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

Motherhood

5/9/2022

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Picture
Mother and Child, Mary Cassatt, 1900. Public Domain.
Easter 4 Jubilate Sunday 
John 16:21 
Pastor James Preus 
Trinity Lutheran Church 
May 8, 2022 (Mothers’ Day) 
 
‘When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.”  
 
​


Jesus is the greatest teacher who has ever lived. His parables, while hiding the mysteries of God from the wise and understanding, provide simple to understand lessons to the children to whom God has granted faith. And this simple one verse parable clearly teaches what Jesus means by “a little while.” There is no suffering a woman can expect to experience in her life greater than that of giving birth. And so, for a little while the Christian has sorrow in this world. Yet, while there is no suffering like that of a woman in labor, so there is no joy that a woman feels like that of holding her newborn child for the first time. And so, after we Christians have suffered for a little while in this world, we will have joy when we see our Savior Jesus again.   


This parable is perfect, because it can easily be understood by anyone and it reflects the spiritual sorrow and joy that a Christian experiences better than any other physical human experience can. Yet, Satan has viciously attacked this parable by viciously attacking motherhood. Many cannot understand what Jesus means by this parable, because they do not recognize the joy a mother feels at the birth of her child. They no longer desire the joy that a mother experiences when a human being has been born into the world. And so, they avoid the sorrow caused by labor at all costs.  


This Sunday is called Jubilate Sunday, which is from our introit today from Psalm 66. It’s Latin for, “Make a joyful noise.” And that is fitting for this Sunday. We Christians should make a joyful noise to the Lord today, for one thing, because this past week we have heard that the Supreme Court will likely overturn Roe-v-Wade, that 1973 Supreme Court ruling, which declared a constitutional right for a woman to kill her unborn child. Christians in America have been praying for nearly 50 years that this horrid ruling would be overturned, so that our legislatures could pass laws to protect children in the womb from barbaric and violent deaths. And now, after long last, our prayers seem to be answered. Of course, our fight for the rights of the voiceless is by no means done. Unborn children will continue to be killed throughout the country until states pass laws protecting them. So, we must continue to be vocal for those who cannot defend themselves and pray to God that he would change the hearts of our nation to pity these children, and so support laws to protect them.  


Yet, we also should be ashamed of ourselves that it has taken so long to take this step. In the nearly fifty years since Roe was decided over sixty million babies have been violently murdered in their mothers’ wombs. And while many Christians have been very vocal, our so-called Christian nation has consistently rated the economy and other political issues above the life of innocent children. Unborn children are precious in the eyes of the Lord. Psalm 139 states, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Abortion is clearly wrong, because it is killing such a child in the womb. Yet, abortion is justified by saying that it is necessary to make life better for the mother and father. The Ammonites in the Old Testament had a similar justification. They sacrificed their sons and daughter to an idol named Molech in order to be blessed by this barbaric god. Here is what God warned Israel concerning this child sacrifice, “Anyone of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. … And if the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people.” (Leviticus 20:2, 4)  


And so, we should also thank God that he has been so patient with our nation, which he could have justly destroyed for closing our eyes to the shedding of innocent blood. No politician, whether Republican or Democrat, should ever have been able to get elected in a Christian nation without committing to defend the unborn.  


Now, while most Christians will declare that they are against the killing of unborn children, they have accepted the premise that the devil laid down, which justifies the killing in the first place. The premise is that children are not a joy, but a burden; that the pain of childbirth is not worth the joy of children, that enjoying immediate gratification now is better than suffering for greater joy later. But we should not accept the devil’s premise that children are not a joy. We should not think that it is reasonable to despise children or that it is understandable to want to get rid of them. “Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” (Psalm 127) That is what God tells us. The desire to spurn children, so that you can enjoy your life the way you want is selfish. Scripture teaches husband and wife to find joy in their children.  


Likewise, we should not accept the devil’s premise that Christ is not our joy. As people increasingly despise children and motherhood, so also, people increasingly despise the joy of Christ. “What do I need Jesus for? Doesn’t he just ruin all my fun? He’s too judgmental. I don’t think I want what he’s offering.” And so, as women do whatever is possible to avoid the sorrow, which leads to the joy of children, so people do whatever is possible to avoid the sorrow, which leads to the joy of Christ Jesus.  


