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

Judica (Lent 5): If Anyone Keeps Jesus' Word, He Will Never See Death

3/19/2018

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John 8:46-59 
March 18, 2018 
 
The Jews proudly claimed to be children of Abraham. In verse 33 of this same chapter they answered Jesus, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone." It was to Abraham that God promised to give the land of Canaan and that his descendants should be as numerous as the dust of the ground. Abraham was the grandfather of Jacob, later named Israel from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended. To be a child of Abraham is a great distinction. It means that you are a child of promise, a member of a holy people. It means that God is your Father, as the Jews themselves said to Jesus in this same discourse, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father- even God." (vs. 41) But these Jews, although physically were descendants of Abraham, were not children of Abraham nor could they claim God as their Father.  

Jesus said to the Jews, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did." (vss. 39-40) They aren't the children of Abraham, because they do not do the works Abraham did. What were the works Abraham did? Jesus tells us, "Your Father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." (vs. 56.) How did Abraham, who lived eighteen centuries before Jesus see Jesus' day? He saw it through faith. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) The work of Abraham is to hear and believe the word of God. Abraham is the man of faith. His children are his children through faith, as St. Paul writes in Galatians chapter 3, "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." (vss. 7-9) 

Just because a person is a physical descendant of Abraham, does not make him a child of Abraham. And even those who are not physical descendants of Abraham can still be his children through faith, as God himself promised to Abraham just a few verses after our Old Testament lesson, "And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 22:18) 

Young Jarrett's father has been a member of Trinity Lutheran Church his entire life. His grandfather is a lifelong member of this congregation. Even his great-grandfather was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church.  While that is truly wonderful, that does not make Jarrett a member of this congregation nor a child of God. All of us are born in sin and must confess with King David, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5) And St. Paul tells us, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." (1 Corinthians 15:50) We inherit only sin and death from our fathers. And that is why Jarret was brought here to be baptized today. 

Jesus says, "Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."(vs. 47) Those who are of God listen to God's Word. Those who are not of God cannot listen to God's Word. You must be of God in order to listen and believe in God's Word.  St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2, "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." (vss. 12-14) 

Unless the Holy Spirit intercede, we are incapable of believing in Christ and becoming children of God. Yet, the Holy Spirit does work through God's Word and Baptism. This is why Jarrett's parents brought him to be baptized today. They want him to be God's child, so that he can continue to cherish God's Word and have eternal life. Through this second birth of water and the Spirit, Jarrett has received a pedigree far more excellent than the name Klyn or any other name under heaven can give him. Through this second birth in Baptism, the Holy Spirit has made Jarrett a child of Abraham, the man of faith. God is now Jarrett's Father and his earthly father and mother will teach him to call God, Father with confidence when they teach him to pray the Lord's Prayer. And he will be brought up to hear and believe the Word of God, just as his father Abraham believed God.  

"Whoever is of God hears the words of God." That is why you all come here, isn't it? To hear the Word of God. That means that you are of God. That is truly a great honor. Yet, the benefits of hearing God's Word only begin there. Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." (vs. 51)  

What a fantastic promise this is! If we truly believed this promise from Jesus, we would cling to his words for dear life and desire constantly to learn from Jesus. All other things in life would be of lesser importance, if we truly believed that the one who keeps Jesus' word will never see death!  

But what does it mean to keep Jesus' word? It means to hear and read it as often as you can, so that the promises and wisdom of God are always on your heart and tongue. Jesus says, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciple, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32) Those who are of God abide in Jesus' word. They make Jesus' word their dwelling place. God's word transforms them, so that their whole life revolves around it, not just on Sunday morning. How you raise your children depends on God's Word. How you speak to your parents hangs on God's Word. How you behave at work and at school and with your friends is ruled by what you learn and believe from your Savior Jesus.  

And when God's word so permeates your life, you are able to have peace within, even as the world rages around you. Because as the world around you changes, God's promises stay the same as does his love and forgiveness. You can follow the example of your father in the faith Abraham, who did not regard his perishing body when he heard God's promise, but believed that God would make a great nation from him. And even more than that, he was able to look beyond his own grave and see the day of Christ and rejoice in it. And so, you too, having trusted in Jesus' word can with confidence face death, knowing that you belong to God and God is the God of the living, not of the dead.  

But what of those, who are not of God; who refuse to listen to God's Word? Jesus said to the Jews, who refused to believe his Word, "Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires." (vss. 43-44) Jesus is not charitable at all with his words toward those who refuse to hear his word. And for good reason. To refuse to listen to God's Word is the most dangerous sin you can commit. An adulterer can repent. A murderer can hear the absolution as from God himself and die at peace with God. Whatever sin you've committed, God willingly forgives for the sake of Christ's suffering and death. But how can those, who refuse to hear God repent or receive forgiveness from God? They cannot. Their faith dies and they cannot be saved.  

