What Good Is the Reformation Today?

Today we give thanks for Martin Luther's courageous desire to reform the church.  Martin Luther's 95 Theses were just the beginning of the reformation.  They were his opening thoughts as realized there were some false teachings occurring in the church that had to be corrected. 

While the true Church, is always perfect, the visible church is always in need of correction and so also even today.  Yes, today we have churches in our beloved LCMS that cling to false teachings.  Pastors leading people in error and members clinging tenaciously to false teachings or simply improper practices that may certainly lead them away from the truth.  Today is the perfect day to be called to repent.  Just as Martin Luther said in his first thesis: Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.

Your life, my life, and the life of the world is to be one of repentance where we recognize that we have sinned.  And not just a generic sin, but for this reason our pastors teach us the full sternness of the Law so that we may realized how we have sinned and may be led to sorrow over that sin and confess that sin to God, to our pastor, and to each other as Luther teaches us in the small catechism.  Repentance is not a dirty word, nor is the Law, but rather it is by the Law that our Lord and Savior leads us to see the need to repent and turn to Him alone.

Today let us again remember what Martin Luther began 497 years ago and continue to cling to Christ alone who offers us his gift of forgiveness through his Word and Sacrament.  We don't need new, unbiblical language such as we see coming out the group Fivetwo and their sacramental entreprenuer false theology to excite us, nor do we need to be pointed to ourselves to know we are Christian and be naval gazing like Pietism and American Evangelicalism would have us do.

If you find yourself struggling with your sin or even doubting you are Christian, look at a crucifix and ask yourself one simple question, "Did Christ do that for me?"  And may the Holy Spirit alone lead you to confess.  Yes. 

Remember that full sternness of the Law?  We must know that so we can believe and trust in the second part, the full sweetness of the Gospel.  Did Jesus live the perfect life in thought, word, and deed? Did he suffer under Pontius Pilate?  Was he crucified, died, and was buried?  Did He descend into hell and on the third day rise from the Dead and ascend into heaven? 

  He did and He did it for you.  It doesn't matter what your sin is.  It doesn't matter if you have rejected it, thought less of it, not believed it all, or even been embarrassed to confess it.  Today again remember: HE DIED FOR YOU. 

That's what this reformation is all about.  You are saved not because of what you do, you don't contribute even a smidgen to your salvation.  It's all about Jesus and what He did for you.  You are saved by grace alone through faith alone because it was Christ alone who gave it all to you.

Does your salvation always make sense?  Very likely, that is a no, and that's okay.  But today I encourage you to give thanks for the blessed reformers who risked their lives, some even dying, so that you may receive this gracious truth of the Gospel.  Give thanks for your pastors who in the face of increasing cultural pressure to just let culture and you do what they want, are willing to call a sin a sin and face ridicule and hardship for that confession.  Give thanks for the ones who have confessed the faith to you, for without them you would have not have known the saving truth of the Gospel. 

Today, cling to Christ Crucified and give thanks for your blessed Savior who has died for you and remember that we need Confessors in this church .  Confess what has been done for you so that you may be saved.



Peace be with you.

To read the 95 Theses go to http://bookofconcord.org/95theses.php  and remember these are Martin Luther's opening thoughts as he began to be taught the truth.

Who Cares What the Customer Does? Your Heavenly Father Does.

The Vocation of Customer

            Have you ever thought about being a customer?  I'm sure you have.  Especially as the Christmas season is quickly approaching, in fact you see the stores are getting all their Christmas merchandise out.  But you are a customer relying on other to provide what you cannot make.  You are always buying things.  You go to grocery stores, department stores, gas stations, let alone all the different entertainment opportunities.  The family budget is getting tighter as costs rise and your income can't keep up with it.   Every single business is clamoring for your business.  They are trying to please the owners or stockholders.  And so they are trying to please you.

 

            But do you also realize that being a customer is vocation?  What's a vocation?  We often think of vocation as the job you do.  But for the Christian you have many vocations.  Your vocation is your station in life.  Are you a husband, wife, son or daughter?  Are you a neighbor or a friend?  In all these things and more you do good works.  

