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The Preaching Office

4/25/2022

Incredulity of Saint Thomas, Caravaggio, 1602. Public Domain.

Quasimodo Geniti Sunday (Easter 2)
John 20:19-31
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
April 24, 2022

Twice in this Gospel lesson St. John points out that the doors were locked, yet Jesus came and stood among them. How did Jesus do this? Was it just a spirit that looked like Jesus? No. Jesus showed them his hands and his side still bearing the marks of the nails and spear. St. Luke reports that Jesus ate food with them. Spirits do not have scars. Spirits do not eat. Spirits do not have bodies you can touch and feel. So, how does Jesus do this? Jesus is God. He can do whatever he wants. Nothing is impossible with him. And Jesus’ human body does not limit his divine power. The Son of God did not become weak when he became flesh. Yes, he hid his divine glory for a while, as he was swaddled in a manger, as he hungered in the wilderness, as he languished on the cross. But Jesus never ceased to be God. Yet now, after his resurrection, his glory is no longer hidden. Jesus’ body is not limited to space and time the way our bodies are limited, because Jesus is true God. This is also how he was able to exit the tomb with his body without removing the stone. And this is how Jesus is able to be present in the Sacrament of the Altar with his body and blood, even though this seems impossible to us. Jesus is able to do far more than we can either ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

Why then the scars? Scripture tells us that Jesus’ body is raised in glory. All things are placed under his feat. And all who believe in him will be raised to new life with bodies formed after the image of this risen Christ. Why then the scars? If in Jesus’ resurrection his body is changed so that it has no imperfections or weaknesses, so that it is even able to be in more than one place at one time and enter into closed and locked rooms without opening a door, why do Jesus’ scars remain? Why does his body still bear the marks of the nails in his hands and the mark of the spear in his side, if he has been raised to incorruptibility? For two reasons: 1. To show them that he is the same Jesus whom they saw crucified and 2. To show them what they must preach in order to save sinners.

This risen and glorified Jesus is the same Jesus, who covered in blood, bore the sins of the whole world on the cross, died, and was laid dead in a tomb. He is now risen. Our sins are forever banished. Jesus has conquered death. He shows them the nail marks in his hands and the scar of the spear in his side to prove that he is the same Jesus who suffered for the sins of the world, and he has won. The man who suffered and died for the sins of the world is the same God, who is exalted above all things. Those scars prove that he has won our salvation for us.

Jesus bears the scars to show his disciples what they must preach. It is in this setting that Christ institutes the Office of Preaching the Gospel, so it is in this setting that he shows his ministers his hands. It is as if Jesus is saying, “You must preach the way to eternal life, but that way is not accomplished by works done with your hands. Rather, look at my hands. My hands have done the work needed to be done. See their scars!” And indeed, Jesus has accomplished the work needed to be done to save our souls. That is the content of the Gospel. Preachers of the Gospel do not point sinners to their own hands in order for them to work their own way to heaven. Preachers of the Gospel point sinners to Jesus’ hands, so that they may see who has worked for them and earned their way to eternal life.

This Gospel lesson gives us the best proof text for the Office of the Keys. What is the Office of the Keys? Our Catechism answers, “The Office of the Keys in that special authority, which Christ has given to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant, as long as they do not repent.” It then quotes John 20:22-23: The Lord Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

This is why our church teaches that when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by Christ’s divine command, in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation, and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain even in heaven as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us himself. We believe that when a minister forgives sins, what is called the absolution, that Christ himself is forgiving those sins in heaven. We also believe that when a minister withholds forgiveness, that forgiveness is withheld by Christ himself. The Church is supposed to withhold forgiveness from sinners, who openly refuse to repent of their sins, because they show that they do not have true faith in Christ. You cannot have saving faith while continuing in sin without repenting. Christ commands that His Church withhold forgiveness from unrepentant sinners, so that they learn to repent, so that they may be saved through faith. Yet, Christ commands his Church to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, so that they may know that their sins are forgiven before God in heaven and may be saved through faith.