Jesus’ analogy of a woman in labor is the perfect illustration for the Christian’s sorrow in this life. A woman has sorrow, because she is in great pain. The Christian is in sorrow, because he is not in heaven yet. The resurrection of all flesh has not yet happened. We do not yet see Christ in his glory. And so, in this life, we deal with sickness, pain, and death. The world rejoices as we weep and lament. We weep over the wickedness of the world, the suffering of the children, those who fall away from the faith, murder, war, and hatred. We lament that we are persecuted for confessing Christ, hated by those whom we love. We weep, because of our own sin, which we hate and try to avoid, that we have said things and done things that have hurt other people. We’re not in heaven yet. Our knowledge of Christ seems to increase our sorrow, because we are more aware of sin and suffering. Like a woman in labor, we are in anguish.  


Yet, Jesus comforts us in our anguish. It’s only a little while. Jesus’ words are much like the encouraging words of a husband to his wife as she is in labor. “It is only a little while. Soon, you will meet your baby. Stay strong.” And so, Jesus encourages us. You have sorrow now, but soon you will see me and your sorrow will be over. We find this encouragement elsewhere in Scripture. St. Paul tells us, “Hence forth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) And so, we deal with our sorrow now by taking comfort in the promises of Christ. Your suffering is not in vain. Though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, your Good Shepherd is leading you to the pastures of eternal life. Though you do not see him now, Christ is with you. And when you see him, you will be like him. Your sins will finally be severed from you forever. Death will pass away. Christians will no longer be persecuted. We will be transformed after the image of Christ. We will see him in glory and we will have no shame. The suffering now is worth it. And it will only last a little while.  


And the sorrow we Christians feel now, God uses for good. When a woman is in labor, she can’t go back. The baby is going to be born. This can be scary. The mother can feel helpless. And so, she does well to commit herself to the Lord, as Jesus said to St. Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” And so, the woman finds strength in her weakness, by trusting in the Lord her strength. And so, God teaches us to be strong in our suffering by being weak. When God permits us to suffer, when we sorrow, because we are pilgrims sojourning through this sinful world, we put our trust in God. We listen to his promises and trust that he will fulfill them. We commit our body and soul to him, who laid down his body for us on the cross and gave up his Spirit to save our souls.  


A husband comforting his wife while she is in labor can feel like a pretty helpless fellow. And as empathetic as he is, his wife knows that he does not actually know how she feels. Yet, when Christ Jesus comforts us in our sorrow, he is not helpless or ignorant. He knows exactly how it feels. You have not nor will you ever suffer greater than Christ suffered for you. Everything you suffer as a Christian, Christ Jesus has already suffered for you. Jesus bore all your sins on the cross, so that your guilt cannot harm you. And he bears with your weaknesses today. The hatred the world hurls on you for being a Christian, they hurl on Christ. And even the blood of the millions of babies who have been killed by abortion in the past half century, which cries out to God for justice, Jesus has satisfied that cry. Jesus not only died for those babies, but he died for their murderers. America is stained by abortion. We Christians have tormented our righteous souls living in a land so stained. Yet, Jesus has borne this sin as well. So, all who bear the guilt of abortion can find forgiveness and cleansing in Jesus.  


For a little while Jesus suffered on the cross for our sins and after a little while, he had joy in his resurrection. And he promises that he is with us in our little while of sorrow. And he has promised that after this little while, our joy will be filled by him. And during this little while of sorrow, Jesus has promised that whatever we ask the Father in his name, he will give us. We asked that Roe v. Wade be overturned, so that the lives of many children may be saved. It appears that God has granted our request. But much more, we ask that we may have eternal life in Christ Jesus, and through faith in Christ we know that God will most certainly grant that request. No matter how great your sin is, no matter what you have done, Jesus promises that God the Father will forgive you for the sake of Jesus’ suffering and death for you.  