            But maybe the first question that must be asked is why should you be doing works?  Paul says very clearly in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  But it is not the good works that save us.  In fact it is important that we recognize that while the Christian does good works, it is not the good works that save us, which is why what Paul says in verse 8 and 9 is so important.  He says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."  You are saved not because of any decisions you have made nor your assistance in salvation but purely by the grace of your heavenly Father who has blessed you with the gift of Jesus who became man for you.  He lived the perfect life, suffered, went to the cross and truly died and rose from the dead so that you may be saved.

So You are saved by grace, who cares if you do good works?  Who cares how you act in this world?  James  speaks to this very clearly the good works you do show how faith has been created in you. He says in James 2:26, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."  Our Works do not save but show that faith is alive and well in us.  

            Another way to understand that the Christian has a vocation as a customer is to understand the third use of the Law.  There are three uses of the Law: curb, mirror and guide.  A brief explanation is that the curb and mirror are for all people.  The first use of the Law, the curb is what helps keep the world in order.  Every nation has the law: you shall not murder.  This is done for the purposes of providing order in the country.  The mirror shows you your sin.  An example of this is marriage.  While this is definitely a topic for another post, this is why you see so many people defending living together outside of marriage and homosexual "marriage."  The people who support and propose such sins are attempting to justify the sin because the mirror of the law tells them they are to be in committed relationships and rather than confess the guilt, and repent of their sin.  

            But the important part of our discussion is the third use of the Law: the guide.  The guide is only for the Christian.  This is because only the Christian has the law fully revealed to him, and sees that he needs Christ to die for his sin.  Only then does the Christian begin to joyfully, willingly begin to live according to the Law.  This was discussed in article six of the Formula of Concord, which is part of our Lutheran Confessions.  

We read, "The difference (in keeping the Law), however, is in the words, because there is a difference in the people who strive to live according tot his Law and will of God.  For as long a person is not regenerate and guides himself according to the Law, he does the works because they are commanded.  So from fear of punishment or desire  for reward, he is still under the Law.  His works are properly called by St. Paul 'works of the Law' (Rom 3:20), for they are extorted by the Law, like the works of slaves.  These are 'saints' after the order of Cain (Jude 11).  When a person is born anew by God's Spirit, liberated from the Law and led by Christ's Spirit, he lives according to God's unchangeable will revealed in the Law.  Since he is born anew, he does everything from a free, cheerful spirit.  These works are not properly called 'works of the Law,' but works and 'fruit of the Spirit' (Galatians 5:22).  Or as St. Paul names it, 'the law of the mind' (Romans 7:23) and the 'law of Christ' (1 Corinthians 9:21).  For such people are no longer under the Law, but under grace, as St. Paul says in Romans 8:2. Believers are not completely renewed in this world.  The old Adam clings to them right up to the grave.  Therefore, the struggle between the spirit and the flesh remains in them…Nevertheless, they are not under (Romans 6:14), but in the Law.  They live and walk in the Law of the Lord, and yet do nothing in the Law because of force. " (FC SD VI 16-18)

            Now what's the point?  What does this have to do with you as a customer in a store?  Well, in writing this one must understand the purpose of good works amongst Christians.   For without Christ nothing you do is good, for as we read in Romans 3:10-12, "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  Thanks be to God that because of Christ you are saved as you read earlier.  It is he alone who suffered and died for all your sin.  He was baptized in your sin, and bore them all the way to the cross, dying for them.  

            Because we do sin so today I will begin to teach you how we sin as a customer.  You've no doubt heard the saying, "The customer is always right." It is unfortunately at this very statement that you are led to sin.  This very statement leads you to think you are the most important.  Which is a fundamental breaking of the 1st commandment:  You shall have no other Gods. And when we allow the stores to think that we are the most important we come to the conclusion that we can get away with anything as well.  

            It leads you to break the seventh commandment as well: You shall not steal.  Now maybe you argue that you have never stolen anything.  Which may be true, but yet there are many other ways we break the commandment.  Have you demanded that a store accept your expired coupon?  Have you ever switched the merchandise in a box?  Have you ever demanded the attention of the employees and treated them poorly by yelling at them or complaining when they weren't at your immediate availability when you wanted something?  Have you returned products after you have used them?  Have you ever left merchandise laying around, thrown trash on the floor, have you knocked merchandise off of a hanger, unfolded more clothes, put the products where they don't belong.  And I'm sure there are more examples.  

