Category: Trinity 26

As Much as You Did to the Least of These My Brothers

11/16/2022

Second to Last Sunday of the Church Year
Matthew 25:31-46
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
November 13, 2022

The Gospel lesson appointed for the second to last Sunday in the Church Year focuses on the final judgment, which everyone should contemplate with great sobriety. Although many scoff and doubt that Christ will ever return and judge the living and the dead, this is a fact that Scripture repeatedly states. Christ Jesus will return and judge all nations. Some will go to hell to eternal punishment. Others will go to heaven to enjoy eternal life. Those who get distracted by the things of this world and ignore this teaching are in grave danger to be unprepared and sentenced to eternal punishment at Christ’s return.

What is interesting about Jesus’ lesson in Matthew 25, when all nations will stand before him and be separated to His left and right, is that it appears that this final judgment is based on their works. He tells the righteous that they will inherit the kingdom because they showed Him mercy, while He tells the cursed that they will go to hell, because they showed no mercy. And because it is always man’s desire to erase faith and the saving work of Jesus Christ and to promote the works of men, many modern scholars claim that Jesus here teaches that people will be saved and inherit eternal life if they will only show love and mercy to others. In other words, you don’t need faith or Jesus, you just need to do good works and you will be saved.

However, this teaching must be rejected. Scripture clearly teaches that sinners are justified and saved apart from their own works by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, who has made satisfaction for their sins on the cross (Romans 3:23-28; Ephesians 2:8-9). St. Matthew records that Jesus would save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21; 20:28). Even in this lesson, Jesus teaches that the kingdom was prepared for the blessed before the foundation of the earth, which excludes any of their works. Jesus is not teaching that a person is saved by his works. Rather, Jesus teaches that a saved person produces beautiful fruit. He is pointing out the fruit of those who have been granted saving faith.

The fruit, which will give evidence of saving faith on the Last Day is showing mercy to one of the least of Jesus’ brothers. An important question is, “Who are the least of these Jesus’ brothers?” Those who claim that people will be saved regardless of their faith, if they show mercy to others, argue that the least of Jesus’ brothers are anyone who are downtrodden or suffering. And while it is true that Christians should love their neighbors as themselves, even love their enemies, and that some by being kind to strangers have even entertained angels unaware, Jesus never calls unbelievers His brothers. Rather, even when His biological   mother and brothers came to fetch Him, He asked the crowd, “Who are my mother and who are my brothers?” and then stretching His hand toward His disciples He said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50).

So, the least of Jesus’ brothers are Jesus’ disciples. Later in Matthew’s Gospel, after His resurrection Jesus tells Mary Magdalene, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee.” (Matthew 28:10) And later, when the eleven disciples meet Jesus in Galilee, Jesus tells them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) So, here, Jesus tells His brothers to go out to all nations, making disciples of them by baptizing them and preaching the Gospel to them and here at the final Judgment, Jesus will have all nations gathered before Him (the nations to whom He sent His brothers to make disciples), and He will say to those on His right, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” And to those on His left, He will say, “As you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”

If you give food, water, or clothes to one of Jesus’ brothers when he is hungry, thirsty, or naked, you have given to Jesus. If you visit and care for one of Jesus’ brothers when he is sick or in prison, then you have cared for Jesus Himself. If you welcome a stranger, because he is Jesus’ brother, then you welcome Jesus. This is exactly what Jesus said to His disciples when He sent them out to preach the first time, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. … And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:40, 42)

The least of Jesus’ brothers are His Apostles and disciples who proclaim the Gospel. Those who receive one of Jesus’ disciples, because he proclaims Jesus’ Gospel receives Jesus’ Himself. Whoever offers him a cup of cold water, gives a cup of water to Jesus Himself. By doing so, they show that they accept the Gospel that Jesus’ disciples preach.

This lesson from Jesus does not teach that we are saved on account of our works, rather Jesus points out the obvious good work that all His Christians will do. They will receive those who bring the Gospel to them. And it is important for both the hearer and for the preacher to recognize that the least of Jesus’ brothers are those who preach the Gospel.

It is important for the hearers, so that they know that salvation comes through hearing the Gospel and the Gospel comes through men preaching it. St. Paul articulates this in Romans 10, “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (vss. 14-17) If you want to be saved, you must have faith in Christ. If you want faith in Christ, then you must hear the Gospel preached. If you are to hear the Gospel preached, you must have someone preach it to you. To despise the preacher and the preaching is to despise Christ Jesus and His Gospel.

Second, it is important for hearers to recognize the least of Jesus’ brothers as those who preach the Gospel, so that they will support the preaching of the Gospel. When Jesus first sent His disciples out to preach, He said, “Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.” (Matthew 10:9-10) Yet, he adds, “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” (Matthew 10:14-15) Jesus is not teaching that preachers should sell the Gospel, but rather that hearers should support the preaching of the Gospel so that preachers can focus on preaching and teaching. This is the way that God has designed for people to hear the saving Gospel. This also gives Christians the opportunity to separate themselves from their idols and prove what they truly find valuable. St. Paul explains it in Galatians 6, “One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows that will he also reap.” (vs. 6)

So, when hearers recognize that they receive Christ when they receive His preachers, they value the Gospel as their greatest treasure on earth and produce good fruits to the glory and expansion of God’s kingdom.

