Saint Athanasius Lutheran Church Reverend James Douthwaite

Who would you die for? A family member or loved one? Maybe. Someone who risked their life for you? Perhaps. A stranger? Probably not. Someone who hurt you or a loved one? Absolutely not! That's what makes tonight's Word of God and what Jesus did so incredible. Christ died for the weak, the ungodly, sinners, and enemies. To not only make us His own, but to make us beautiful by washing away our sins and cleansing us with His forgiveness.

Many people want to make a name for themselves. They want people to remember them after they die. But we have seen in recent years how poor and fickle that can be. Those once considered heroic are now deemed shameful. Very few are those who will be able to survive such a purge. But we heard of such a one tonight. This woman who gave a flask of very costly ointment, worth an entire year's wages, to her Saviour. Why would she do such a thing? Only because she had received a gift far more valuable from Jesus -- the gift of forgiveness and life.

And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way Jesus breathed his last, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God! For now, God has highly exalted Him. God has bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. For He is not dead, but alive! Risen from the tomb in which Joseph laid him. So we do not confess with the centurion, Truly this man was the Son of God! No. Our confession is different. So we confess, Truly this man is the Son of God!

40 days and 40 nights Elijah walked, until he reached Horeb, the mount of God. The mount where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush. Now where God would speak to Elijah. A 40 day and 40 night trek for Elijah, from death to life. Elijah's story is important for us. He had just finished one of the greatest prophetic victories of all time, defeating the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. But rather than being filled with boldness and confidence, Elijah fled. For faith, we need the word and promises -- and food -- of God.

Has anyone ever broken a promise made to you? Have you ever broken a promise you made? I don't know of anyone who would say no to either of those questions. So maybe in our day and age, we should have a new saying to reflect the times. Promises, like the date on a gallon of milk, are meant to expire. But today we heard of our God who both makes and keeps His promises. A God we can rely on and count on and believe in. A God who will lay down His life for us. To save us.

40 days and 40 nights. That's how long Nineveh had. Forty days, Jonah cried out, and Nineveh will be overthrown. What would you have done? If you are given 40 days, what would you do? I think we would try to save our lives. That's what the people of Nineveh did. At the preaching of the Word of the Lord, Nineveh was transformed from a den of iniquity into a chapel of fasting, prayer, and repentance. They did not know, but they hoped, that God would relent -- that they would not perish.