            How is this breaking the seventh commandment?  Luther says, What does this mean?  We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor's money or property, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.  When we act like we are the most important we have not only treated the store poorly, but our fellow shoppers poorly and your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ with contempt by spurning his gift of forgiveness by your sinful behavior. In all these ways we seek to deprive the store of making a profit.  We force the store to spend more money to deliver the product, which may also lead them to not treat their employees with the integrity and worth they deserve because of what the customer demands.  

            And thus as you willfully sin you abandon your vocation as customer.  This God-given station in life has been rejected because you now see yourself as God.  You no longer stand liberated from the demands of the Law but instead cling to the old Adam inherited through original sin.  And this is why the Christian does not live just under the 3rd use of the Law but under the 1st and 2nd uses as well.  We need to be kept aware that stealing has consequences: jail time and price increases.  The Law shows us our sin as well showing us that when we mistreat our fellow shoppers and the employees and owners of stores we realize that we are nailing Christ to the cross, scourging him with our sins.  

            But realize this fellow consumer, you are a Christian, so Jesus calls you to seek out your pastor and confess your sins, and hear Christ's absolution from the mouth of his servant.  He wants you to knock at his door and go to the Lord's Table where he will bespeak you righteous  and deliver to you his very body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins.  Hear the blessed news of your crucified and risen savior.  Feast your eyes on the crucifix and remember he has died for you.  

            As you go out shopping again tonight, tomorrow, or another weekend, approach the store with a renewed knowledge that you proclaim Christ as you treat the store and its employees rightly.  As you treat everyone with respect, know that Christ is at work in you and creating opportunities for you to  confess the faith that you have heard and believed.  Will that old Adam get in the way, will he lead you to sin again and write it off as I deserve to be served or I am in a hurry this one time?  Yes.  Recognize that sin, confess the sin and always hear the good news, you are forgiven.  

 

            For you are the ultimate customer, you have received from Christ all that you need and he is the perfect giver, he gave himself, for you, for the sake of your eternal life.  And that is joy of the vocation as the customer.  This is why we are so blessed to have our Savior Jesus Christ.  He loves to give what we need to receive, and as you have been blessed to receive you willingly, joyfully live out your vocations including that of the customer.

Happy Shopping and rejoice in your vocation as customer.

Peace be with you.

Matthew 21:33-46 Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 21:33-46
33[Jesus said:] “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.
34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

  

          Grace, mercy, and peace be to you, from God, the Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.  In today's text we're made aware of THE cornerstone.  Now what is a cornerstone?  It's the block upon which the rest of the house relies on so that the walls are straight and even.   Since Christ is the cornerstone we must realize that something else must be built upon him.  You. So how do we build upon Christ?  Through true and proper administration of the Word and Sacrament and by this the Church will stand forever.  If the church builds upon the cornerstone with other means like gimmicks, feelings, and the latest fads being proposed to attract people to the church what will happen?  It will fall. 

            And lest we think that the church is growing because we did something special, because of our work, we must also recognize that it isn't our work.  It's built up because of Christ.  And guess what? It's often times going to be a thankless and even a dangerous job.  In fact, this month has been set aside to recognize those who do this difficult job day in and day out.

            Recall the servants whom the master sends.  Who are they?  These are the prophets, apostles, the evangelists, missionaries, and yes, also your pastor, Pastor Herrod.  When was the last time you thanked your pastor?  When was the last time you sent him a note of thanks or invited him out in appreciation for his work? Or have you sought to be like the tenants of the vineyard?  Have you spoken poorly of him?  Have you mistreated him?

            We must be aware of what we do in today's world.  Do we become a hindrance to the proclamation of the Gospel, threatening and mistreating those who proclaim the word because we don't like the message delivered from our pastor, or parents or friends, or do we build upon the cornerstone of Christ and those who serve the church through their various vocations? 

