross throughout the Old Testament with the Passover Lamb, the Great Day of Atonement goat, and the snake on the pole. Now God's eternal plan of salvation was completed that very Easter morning. Jesus has gone to hell and back for us. And we -- like the two Emmaus disciples -- don't get it. So, what does Jesus do? He could have walked up beside them, introduced himself, pulled his hands out of his pockets, and slipped the sandals off his feet. He didn't do that. He let them struggle with their faith. He wanted them to exert themselves. To think everything through -- the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the prophecies given through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the minor prophets; the crucifixion, ravings of the women, and the rumors of his body being stolen. He let them struggle so that their faith would rest where it needs to be -- in the resurrected Christ and his Spirit-inspired Word. Jesus can very easily make all of this go away. He can heal the disease. He can restore the economy. He can ease the burden. He can remove the cross. But Jesus wants us to struggle with our faith so that we rest in him. Jesus takes his time going to visit Lazarus, that by the time he arrives, his friend has been dead four days. So, Jesus can raise him to life! God makes Jacob wrestle with him all night long before giving him his blessing in the morning. Jesus seems to ignore the pleas of the Canaanite woman, so she begs for mercy from the Son of God. Then he heals her demon-possessed daughter that very moment. When things are going well, it's easy for us to become complacent and lax in our faith. When we struggle, that's when we get up and exercise our faith. We go for a walk through the pages of Scripture, we see what we are going through is neither new nor unexpected. It's common. It's a cross. It's a blessing. Jesus wants us to realize that we are sick, so we look to him for healing. We are weak, so we look to him for divine strength. We are guilty, so we need his forgiveness. When we are tempted to lose hope because God isn't doing what we expect him to do, we need to look even more intently on what God truly has promised us. God never fails to do what he has promised. God has forgiven all our sins in Jesus, just as he promised. God always works all things for the good of those who love him, just as promised. God will take all who believe in him to heaven, just as he promised. When we go for a walk through God's Scriptures, we will always have hope. When we carry our cross in Jesus' name, we find our hope in Jesus going to his cross. When you are feeling like you are losing hope like those Emmaus disciples, have a Bible study with the Son of God. There you encounter the alien who came from heaven to be your Savior. You see the stranger wh