The Office of the Keys deals directly with confession and absolution as well as excommunication, which is the practice of removing openly unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation until they repent. Yet, the Office of the Keys really teaches the entire ministry of the Church. Christ has given his Church the authority to forgive sins. The forgiveness of sins is given through the proclamation of the Gospel, that is, through words. Jesus said to his disciples, “The one who hears you hears me. The one who rejects you rejects me.” (Luke 10:16) This is because Jesus has accomplished all that needs to be done for our salvation. He died for our sins. He rose for our justification. We are saved through faith alone. Jesus told Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed.” Yet, how are they to believe? John tells us in this very chapter, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)

Jesus won for us salvation through his bitter suffering and death for our sins and his glorious resurrection. We receive this salvation as a free gift through faith. Yet, there can be no faith without hearing the words of the Gospel. Many people think that they can come to true faith or keep the faith without the word of the Gospel, but it is impossible. Jesus designed for us to receive saving faith through his Word. That is why he gave his Church the Office of the Keys, so that through words spoken by the minister, sinners may believe that they have a gracious and forgiving God. This is why Jesus instituted the Office of Preaching the Gospel, so that sinners may believe the Gospel and be saved.

God planned our salvation; we did not. Jesus, our God and Lord, who became our brother by taking on human nature, died for the sins of the whole world. He is risen from the dead, having made satisfaction for all our sins. God’s plan is for us to receive this salvation as gift through faith, that is, by believing and trusting in the promise that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. God’s plan is that we receive this faith through the proclamation of the Gospel. Jesus showed his disciples his hands and his side, demonstrating that only through the preaching of the cross can sinners be saved. We will not find another way to salvation. There is no other message that can create faith or keep faith alive. Do not be fooled into thinking that you can strengthen your faith in Christ by meditating on your own sinful thoughts or by getting in touch with nature or your garden, or that you can become closer to God by the work of your own hands. No. You can only come to true saving faith by hearing the Gospel of what Jesus’ nail-pierced hands have done for you.

Faith is a gift from God. Because of our sinful reason, no one can believe in Christ unless the Father grants him faith by the Holy Spirit. Thomas proved this by denying the testimony of over a dozen eye witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, after he himself heard Jesus predict his resurrection, the same Jesus, whom he had witnessed raising the dead. After Thomas confessed the true saving faith, declaring Jesus his God and Lord, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed.” Those blessed are those whom God has granted faith as a gift. This faith is given through the Gospel message alone.

We speak of the fruits of faith coming after faith, yet they really often happen instantaneously with faith. When the doubting disciples came to faith, having seen the risen Lord, they received two fruits of faith: Peace and Joy. Immediately Jesus declared to them, “Peace be with you.” Having been justified through faith, they had peace with God. And having seen the risen Lord, they had joy.

This is peace, which the world cannot give, which surpasses all understanding. Notice that the threat against the disciples, which compelled them to lock their doors, is still there. In fact, nearly all of them will eventually be killed at the hands of Jesus’ enemies. Yet still, they have peace. God is not angry with them. He has forgiven them and looks favorably at them. And this means that they have peace with their fellow Christians. The Office of the Keys doesn’t give authority to forgive sins to the pastor alone, but to every Christian. Through faith in the Gospel, Christians have peace with one another by forgiving one another their sins.

This peace can only be found in the nail marked hands and the spear scared side of Jesus’ Christ. This is why the pastor says, “The Peace of the Lord be with you always,” as he holds up to the congregation the bread and wine, which is the true risen body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ alone do we find peace. In Christ alone do we find the ability to be at peace with one another. Saving faith is knowing that true joy can only be found in the scars of Jesus. And no trial, not even the whole world going up in flames can take that joy away from us.

That man nailed to the cross by his hands and feet with a spear thrust in his side is our God and Lord. In his resurrection he gives his Church the power to forgive sins and grant eternal salvation to all who believe. Where Christians gather around Jesus’ Word, there is Jesus in their midst, not simply in spirit, but bodily present. Do not doubt it or deny it. He is our Lord and God. Nothing is impossible with him. Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.