WILL CHRIST CRUSH YOU OR WILL HE BE WHAT YOU ARE BUILT UPON?

I

            The cornerstone is perfect.  You can't build on anything else.  If you don't build on this one stone your church and your faith are in danger of falling down.  I have a dear colleague who is a missionary in Africa, His name is Pastor James May.  He goes throughout Africa putting on seminars for pastors, lay people and seminaries to teach Lutheran doctrine.  He recently went to a small Lutheran church body in the country of Burundi and he was confronted with an all too common problem being forced upon the people of Africa. 

            A professor from the liberal, Lutheran, State Church of Germany spoke to them saying you must look past your differences with other Christians and unite with other denominations, in particular the Pentecostal church (which is very influential in Africa).  They were perplexed at this considering the wide differences in teaching between them.  They understood the problem at hand to build on false doctrine is not good for the church, and so they invited Pastor May to strengthen their faith. 

            Today in the U.S. many people are proposing the same thing.  "Our differences are not that great." They say.  "We all at least believe in Jesus."  But this is Jesus' point, yes the differences are great and do divide causing us to build on two different cornerstones.  Let me give you an example from today's text.  Who is Jesus speaking to?  We find out at the end of our text that it is the chief priests and Pharisees.  So did these people believe in the Messiah? 

            Now our inclination is to say, no!  But they most certainly did!  They just didn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah.  So would you say that you and the Pharisees should unite into one church?  For in fact you both believe in the Messiah.  But I would hope your answer would be a quick, "No way!"

            We should always be concerned that what we believe, teach and confess is the truth.  For what is the consequence of not having the truth?  Jesus says, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."  If you try and make Jesus something he is not you most certainly will have him taken away from you, you will fall over him, and you will be broken into pieces which means to suffer eternal death.  For if I say I believe in Jesus and yet believe I must do something to earn my salvation, I have fallen over the very doctrine of grace alone.

            These Jews weren't dumb, they understood exactly what Jesus was saying and who was being convicted.  He had called out these religious leaders for their sin in public without actually saying who he was talking about.  And we know they understood as Matthew writes: "When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them." Each and every one of his parables were directed to convict them of their sin as well as give the promise of eternal life.

            But why convict them of their sin?  He wanted them to be concerned.  He wanted them to see their error.  He wanted to save them.  But he can't be the Savior to those who don't want to be saved from their sins.  He does the same thing to us.  Today you and I know about Jesus, but do we know what he teaches?  Do we know what he condemns and has died for? 

            For example, when we hear the message proclaim to us, "You shall have no other Gods."  What are we being told? You shall not desire anything more than God.  If you place your job, family, sports above hearing God's holy Word and receiving his blessed sacraments you have made them your God.  If I don't speak to my children or friends and tell them that living together outside of marriage is a sin or that refusing to be in the divine service is a sin we will be falling over the cornerstone of faith because we've made these things our God.  For we're not doing the master's bidding.  We're not building upon the foundation.  Paul got to the point of this in 1 Corinthians 3.  He shows us how we may build on the foundation.  He says point blank, For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

II.

            Notice How our Lord is the one at work in our salvation. Hear the verbs of this verse from our text again: The  stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. What are the verbs?  Rejected, has become, was, and is.  It is the builders who past tense have rejected it but guess what it past tense has become the cornerstone, this past tense was the Lord's doing, and it present tense is marvelous in our eyes.  These verbs are crucial for all hearers of this Gospel message today. 

            The builders who have rejected are any who don't trust Jesus Christ alone as the cornerstone.  But Jesus' point is if anyone presently rejects Christ, rejects his way of saving, or rejects his condemnation of their sin, there is still time to repent and turn from these sins.  We are certainly called to have contrition, sorrow for our sins, but the good news is that along with contrition you also have faith worked in you, not faith in yourself, but faith in Christ that he has indeed forgiven your many transgressions and suffered, died on the cross, and risen for them!