The Third Commandment is "Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy." Your Small Catechism explains it thus, "We should fear and love God, so that we do not despise preaching and his Word but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it." Many don't think that they despise God's preaching and word when they refuse to hear and learn it, but that is exactly what they do. Those, who are of God hear the words of God. Those, who are not of God refuse to listen.  

These particular Jews, who were talking with Jesus were not of God. They said to our Lord, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" (vs 48) This is the common progression of those who refuse to hear God's Word. They start out saying, "Well, I don't despise God's Word. I just have other things going on." But then the refusal to listen to God's Word leads to blasphemy and mockery. And we see this often through popular entertainment, the Christian faith and our God are mocked more than any other faith and we are accused of hatred, bigotry, and stupidity for following Christ.  

At the end of our lesson these unbelievers picked up stones to throw at Jesus. This again is the natural evolution of those, who hate Jesus' Word. They begin by refusing to hear it. Then they mock it. Then, they become violent towards those who speak it. And we have seen this throughout Church history. While the Christian Church has remained from the time of the Apostles, their persecutors have shifted shape from Roman pagans, to Islamic jihadists, to atheistic Communist regimes. Christians, especially those who confess out-loud the name of Christ are physically abused and killed.  

Yet, you don't need to travel to ISIS controlled territory in the Middle East or to North Korea to witness violence against those who speak God's Word. You can find it right here in America, in this town, in your homes, in this congregation, even within your own heart. St. John warns, "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15) Okay, perhaps we don't have too many people picking up stones and killing those, who speak God's Word. But Scripture tells us that murder begins in the heart. Has a brother or sister in Christ confronted you with God's Word or spoken a truth from God's Word that has caused you to get angry and to hate? Some will even hate their pastor, because they don't like the Word of God he teaches. This is a call to repentance for all of us. And this warning should urge us not to forsake hearing God's Word. How quickly can our sinful hearts turn us not only to ignore God's Word, but to hate those who speak it.  

The Jews wanted to stone Jesus, because he said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." Not, before Abraham was, I was. No, Jesus is. He is always present. He is eternal. Jesus is God. In fact, when Moses asked God in the burning bush, what his name was, God said, "I AM WHO I AM. Say to the people of Israel, I AM has sent you." (Exodus 3:14)  

For those, who refused to hear Jesus' Word, this claim to be God infuriated them to the point of murder. But for us, who are of God and who cling to God's promise of eternal life, Jesus' claim to be God gives us great joy and confidence. How can Jesus say that whoever keeps his word will never see death? No one else can say that! Pick your philosopher or guru, find the best life coach or advice-giver. Can any of them promise that if you keep their words, you will never see death? No! Of course not! But Jesus can and does. Because, Jesus is God! His word created life in the first place! And his word will give you eternal life.  

Jesus' divinity gives power to his blood. Our Epistle lesson tells us that the blood of Christ purifies our consciences, that is, it forgives our sins. Goats blood can't do that. Ordinary human blood can't do it either. But Jesus is both a human being and God. His death on the cross is more precious than any sacrifice to God. And his blood has the power to wash away your sins.  
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This is also why we have such confidence in Jarrett's Baptism, that he is a child of God, and our Baptism as well. In Baptism, God is at work. It looks like Jarrett just got his head wet with water, but the holy blood of Christ our God purified him and cleansed him of all sin. How can water do such great things? Because of the Word of God. And whoever abides in this word will live forever. Amen.  
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Judica Sermon: To Know God

4/3/2017

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Genesis 22:1-14
Hebrews 9:11-14
John 8:46-59

"Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." What? What does Jesus mean by this? "Will never see death"? But everyone dies. Even the greatest people in history died, as Jesus' opponents point out, "Abraham died, as did the prophets." So how can our Lord say that those who keep his word will never see death?
 

Well, we must understand what Jesus means by death. He doesn't mean simply the halting of the heartbeat and the cooling of the flesh. Jesus himself will experience this death. The death Jesus speaks of is the second death, the death that continues after the body dies. That is eternal death in hell. But for those who know God, they will not experience this death. St. John records Jesus speaking in Revelation chapter two, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death." (2:10-11) The first death will be experienced by all, except those still remaining at the resurrection of the dead. But those who are faithful unto death, who keep the words spoken to the Church will not experience the second death.  