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He Is Risen

4/19/2022

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Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb, Fra Angelico, 1440 - 1442. Public Domain

Easter Sunday
Mark 16:6
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
April 17, 2022

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

So what? No, I’m not being flippant. For every what, there needs to be a so what, or better yet, for us Lutherans, a “What does this mean?”. The what is precisely what the angel said, “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen.” That is the what. Well, what does this mean? It means that our sins are forgiven, that we are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from our works, that we are at peace with God, as St. Paul says in Romans 4 and 5, “Jesus Christ was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus died for our trespasses. He was raised for our justification, meaning, that his resurrection proves that the sacrifice Jesus offered for our sins has been accepted by God. Jesus’ resurrection means that God is at peace with us, as Jesus’ first words to his disciples on the night of that first Easter prove, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)

So, on this Easter morning and every day you must believe that your sins are forgiven, that God declares you righteous in his sight, and that you are at peace with God for the sake of Christ’s death and resurrection. You must believe this for two reasons. First, because Jesus did indeed die for the sins of the whole world, as the prophets, John the Baptist, the Apostles, and Christ Jesus himself declared, and he rose from the dead on the third day, proving that what he proclaimed is true, that he is indeed the Son of God, that all our sins have once and for all been washed away in his blood. Second, we must believe that our sins are forgiven and that we are justified before God on account of Jesus’ death and resurrection, because Jesus himself has promised us this, and Jesus is not a liar (John 3:15-16; 6:57; Mark 16:16; Titus 1:2).

So, now we have the so what, or rather, the meaning of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Now, we need the therefore. What must necessarily happen on account of the resurrection of Christ? Jesus himself gives us the therefore: therefore, repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning with Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47) Repentance and forgiveness of sins must be proclaimed in Jesus’ name. Because Jesus has done all the work, (he labored on the cross, and he rose from the dead) there is nothing for us to do in order to be saved except to believe the promise. And whoever believes the promise is saved. But how can they believe in him of whom they have never heard? (Romans 10:14) So, in order for people to be saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection, this Gospel must be preached to them. This is why Jesus prayed to the Father the night he was betrayed, “I do not ask for these only (that is, not for his Apostles only), but also for those who will believe in me through their words.” (John 17:20) Faith comes by hearing the words of Christ. (Romans 10:17) Without hearing these words, no one can come to saving faith.

The content of Jesus’ message is repentance and forgiveness of sins. Now, repentance properly speaking consists of two parts: 1. sorrow over sins, and 2. faith in the forgiveness of sins. This is why the Gospel is not properly preached when the bare message that Jesus died on the cross for sinners is preached without any context. Sinners must know that they are sinners before they can believe that Jesus saves sinners. A sick person must know that he is sick before he will take any medicine. So, those who preach the Gospel must always first preach the Law. They must make sinners aware that they have offended God, that they deserve to go to hell for their sins, that they are by nature no good. You must know that you have offended God, that you deserve to go to hell, that you are by nature no good.

This sounds mean and impolite, but it is as impolite as a doctor telling his patient he has cancer. It is only when a sinner feels remorse for what he has done wrong and fears God’s punishment that he will then take hold of the Gospel that God forgives all sins for the sake of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. Then the Gospel is the most wonderful message in the world. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Your sins are left nailed to the cross. Everything has been accomplished. This salvation is a free gift received through faith alone.

The ‘so what’ of the resurrection is that salvation is a free gift. The ‘therefore’ of the resurrection is that this Gospel should be preached, so that sinners may repent of their sins and receive this forgiveness and salvation through faith alone apart from works. Yet, fruits of faith are bound to follow this faith, that is, the person who repents and believes in this Gospel will do good works, as St. Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) This is why John the Baptist preaches, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” (Luke 3:8), and why Jesus says, “Every tree that does not bear good fruits will be cut down and throne into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19)

Yet, these good works are called fruit, meaning, they are not produced on account of compulsion, not forced, but done willingly because of a new heart born of the Spirit. This is why Martin Luther writes (and this is quoted in the Formula of Concord article on Good Works):

Faith, however, is a divine work in us that changes us and makes us to be born anew of God, John 1[:12-13]. It kills the old Adam and makes us altogether different men, in heart and spirit and mind and powers; it brings with it the Holy Spirit. O, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good works incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done them, and is constantly doing them. Whoever does not do such works, however, is an unbeliever. … Thus it is impossible to separate works from faith, quite as impossible as to separate heat and light from fire. [LW 35:370:370-71]” (SD IV:11-12)

To have faith in Christ’s resurrection means to die to sin and to live to Christ. When you trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, your new self desires to do what is right. This is why St. Paul answers the question, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”, by saying, “By no means! How are we who died to sin still to live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:1-3) He then explains, “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:8-11)