            Despite this past tense rejection, Christ has still become the cornerstone.  It is a perfectly placed cornerstone.  Peter recalled Jesus' words in Acts 4 and said to the High Priest and other elders, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” What an amazing confession, and the leaders were stumped, they couldn't do anything against Peter and the disciples, so they merely threatened them and sent them on their way.  The Word did such a wonderful work that in Acts 6 we learn a great many of the priests repented and believed. 

            And notice the placement of Christ as our Cornerstone is NOT dependent on you and me, It is the work of God, "this was the Lord's doing." Jesus says. Your joy is that the Lord, despite you and me, still made and continues to make this happen through His doing!  He already is your cornerstone, as we sang in the opening hymn, Christ is our cornerstone, on Him alone we build, and he even provides the means by which to build. 

            He delivers to you forgiveness.  Gobs of forgiveness, the building materials overflow in generosity.  You have heard the absolution proclaimed.  This is no generic, Jesus died for you.  Oh, how he loved me.  No, you heard, in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins. Your sins are forgiven not because you read about it, not because of some benevolent force that created a feeling of forgiveness in you, but because your Savior works through his called servants to declare you forgiven and you are forgiven even if you don't feel it, because it is the Word that works.  And that's not all today!  He's going to feed you of his very self!  You will receive on your very lips the body and blood of your Savior.  This body and blood is yours, as you focus your eyes upon the bread before you, you see and believe it is truly his body.  As that cup is held before you, it is the blood of Christ shed for you.

III.

            This is for your joy, for your salvation and now recall Jesus' parable today.  You who have received The kingdom of God are now called to work the ground, bear the fruit of the Lord.  Not in order to receive some sort of favor from God.  Not as though he needs your fruit.  But he has planted a vineyard, in you, that is to be worked.  That's what Paul says in Ephesians 2, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  This fruit of faith first worked in you at your baptism and cultivated in your life through the reception of Word and Sacrament results in the fruit of good works.  Through the precious gifts of Word and Sacrament you are strengthened to bear fruit.  You will naturally bear fruit.  The Lord knows that when the Word is proclaimed rightly and Sacraments delivered faithfully it will create fruit and more branches to bear fruit. 

            If we refuse to acknowledge and give to our master, our heavenly Father, what is rightfully due him, namely the confession of the faith to a world that is lost in sin then Jesus says, "It will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits."  My fear is that in our communities we're having it taken away from us and given to those who will be faithful with the Word, and I don't mean non-Lutherans.  I mean to the saints of Africa, Asia, and South America where we're seeing conversions by the thousands in each country, every year. 

            This is a warning by God, repent or the Gospel will be taken away from you.  Already too many have fallen away because we've tried to make the Gospel something it's not, and that is our fault.  repent and turn from that sin.  Do not dismay, the reason that Law and Gospel is proclaimed over and over again is to lead us to receive the good news in Jesus Christ.  Which indeed is, once again, delivered to you.  Listen to Jesus again, "I tell you, the kingdom of God will be given to a people producing its fruits."  He gives it to you. 

            To produce the fruit of the vineyard is to confess the faith already given to you. You don't DO anything.  God has already done the work.  He's planted the vineyard, put up the fence, built the winepress and set up the tower.  That is, he has set up the church.  God has done all the church needs.  He has already planted the seed of faith, he's set up the fence so that the devil cannot sneak in and destroy the good news.  He's built the winepress so that the results of faith may be manifest in the product of faith.  He even sets up a tower so that you can watch for the dangers of false teaching and for the second coming of Christ.  We eagerly await Christ who is our joy, not to be rid of him, but because the heavenly father has sent Christ to love and preserve us. And the fruit produced is the natural result of being part of the Church.

            Remember, we are constantly receiving and being built upon the cornerstone, being built upon Christ.  This is good news for you and me.  For as you rely on this solid foundation you realize that you will be built up for eternity.  The Lord is faithful in his promises as you continue to receive the fruit of the gospel, the forgiveness of sins. This cornerstone is yours.  And what flows naturally from being built on the cornerstone is that we bear fruit, continuing to be built on this cornerstone with the good works we've been given to do.  You need not fear tripping or being crushed for you are built on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ as you receive his Word and Sacrament, the ultimate building blocks of the church which relies on Christ alone.  In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.