Sermons from Grace/Bethel Bethel/Grace Lutheran Churches

Jesus told his disciples that, though he was going to ascend into heaven, he wouldn’t leave them alone. He would send “the Advocate,” a title for the Holy Spirit. But Jesus wasn’t sending the Spirit to keep us company. Jesus would have the Advocate give us spiritual power so that we might participate in Christ’s saving work. Here is the final resurrection reality. The Spirit gives us the ability to raise the spiritually dead to life. We see this happen on Pentecost. The festival of Pentecost was held fifty days after the Passover. (Pentecost is Greek for “fifty.”) It was a time to thank God for the harvest. But on that day, through the Church at work, the Holy Spirit gathered another harvest, a harvest of souls. Therefore, Pentecost is the third great festival of the Church, along with the Nativity and the Resurrection. With the Festival of Pentecost, the festival half of the Church Year comes to a close.

This world is broken. Oh, certainly, we still see beauty in nature. By God’s grace, we have plenty of happy moments. But that does not change the fact that this world does not function as God designed it to. It is dangerous, especially for God’s children. Jesus once promised that those who live for him will be hated (just as Christ was hated) by those who live for the world. The even greater danger is that the priorities prompted by this broken world tempt the careless Christian to devalue what truly matters. This world is very broken. For that reason, our gracious, living Lord promises that one day, soon enough, he will take us to a better world. Moreover, he promises that until that time, his Father will protect us, preserving our faith through the truth of his Word. This is the resurrection reality. By God’s grace, we will overcome this broken world.

God’s Word can be summed up in one word: love. God’s Law is all about love. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37,39). The gospel is all about love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” (John 3:16). From his compassion for the sick and broken to his sacrificial death on the cross, to the peace he provided after his resurrection, Jesus was the perfect embodiment of love. Love is his business. Therefore, love is our business, too. The resurrection reality is that with the same supernatural power by which God raised Jesus from the dead, God now enables us to live a new life, one marked by radically selfless love. The motivation and ability to do this come from seeing the endless love Christ has for us. We love only because he first loved us.

Generally, our actions are shaped by our beliefs. People who eat low-carb diets do so, probably not because they hate pasta but because they believe it is the healthiest. If a man buys stock in a company, it probably is because he believes in its business plan. Our beliefs shape our behavior. This is true of Christians’ belief in the resurrection. We believe Christ’s resurrection guarantees our resurrection to a glorious eternal life. That inevitably shapes how we will act now. However, not simply the facts of the resurrection shape our behavior. It is the person of the resurrection. Jesus is not some wise, dead sage whose advice is in dusty books. Jesus lives! Therefore, he can work on our minds and hearts through His Word, molding them to his perfect will. Here is a resurrection reality. Jesus fills us with his Spirit, not only so that we have faith but also so that we produce the fruits of faith he seeks.

Scripture frequently pictures spiritual care in terms of a shepherd watching over sheep. Even folks unfamiliar with shepherding can grasp the meaning. Sheep are helpless animals—an easy meal for predators. For sheep to survive, they needed a shepherd who not only leads them to sources of food but who also is willing to tangle with a pack of wolves. Jesus is such a shepherd. He proved he was willing to lay down his life for his sheep. The word “pastor” comes from the Latin word for “shepherd.” Today, there are plenty of people— pastors, religious leaders, etc.—who claim they can provide healing for your soul. Yet, Scripture warns that “many” of these are “false prophets” (1 John 4:1) who “distort the truth” (Acts 20:30). Many! But the resurrection reality is that our Good Shepherd is faithful. He will raise up true sub-shepherds who know Christ and proclaim the truth of his gospel.

A platitude is a statement aimed at helping soothe some sort of emotional unease. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Or “Life is a mystery.” Or “Good things come to those who wait.” While platitudes may be well-intentioned, at best, they come off as trite. And since platitudes provide no real help, they can actually make a situation worse. Tell the one whose heart is shattering, “Life is a mystery.” They won’t appreciate your platitude or you. The resurrection gives believers the ability to offer more than platitudes. We have a meaningful message to share—of repentance, of forgiveness, of peace, of power. The reality is we have something important to say to every single person that God brings into our sphere of influence. And our risen Savior gives us the courage and power to share that meaningful message.