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! You must not say that if you do not believe it! You must not say that and go on living as if Christ is still dead. You must not go on living in sin, hating your brother and refusing to be reconciled, living sexually immoral lives, being greedy and covetous, speaking ill of others, going weeks and months without hearing the Word of God preached, of which Christ said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciple.” If you believe that Christ Jesus is risen from the dead and that he has put away your sins, then you must also die to your sins and live to Christ. Of course, if you believe that Christ Jesus is risen from the dead after having died for your sins, then you want to put away your sins and do what is right. You want to die to sin forever and live to Christ forever. That is the desire of the new man. That is the fruit of faith.

Yet, the old sinful Adam still hangs around. He fights against the Spirit within you. Have you checked your fruit and seen that it doesn’t look too good? In this life, Christians produce good fruit in great weakness. They’re always imperfect. So, although true faith does produce good fruit and Christians should be busy doing good works, when we examine our fruit, we always see that we are still sinners. When we compare our fruit to God’s Law, we see that we still deserve to go to hell. This is why we must never forsake the ‘therefore’ and the ‘so what.’ We need the proclamation of the Gospel today. We must hear the call to repentance and the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake today. As long as we live in this life, burdened with our sin, with our old Adam drawing us to rebel against God, we need to be brought to repentance. We need to hear that Jesus died for our sins and rose, so that we are forgiven, so that we may be justified in God’s sight and have peace with him.

Whatever keeps you from hearing this Gospel is from the devil. Our Lord Jesus bore the sins of the whole world. This was not a small task. He suffered hell on the cross in order to pay for our sins. And he rose again, having vanquished sin, death, and hell for us. And what does he say after he wins this victory? He says that repentance and forgiveness of sins must be proclaimed to all. That is the only way people can be saved through faith in what Jesus has done. That is the only way that sinners can be brought to repentance. That is the only way you can be saved. Jesus is not done preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins. He’s not done preaching for your sake, because he desires your salvation. And so, for the sake of your salvation, you must not be done listening. You’re still a sinner. Satan is still trying to destroy your soul. You need to hear what your risen Lord has to say to you in order for you to be saved. And what Jesus has to say is the most comforting message.

As important as they are, your fruits of faith do not save you. Only Jesus’ suffering and death for your sins and resurrection does. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead means that your salvation has been accomplished for you. Your sins have been atoned for. You are forgiven. Satan has been defeated. You’ve been rescued from hell. Christ has made heaven your home. You too will rise from the dead and live forever with Christ. That is what Jesus’ resurrection means. God grant that we believe it. Let us pray.
Thou hast died for my transgression,
All my sins on Thee were laid;
Thou hast won for me salvation,
On the cross my debt was paid.
From the grave I shall arise
And shall meet Thee in the skies.
Death itself is transitory;
I shall lift my head in glory. Amen.

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Jesus Teaches Us to Die

4/19/2022

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Christ Crucified (c. 1632) by Diego Velázquez; Diego Velázquez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Good Friday
Luke 23:46
Pastor James Preus
April 15, 2022

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.” ~ Luke 23:46

Let us pray:

Teach me to live that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed.
Teach me to die that so I may
Rise glorious at the awe-full day.
Amen. (LSB 883:3, Thomas Ken)

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”, Jesus cried before he died. This is    same Jesus, who from the cross cried out in dereliction, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). This is the same Jesus upon whom the sins of the whole world were laid, so that even in the garden before a whip had made a single stripe on his back, he sweat drops of blood under their burden. Where does he get the confidence to commit his spirit into the hands of the Almighty God, who had forsaken him on the cross and who has so willed to crush him? Because Jesus Christ is true God, begotten and beloved of the Father from all eternity, and also true man, and as true man, he is completely innocent of all sin. Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God, who has fully and completely fulfilled the entire Law under which we were once enslaved.

Jesus did not find himself nailed to the cross by accident. It was for this purpose that he came into the world. John the Baptist declared him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus himself declared several times that he would be delivered over to evil men and be crucified and on the third day rise. This was all part of God’s plan to redeem us. Jesus said, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18) This is also why St. Peter declared after Jesus’ ascension on Pentecost, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:24) And not only did Jesus have confidence that he would rise from the dead on the third day, he had confidence that his soul would dwell with the Father in heaven, as he said to the thief on the cross, ‘Today, you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). This was all part of God’s plan.