Christ’s joy is our joy. Our sorrow is his sorrow. Christ’s sorrow came to an end when he rose from the dead. And so, our sorrow will come to an end soon. As mother and child rejoice in their company together, so Christ will rejoice in us and we in him, when we finally see him as he is. Amen.  
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Jesus Our Good Shepherd

5/1/2022

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Picture
Bernard Plockhorst, Good Shepherd, 19th C. Public Domain
Easter 3 (Misericordias Domini Sunday) 
John 10:11-16 
Pastor James Preus 
Trinity Lutheran Church 
May 1, 2022 
 
Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” This is a significant statement. In Ezekiel 34, the LORD God says, “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.” And in Psalm 23, David confesses, “The LORD is my shepherd.” So, it is unmistakable, when Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, he is calling himself the LORD God. Jesus is the LORD God, and yet he is a man. He even lays down his life for his sheep. God cannot die. God cannot lay down his life. Yet, since God has become man, he does die for our sins and takes his life back again. This teaches us that there is only one Good Shepherd. There is only one God. And there is only one man, who is God, Jesus Christ. And he has proved himself to be the LORD by laying down his life for us and taking it back again. Jesus didn’t just die. He described how he would die and he rise from the dead, and he did it. This is why this is such a wonderful Easter lesson. Jesus, before he suffers and dies, makes the grand claim to be the Good Shepherd, which would mean that he is God, then he declares that he will lay down his life for his sheep and take it up again. And then he does just that.  


The Good Shepherd joins his sheep fold. He himself becomes a lamb and dies for his sheep, and then he rises from the dead to shepherd his sheep forever. This is what St. John teaches us in Revelation 7, “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” The Lamb will be their Shepherd. As the Shepherd becomes a lamb, so the LORD became a man. And as the Lamb continues to shepherd his sheep, so our Lord Jesus is a man forever. He forever makes intercession for our sins.  


There is only one Good Shepherd. If your shepherd is not the LORD God, then he is not the Good Shepherd. If your shepherd did not become a man, then your shepherd is not the Good Shepherd. If your shepherd did not lay down his life for his sheep, then your shepherd is not the Good Shepherd. There is only one Good Shepherd who gives eternal life. Apart from him, you cannot be saved.  


Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, so that they may have eternal life. And he tells us that he gathers his sheep into one flock. But how does Jesus gather his sheep? We recite from Psalm 23, “He leads me besides the still waters,” but what does that mean? Jesus ascended into heaven. None of us has seen him with our eyes? Jesus says, “They will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Jesus’ sheep listen to his voice. Jesus shepherds his sheep with words.  


This is why Scripture uses the word pastor as a name for preachers of God’s Word. The word pastor means shepherd. Now, obviously your pastor is not the Good Shepherd. There is only one Good Shepherd, who is God and man and died for your sins. Your pastor is not God, he is a sinner, and he has not died for your sins. Yet, after Jesus’ resurrection he told Peter to feed his sheep. And St. Paul exhorted the presbyters in Ephesus to “pay careful attention to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” (Acts 20:28) And St. Peter exhorts the presbyters in chapter five of his first epistle, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you.” (1 Peter 5:2) So, Christ’s ministers are under-shepherds, who care for Jesus’ sheep by using words.  


The voice that Jesus’ sheep recognize is not a certain pitch or tone or accents or even a language. Jesus’ voice can be heard in every language, and in multiple tones and accents. Jesus’ sheep recognize his voice by the doctrine, that is, by the teaching, which that voice teaches. This is why Jesus keeps repeating, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” This is the chief doctrine that reveals the voice of the Good Shepherd. Jesus died for the sins of all people. Whoever trusts in Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection for forgiveness and salvation will be forgiven and be saved. So, if a voice does not preach Christ crucified, or denies that Jesus’ death makes atonement for all our sins, then that is not the voice of the Good Shepherd.  


Many preachers get bored with the Gospel. So, they try to make their preaching more relevant to their hearers, by discussing issues that are more relevant for the here and now. Heaven is a far way off, but I need advice for today. Yet, what does Scripture say? “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19) Jesus died so that we might have eternal life. It is the job of the preacher to proclaim eternal life. Eternal salvation is always relevant. And you will not figure out how to sort out your life if you neglect your eternal life.  


This lesson gives opportunity to warn Jesus’ sheep against false prophets, who, Jesus tells us, come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). Jesus tells us that we will know them by their fruits, that is, by their teaching. So, Jesus’ little lambs must pay attention to what is being taught to them. They must discern whether the preacher is preaching the Law and the Gospel from the Bible or whether he is teaching some human commandment; whether he is preaching the way to eternal life through faith in Jesus, who alone laid down his life for his sheep, or whether he is preaching a different way that leads to hell.  