Scripture speaks of the first death of the faithful as sleep. David slept with his fathers and was buried (1 Kings 2:10). And Jesus also does not consider faithful men such as Abraham dead, but merely sleeping as he spoke to the Sadducees in Matthew 22, "As for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living." (22:31-32)  

So those who keep Jesus' word will live forever, even if they experience the first death. Jesus opponents do not understand this, because they do not know God. Jesus knows God. He says, "I do know him and I keep his word." What does it mean to know God? To know God means to have a personal relationship with God, that is, to have faith in him. This is more than to simply have knowledge of God, to be able to recite the Creed or answer rudimentary questions concerning the Christian faith. No, to know God is to trust in him, to trust in his promise, and to know that God knows you, that he loves you and that he claims you as his own. If you know God you will never see death.  

But how do we know God? Jesus said, "I do know him and I keep his word." You know God by keeping his word. This is the same message Jesus said before, "If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." What does it mean to keep Jesus' word? To keep Jesus' word means to guard it, to cherish it, to trust in it. This is why it is so ironic that these Jewish people claimed Abraham as their father. Sure, by blood they are his children, but that's about it. Abraham is the man of faith. His children are those of faith. Abraham is a great example to us for what it means to keep God's word.  

Abraham left his father's house and his father's land, because God promised to make him into a great nation. Abraham believed God when he promised to give him a son, even in his old age. And when God finally gave him a son, Abraham still trusted in God, believing that he would raise his son from the dead when God told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Every word God spoke to Abraham, he treasured more than all his flocks, servants, and gold, yes, even more than his own son.  

Jesus said, "Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." Is Jesus joking? He's in his early thirties. Abraham died eighteen centuries earlier. How could Abraham have possibly seen Jesus' day? Abraham saw Jesus' day through faith. He believed God's promise. When Jesus said, "Abraham saw my day" he was saying that Abraham had faith in Christ according to the promise of God.  

Abraham saw Jesus' day when God spoke to him, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:3) Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day when he believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Abraham saw Christ's day and was glad when he saw the ram stuck in the thorns, prepared by God to replace his son as the sacrifice on the altar. Abraham had faith that God would send the Christ through his own body, who would bless all nations. Abraham rejoiced in the death of Christ.  

And here we learn what word we must keep, so that we will never see death: the Gospel that Jesus Christ comes from God and from Abraham to bless all families of the earth; the Gospel that Jesus is our Lamb of God, who takes our place and is sacrificed for our sins.  

Jesus said, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'" God the Father glorified Jesus by having him lifted up on the cross to die for all sinners. Jesus' death glorified God the Father by fulfilling his word and by saving God's people, whom he loves. The word we must keep is the Gospel, that God is glorified where Christ saves sinners. Christ saved you on the cross, when he entered into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Christ saves you in your Baptism, where he joins you to his death and resurrection. Christ saves you when he feeds you his very body and blood given and shed for you on the cross in the Lord's Supper. This is the word we must keep, cherish, trust, and hold more precious than life itself.  

If you do not keep God's Word then you are not of God. You don't know God. Many claim to know God, even to have a personal relationship with God. But you cannot have a personal relationship with God, you cannot truly know God unless you know Jesus Christ through his word. Unless you know Jesus as your Savior, who paid for all your sins on the cross and freely forgives you all your sins, you will not know God the Father.  

How can you love God if you do not listen to his words? Have you ever had a friend, who never listened to you? Was he a good friend? Do you think he really knew you well? How can you know God if you do not listen to him? How can you love God, while hating his Son? You can't. You can't know or love God if you don't listen to his words. You cannot know God if you do not receive Jesus in faith as your Savior, who died for you and gives himself to you freely through word and Sacrament.  

And so we must be like Abraham. We must see the day of the Lord when we hear the preaching of the Gospel. We must rejoice in Christ's day when we remember our Baptism and when we receive the Lord's Supper, knowing that these are the fruits of the cross by which we truly learn to know our God. We must be glad to hear the word of the cross, knowing that by keeping this word at all times we will not see the second death.  

Jesus' opponents asked him how he could have seen Abraham when removed by centuries. Jesus responded, "Before Abraham was, I AM." When God spoke to Moses through the burning bush sending him to lead his people Israel, Moses asked him, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:13-14) Here Jesus makes the awesome claim to be God himself. Jesus is. He exists forever. When he says he knows the Father, he knows him from eternity. Jesus spoke the promise to Abraham of his own blessed birth from his lineage. This means that this Lamb of God, who died on the cross for your sins is not only a man. He is your God. Yet, he owns his human nature. The blood shed on the cross is God's blood. It truly irradicates your sin. It most certainly removes death from you. And so the divine body and blood you receive in the Supper is the medicine of immortality. Keep this word of Christ. Believe it. Own it as your own. And you will know God. And you will never see death into eternity. 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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