Yet, this does not mean that it was all for show. Jesus didn’t pretend to suffer on the cross for our sins. He did not pretend to die. He wasn’t acting when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” No, the suffering Jesus’ endured was real. The divine abandonment was real. The sins he bore were real sins with real guilt. Jesus bore hell on the cross for us. And the death he died was a real death. His soul departed his body. His body became inanimate and cold. Our God and brother hung dead on the cross. Jesus died.

Yet, he was not afraid to die. He died confident that he had done no wrong, confident that he had fulfilled all that God required of him and of every human being. He died confident that he had fully paid for every sin laid upon him and that he was returning to his Father in peace.

Jesus’ last words, “into your hands I commit my spirit!”, are actually a quote from King David in Psalm 31. And Martin Luther paraphrases it in his morning and evening prayers, “Into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things.” So, Jesus is by no means the first or the last person to pray these words to our heavenly Father. Yet, had Jesus not said these words, had he not commended his soul in death to our heavenly Father, no one would ever be able to utter this prayer.

Jesus once said, “Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul, but fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) How can we commit our spirit into the hand of him, who has the authority to destroy our soul in hell? God commands that you be perfect. You know the commandments. You shall have no other gods before the LORD. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. You shall not despise God’s Word and preaching. Honor your father and mother. You shall not steal. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not covet. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Well, have you done these things perfectly? Have you satisfied God’s standard of perfection? Are you comfortable committing your soul into the hands of a righteous Judge?

Throughout history, there have been stories of people, even some ostensibly very righteous people, who have had great fits of terror on their death beds. They are terrified to die, because they know that after death comes judgment. While horrible and faithless as this is, these dying fools had much more sense than seems to be common today. No one sees the urgency in death today. They fear death. You can tell that by how they hide from it and deny it. You see it as people shunned the words of eternal life and the medicine of immortality, because some priests of science told them to give up meeting together in order to stay healthy. But today, few take notice that when they die they will meet their Maker, their Judge. They march toward death in arrogance, claiming to have no regrets. But they would be much wiser to know that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).

Yet, should you be so terrified to die? Should the knowledge that after death comes judgement and that you have not fulfilled God’s Law, that God is indeed a righteous God, terrify you? No. Rather, you should have confidence to face death and say, “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.”

When Jesus suffered on the cross for the sins of the whole world, he suffered for your sins, for all of them. That means that when Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”, he was confident that all of your sins were atoned for by his suffering and death. If any of your sins remained, Jesus would not be able to say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Rather, he himself would be terrified to die. But because Jesus has said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” you have the right to say these sweet words as well with confidence that they are true.

King David first penned these words in Psalm 31:5; the full verse is, “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.” Indeed, that is how we may commit our spirits to the LORD. He has redeemed us with the precious blood of Christ Jesus and his innocent sufferings and death. God has purchased our salvation. You have been bought with a price! The prophet Isaiah writes, “The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) St. Peter says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24) St. Paul writes, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Again the Apostle Paul writes, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14) Again Scripture says, “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification, therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 4:25-5:1)

These words of comfort are not a hypothetical theory. Jesus died for these words. He Himself committed his soul to the Father having taken on your sins. This is not a superficial statement. Jesus took ownership of your transgressions, atoned for them, and then with full confidence, committed his soul to the Father, so that you can do the same.

We not only commit our souls to our heavenly Father in death, we commit our souls to the Father in life. God alone can keep us faithful. God alone can lead us out of temptation, out of unbelief and other great shame and vice. And he does this through Jesus Christ alone. Every morning and evening we commit our souls to God our heavenly Father for the sake of the suffering and death of his dear Son, trusting that God will guide our ways, lead us out of temptation, forgive our sins, protect us from danger, and keep us in the true faith. And in this way, we are ready for death at all times. Death no longer can terrify us, not because we are ignorant of judgment or arrogant before God, but because Christ has taken that terror away from us. He committed his soul to the Father and in so doing, he has paved a path for our souls as well.

Let us pray:
I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day. And I pray that you would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night, for into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul and all things, let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

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I Am Jesus’ Little Donkey

4/13/2022

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Gioto, The Entry into Jerusalem, 1305. Public Domain.