Yet, it has become so dire, that the wolves don’t even need to wear their sheep skins to fool the sheep. People will listen to enemies of the Gospel with reckless abandon while ignoring the voice of their Good Shepherd, as if these voices will have no affect on them. Consider this though, how much time in a week do you spend watching television or some other streaming service, or listening to the radio, or reading secular articles and books and how much time do you spend hearing the Word of God at church or reading your Bible at home? Do you know what your children are watching on the internet?  


Recently, Disney has been criticized, because the children’s entertainment company opposed a bill in Florida, which would make it illegal for public school teachers to talk about sexual topics with children third grade and under. In response, supporters of the bill accused Disney of being “Groomers.” Groomers are perverted adults, who use their influence over children to manipulate them so that they may take advantage of them and that they might become perverts like them. It is a form of child abuse. It’s a very offensive title to give someone. Yet, the title fits. Disney, Nickelodeon, YouTube for kids, and many other children entertainment companies have been producing content, which encourages young children to support and explore homosexuality and transgenderism. This includes cartoons. People are rightly horrified by this. Yet, most continue to watch movies and shows from these companies and permit their children to watch this content as well, often without reviewing the content beforehand. But even if you avoid the most offensive content, mass entertainment is filled with messaging that is contrary to the Christian faith. And it has been from the beginning! Disney and Hollywood have been promoting pantheism, moral relativism, the occult, evolution, fornication, and many other messages contrary to what God teaches us in the Bible.  


Do these messages affect you and your children? Of course, they do; especially if you consume many hours of this content. Yet, even if you try to avoid these bad messages (which you should), you’ll never completely silence them. You still live in this world. And even if you did silence them, you’d still have your old sinful nature to lead you astray. “All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way.” But now we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.  


We need to hear Jesus’ Word. We need to hear his voice. We must be taught what is right. We must learn to turn from our sins and fight our fleshly desires, to reject being conformed to this world. We need to learn that we are sinners, who need a Savior. We need to hear that Jesus laid down his life for us, so that we might have abundant life. But if you will not hear this voice, then you are not Jesus’ little lamb.  


People think that they can be Christians without hearing the voice of their Shepherd. But that’s not true. Jesus says that whoever does not gather with him scatters. What would a flock of sheep look like if the sheep didn’t come when the shepherd called? It would look scattered, wouldn’t it? We need to hear the voice, that is, the teaching of our Good Shepherd Jesus, so that we may have eternal life.  


Jesus says, “I know my own and my own know me.” With these words he teaches election. Election is the teaching that Jesus’ sheep are chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). This is why Jesus says that many are called, but few are chosen. Jesus desires all to be saved. That is why he calls them. But only those who are chosen are ultimately saved. This is a comforting message, because it gives us certainty of salvation. Jesus says in this same chapter of John, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29) This is immensely comforting, because no one can snatch you out of your Good Shepherd’s hand. No one can take the life Jesus has given to you away from you. It has been determined before the foundation of the earth.  


Yet, how can you know that you are elect? How do you know that God has chosen you before the foundation of the world? Because you hear his voice and follow him. Don’t try to delve into the mysteries of God’s mind, which not even the angels can comprehend. Rather, listen to the voice of your Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus’ sheep hear his voice and follow him. Jesus gives his sheep eternal life. If you hear this voice and believe it, then you are Jesus’ sheep. You are elect. No one can snatch you out of the Father’s hand.  


Before you knew him, your Good Shepherd knew you. And he has made himself known to you by the proclamation of his Gospel. He died, so that you may live. He promises you eternal life. If you believe this, you are most certainly Jesus’ little lamb. Amen. Let us pray.  
Lord, my Shepherd, take me to Thee.  
Thou art mine; I was Thine, 
Even ere I knew Thee.  
I am Thine, for Thou hast bought me;  
Lost I stood, But Thy blood 
Free salvation brought me. Amen.   
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    Rev. James Preus

    Rev. Preus is the pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA. These are audio and text of the sermons he preaches at Trinity according to the Historical Lectionary. 

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