  8. Apr 12

    The Incredulity of Saint Thomas

    The Incredulity of Saint Thomas is a famous oil painting by Caravaggio in 1601-1602. "Incredulity" is a fancy term for doubt, skepticism, and disbelief. Incredulity is an inability or unwillingness to believe. I want you to closely examine the artwork on the sanctuary screen. I'm going to be asking you questions about the painting. This part of the sermon is interactive. Caravaggio is depicting the drama of the resurrected Jesus appearing in the locked upper room with his disciples a week after Easter. Jesus had appeared to ten of his shocked disciples on Easter evening. Thomas wasn't there. So, later when Thomas arrived, the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord" (John 20:25)! John, who was one of the disciples there that Easter evening, records Thomas' words, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe" (John 20:25). There were eleven disciples in the room when the resurrected Jesus appears to them a second time. Here's the first question. What do you notice about the number of disciples in the painting? ... Caravaggio focuses our attention only on Jesus, Thomas, and two other disciples -- possibly Peter and John. Caravaggio doesn't paint any background or anything in the room. Caravaggio was a master of light and shadow. He paints a simple dark background with a light coming from over Jesus' right shoulder. Why do you think he uses the light and dark like this? ... Caravaggio is using the light to focus attention on the wounds of Christ and the expressions of the disciples. The three disciples don't question Christ's identity. The wounds are all that are needed to identify that this is Jesus standing in front of them. They are rightly fascinated by his wounds. Last question, what do you notice about Thomas's finger and Jesus' wound created by the soldier's spear? ... We don't like someone touching our paper cut or hangnail. Yet, Thomas has his index finger digging into Jesus' wound up to his first knuckle. Even more striking are Jesus' hands. With his right hand, Jesus is pulling aside his cloak to display his wounded side. With his left hand, Jesus is pulling Thomas' hand into his side. With one image, Caravaggio is portraying Jesus' words to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe" (John 20:27). Thomas had earlier doubted the disciples' pronouncement that they had seen Jesus alive. For that very human response, he has a painting of that incident that's been around for five centuries. Because of one moment of weakness, Thomas is continually known by the title, "Doubting Thomas." Personally, I think that's unfair! Peter isn't forever known as "Denying Peter." Jesus gave the nickname of "Sons of Thunder" to James and John. But they're not called "Judgmental James" or "Jerk John." It's only Thomas who is defined by his lack of faith. Unfairly so. When Jesus learned that his good friend, Lazarus, was deathly ill, Jesus discussed with his disciples going to see him. The disciples knew that Lazarus' home in Bethany was only two miles from Jerusalem. Jesus' religious enemies resided in Jerusalem. They wanted Jesus dead. Jesus and his disciples were hanging out in the north in Galilee. But Jesus said, "Let's go back to Judea." The disciples were reluctant. They said, "Rabbi, recently the Jews were trying to stone you. And you are going back there again?" Thomas was the only one who spoke in favor of going to Bethany. He said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go too, so that we may die with him" (John 11:7,8,16). But Thomas isn't remembered for that instant of great faith! He's not known as "Fearless Thomas" or "Gutsy Thomas" or "Intrepid Thomas." No! He's known as "Doubting Thomas." Thomas is a wonderful, real-life example for all of us as modern-day disciples. There are times when we have a great, active faith in our God. But we must admit, there are other times when we become incredulous. We doubt God, his goodness, and his overall plan for our lives. We often waver between the two -- fearless and incredulous. A young family is at the hospital with their deathly ill little girl. They don't know what's making her sick. They know that God loves the little children. But in the dark recesses of their hearts, they wonder why God isn't showing that love right now to their daughter. The doubts of their fear threaten to overcome their faith. A family is blessed that their mom is able to be a stay-at-home mom for their little children. Money is tight. But they're making it work. Now, dad is home, too, after he's been laid off from work. They trust that God works everything out for their good. Yet, they don't know what good will come from not knowing where their next paycheck is coming from. The doubts of their worry threaten to overcome their faith. A wife admitted to her husband that she had an affair. She knows she is forgiven by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. But she wonders if her husband can forgive her, too. The doubts from her guilt threaten to overcome her faith. A family calls the pastor at 2 a.m. to ask him to come to the emergency room. Their dad just had a massive heart attack and isn't expected to survive. Their dad had been in good health. They expected him to be around to walk his daughters down the aisle. But now that family reunion will have to wait until heaven. The doubts from their shock and sorrow threaten to overcome their faith. You've been in similar situations. You have a fearless, trusting, confident faith in the Lord. Yet when illness, debt, guilt, and death intrude on your life, these difficulties threaten to overwhelm your faith in the Lord. Jesus does the same thing for us he did for Thomas. Jesus held Thomas' finger in his side and said, "Don't continue to doubt, but believe." Thomas believed and said, "My Lord, and my God" (John 20:28). Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed" (John 20:29). Then, Jesus talks about us when he says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). What haven't we seen and yet believed? We haven't seen the empty tomb or the angel sitting on the stone or the burial cloth neatly folded in place. We haven't directly heard the testimony from the angels or the women walking away from the tomb or the Emmaus disciples. We haven't put our fingers into the wounds of Christ. Yet, by the grace of God, we have heard and seen and touched, and so we believe. Picture Jesus doing for you that he did for his doubting disciple in The Incredulity of Saint Thomas. Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the ears of the young family with their little girl in the hospital. They hear Jesus' words of "Peace be with you" that he spoke to his disciples on Easter evening (John 20:21). They know that in life and in death, Jesus promises and provides a peace that the world cannot give. A peace that is beyond human understanding. This peace they hear overcomes their fears. Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the mouths of the parents and their young children. Every night they pray the Lord's Prayer before the children are tucked in bed. The family focuses especially on the Address and two petitions of the Lord's Prayer -- "Our Father, who art in heaven ... thy will be done ... give us this day our daily bread." They trust that their heavenly Father will give them daily bread according to his will. This trust they speak overcomes their worry. Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the hands of the husband and wife. He pulls them in close so they can feel his deep wounds of love. The wife knows that Jesus paid for her adultery on the cross. He has also removed her guilt. The husband knows that Jesus was able to forgive those who denied, betrayed, and mocked him. Jesus' forgiveness gives him the ability to forgive his wife. This love and forgiveness they feel in Jesus' wounds overcomes their guilt and lack of love. Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the eyes of the family who lost their dad to death. He focuses their attention on the open grave. Because Jesus had power over his grave, he will demonstrate his power over the graves of all people on the Last Day. They look forward to their family reunion around Jesus' throne. This resurrection they see with the eyes of faith overcomes their shock and sorrow. The trouble Thomas had is the trouble that followers of the Lord have had since Easter Sunday. It's hard to just believe and trust. It's easy to be incredulous and disbelieving. There's something way down deep inside us that urges us to seek proof and to believe only what makes sense to our minds. The Lord has told us repeatedly not to worry ... but we do. He tells us not to be afraid because he is always with us ... but what scares you right now? The Lord tells us not to doubt or question his ways, but every time a senseless act of evil or sudden hardship happens in our lives, we wonder, "What good can God create out of this?" Like Thomas, you need an encounter with the Living Lord! Do you need evidence that your sins are forgiven? Do you want assurance that God still loves you? Do you need proof that God's promises are true for you? Every day, approach Jesus who daily says, "Peace be with you!" Put your hand over his pierced side. Feel his hands and his feet. Taste and see that the Lord is alive and good, powerful to save, and abundant in love and mercy. He asks us to believe without seeing the future and to trust his plan for our life. Jesus held Thomas' finger in his side so that Thomas could feel Christ's wounds. Jesus holds your head at the baptismal font so you can feel those cleansing waters washing over you, making you a sanctified child of God. He holds your eyes to the pages of Scriptures so you can read for yourself God's love letter to you in those beautiful words. He holds your ear close to the mouth of

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Located in Casper, Wyoming, Lord of Lords is a friendly, conservative Lutheran church offering life-related messages and opportunities to praise our great Savior, Christ Jesus

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    Lord of Lords Evangelical Lutheran Church of Casper, WY
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    2020 - 2026
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    425
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    Clean
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    Copyright © 2014-2026 Lord of Lords Evangelical Lutheran Church.
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