Palm Sunday
Matthew 21:1-9
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
April 10, 2022

I am Jesus’ little donkey… It doesn’t have quite the same ring as I am Jesus’ Little Lamb. Yet, I would like each of you to consider yourself not only as Jesus’ little lamb, but as Jesus’ little donkey. Next to the lamb, the donkey is the most honored animal in all of Scripture. In the Torah, where God commands that every firstborn beast be offered to the Lord as a sacrifice, he excludes the donkey, commanding that every firstborn donkey be redeemed with a lamb (Exodus 13:13). God granted no animal on earth the gift of rational speech except Balaam’s donkey, which protested being beaten when it had rescued Balaam from the Angel of the LORD (Numbers 22). In Judges 15, the Holy Spirit records how Samson killed one thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. Afterward, Samson dying of thirst, cries out to the Lord, who then causes water to gush out of the jawbone, quenching Samson’s strength and reviving him. Samson’s donkey bone both killed and refreshed. This illustrated that all preachers of God’s Word are mere donkeys from whose mouths come out death and life.

Although Scripture does not explicitly tell us, it is quite probable that the mother of our Lord rode into Bethlehem on a donkey while baby Jesus was in her womb. Likewise, a donkey probably carried Mary and the Christ-child on their flight to Egypt. Finally, we reach our Gospel lesson for today. On Palm Sunday, as foretold by the prophet Zechariah, our Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a little donkey, a colt of its mother, upon which no one had yet ridden. This lowly donkey carried our Lord and King into Jerusalem, where he would be beaten, crucified, die and be buried, before rising from the dead, all for our salvation.

So significantly does Scripture honor donkeys, that we should take a moment to consider how each of us can be Christ’s donkey. We’re used to mimicking the crowds and the children on Palm Sunday by waving the palm branches and singing, “Hosanna!” Yet, let us strive to mimic that humble, yet honorable donkey who carried our Lord to his destination. How do we do this? What does it mean to be Jesus’ donkey?

First, it means to be humble. The prophet told the daughters of Jerusalem to rejoice that their King was coming to them humble and riding on a donkey. There is hardly another way to ride upon a donkey than in humility. A donkey is a lowly animal. And so, we Christians are called to be lowly. The manner in which Christ entered Jerusalem, in humility, is often compared to how Christ comes into our midst today. Water is a simple thing we let run down the drain. Bread and wine are such a plain meal, many say, “No, thank you.”, without a second thought. Yet, our Lord comes to us by such lowly means. The Sacrament we prize is despised by the world much as the religious and political elites sneered at Jesus entering the city on a donkey. Yet, we Christians know that beneath those forms of bread and wine are the true body and blood of Jesus, which suffered and was shed for our sins, but is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father.

So, we Christians live in the humble manner in which Christ comes to us, meekly eating this meal, trusting that it provides what our dear Lord promises: forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. This humility leads us to treat our neighbors with kindness and love, to be quick to forgive, slow to anger, ready to help, considering others more significant than ourselves. That is what it means to be Jesus’ donkey.

Second, to be Jesus’ donkey means to be faithful. When Balaam’s donkey rebuked him, she said, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” Although it is surprising that a donkey would speak, it is not surprising that a donkey would say that. Donkeys are faithful. They do their work. They follow him who leads them. So did this donkey, which carried our Lord on its back. He followed the direction of the disciples and did not begrudge the load. And so, to be Jesus’ donkey means to follow him, much as a little lamb follows its shepherd. Yet more, to carry the load he gives without complaint.

And this leads us to the third meaning of being Jesus’ donkey, to be willing to bear a burden. “If it is the Lord’s will that I bear this, I will gladly bear it.” That is the attitude of Jesus’ donkeys. They’re beasts of burden, who do not complain about the load. They also do not try to choose their load. What donkey chooses what his master will put on his back? Rather, he carries what the master places there, without complaint. And so too, you do not choose which cross your Savior lays on you for your good, but you bear it with patience.

Of course, the most precious load each of Jesus’ donkeys must carry is Christ Jesus himself. This is where the name Christopher comes from. It literally means to be a bearer of Christ. You’ve no doubt heard the line, “You shouldn’t wear your religion on your sleeve.” Even Christians say such things. It’s total nonsense. What does Jesus say? “Everyone who confesses me before men, I too will confess before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I too will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) To carry Christ means to confess Jesus at every opportunity, as St. Peter says, “Always be prepared to give a defense to anyone for the reason for the hope that is within you.” (1 Peter 3:15) Jesus’ donkeys confess Christ to family, friends, and acquaintances. They aren’t embarrassed to be known as Christians. They teach their children about Jesus at home and they take them to church.

Carrying Christ in this way does cause one of Jesus’ donkeys to receive honor. As the crowds strew their coats and palm branches on the road before Jesus and waved their branches in the air, so Jesus’ little donkey enjoyed the honor of walking over these coats and branches, feeling the gentle breeze of the palms fanning him, and hearing the sweet singing of the children. So, Christians will honor each other in their pursuit to honor Christ. They will speak well of one another and look out of their needs. They will be quick to offer a cup of cold water to one of Jesus’ little ones. Jesus’ little donkeys are not without honor in the Church of Christ.

Yet, as the world hated Christ, it will most certainly hate his disciples. If the world spits and hurls dirt clods at Jesus, they will certainly hit the back and face of the donkey on which he rides. So, it is important for Jesus’ little donkeys to know that if they are to bear Christ on their back, they will receive abuse from the world, which hates him.

And this can be the hardest load to bear. When people go after Christ, they go after his donkey. Much like how warriors will attack the horse of a cavalryman, so to knock the rider to the ground, so the world attacks Jesus’ Christians. And as a cowardly horse may be tempted to buck its rider and escape the battlefield, so Christians will be tempted to get Christ off their back to escape the abuse of the world.

When you stick out like a sore thumb among your co-workers and fellow students, because of your confession of Christ, it is tempting to remove Christ from your back. When you become an outsider in your own family, because you practice the Christian religion, but they refuse, it becomes tempting to remove Christ. When being a professed Christian earns you insults, it becomes tempting to remove Christ. Jesus becomes a heavy burden when you decide that it is easier to remain silent than to confess Christ and what his word teaches even to those whom you love.

Yet, when these temptations arise and the weight seems a bother, do not put Christ down. Do not silence your confession of faith. Remember the words of Jesus. “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and learn from me, for I’m gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

How can Jesus say that his yoke is easy and his burden is light, if it seems that Jesus’ little donkeys must bear the weight of the whole world on account of him? Because Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. It is impossible for you to carry a greater burden than what Jesus bore for you. To be Jesus’ donkey does not mean to bear the weight of your own sin, but rather, to confess him who takes your sins away. This is why Jesus’ donkeys gladly bear their load. They are not trying to earn their salvation. They are carrying him who has won their salvation for them.

Finally, Jesus exalts the humble. This is his persistent promise. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. Jesus’ donkeys bear him in humility, because Christ came to us in humility to bear our sins for us. Yet, Jesus does not remain in his humility. He rises from the dead on the third day. He ascends to the right hand of God the Father, leading a host of captives out of the grave’s dark prison. He who carries Christ in his humility, will certainly be raised with Christ in his exaltation.

That lowly colt of a donkey carried Jesus to Jerusalem, where he was falsely accused, beaten, spit upon, mocked, crucified, and buried. He did this to save us from our sins. And so, being Jesus’ donkey today, you continue to carry Christ to Jerusalem, not so that he may be crucified again, but so that you may confess his crucifixion again and again. You carry Christ wherever you go, but you always carry him to the cross, where he paid for all your sins. You confess that He has made full atonement. That you are not ashamed of him, who was not ashamed to bear your shame. And with such a confession, you know that Christ is not ashamed of you. That little donkey did not carry Jesus to his destruction, but to his victory over sin, death, and hell. And so, as Jesus little donkey, you confess Jesus’ victory for you. Amen.

Let us pray:
On my heart imprint Your image,
Blessed Jesus, king of grace.
That life’s riches cares and pleasures
Never may your work erase.
Let the clear inscription be:
Jesus crucified for me
Is my life my hope’s foundation
And my glory and salvation. Amen.

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"For faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." ~ Romans 10:17

The Preaching Office

He Is Risen

Jesus Teaches Us to Die

I Am Jesus’ Little Donkey

Rev. James Preus

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