It is important for preachers to recognize that they are the least of Jesus’ brothers, first, so that they remember that Jesus is with them. A preacher should not fear to proclaim the truth, because Jesus is always with His preaching. Jesus will grant success to His preaching by the power of the Holy Spirit. And a preacher should not fear to be rejected, because it is not him they are rejecting, but Christ who sent him.

Secondly, a preacher should recognize that he is the least of Jesus’ brothers so that he always preaches the Gospel and never his own opinions. People do not listen to a preacher to hear his own thoughts. And Jesus has not sent them to represent themselves. A preacher is only good if he faithfully proclaims the Gospel that Jesus has sent him to preach. A congregation does not need a pastor’s personality. Pastors should be interchangeable. It is not them the people need, but Jesus. And the people most certainly need Jesus. St. Paul instructs Timothy to persist in paying close attention to the teaching, for by so doing he will save both himself and his hearers. The Gospel of Jesus which a preacher preaches saves souls. The preacher must never forget that.

Thirdly, a preacher must recognize that he is the least of Jesus’ brothers, so that he knows what he must be willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus doesn’t call them the least for nothing. They are the least, because the world hates them. Nearly every one of Jesus’ apostles was killed for preaching Christ. Throughout the history of the church, Christian preachers have been starved, imprisoned, exiled, and killed. And throughout church history, Christian preachers have had to depend on the charity of Christ’s flock to care for them in need. For a man to take up the task to preach the Gospel, he must be willing to go hungry, thirsty, naked, get sick, go to prison, and be a stranger for the sake of the Gospel. Christ will provide His remnant to care for His brothers in need.

This Gospel lesson demonstrates the difference between those who believe the Gospel and those who do not believe the Gospel. Those who do not believe the Gospel ignore Christ’s preachers. They do not value the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And they do not value those who preach it. And some even oppose the message with violence, reviling, imprisoning, and even killing those who preach it. Yet, those who believe the Gospel rejoice in it. They value it as their most precious treasure. They support those who preach the Gospel to them and share in their burdens. They support missionaries to proclaim the Gospel abroad. They believe Jesus’ words that when they receive those sent in His name, they receive Jesus Himself.

Those who believe the Gospel store up treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20). Christ Jesus has purchased their salvation by His innocent suffering and death for their sins and His glorious resurrection, which proves that God is forever at peace with them. This means that sinners, who otherwise would be damned to hell, have certainty of eternal salvation delivered to them in words and received in the heart. On the Day of Judgment, Jesus will point out the obvious fruit, which proves that they have received this Gospel in faith. And they will inherit the kingdom, which God has prepared for them from before the foundation of the earth. And there, they will live forever. Amen.

0 Comments

The Lord Harvests His Fruit

11/17/2020

0 Comments

Viktor Vasnetsov, Last Judgment, 1904, Public Domain

Second to Last Sunday of the Church Year (Trinity 26)
Matthew 25:31-46
November 15, 2020

“From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.” This is what we confess. Jesus Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. The idea of a final judgment is laughed at by most. Not that people don’t believe that we will be judged. A common refrain is that history will judge us if we do not cast off our old Christian values and accept the new morality. What they mean by history judging us is that our children and grandchildren after being indoctrinated will look back on us disapprovingly for not believing as they do. But that is not the judgment we should fear, but rather God’s judgment. God’s judgment is real. And Jesus Christ, our God and Lord has authority to judge the living and the dead.
Yet, by what merits will we be judged? How will we be judged righteous and enter into eternal life? Jesus tells us in his lesson. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, “inherit the kingdom” prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” This is all grace, that is, God’s undeserved love for us. Come, you who are blessed! God blesses us by grace apart from our works. He does this by forgiving our sins and clothing us with Christ’s righteousness. “Inherit the kingdom.” An inheritance is a gift passed on from a father to his children. Moreover, he says this kingdom was, “prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Think of that! From the foundation of the world, before you were born, before you had done anything good or bad, God prepared a kingdom for you. That is what grace is. It is a gift of God, not of works. You inherit the kingdom by grace.
This is exactly what St. Paul says in the Spirit in Ephesians chapter 1, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ... In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.” So here, Scripture states that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that he adopted us as sons through Christ, and that we are redeemed through the forgiving blood of Jesus. So, before the foundation of the world, before God said, “Let there be light” he chose us in Christ Jesus, he planned our full salvation to forgive our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and to make us his children through faith in Christ, so that we might inherit our Father’s kingdom. This is grace!
Yet, to those on his left the King says, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Notice that the king does not say “prepared for you.” The kingdom of heaven is prepared for us as an inheritance from the foundation of the world. But the eternal fire was not prepared for mankind. It was prepared to punish the devil and his angels. Scripture says, that God “desires all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) No one can blame God for his own unbelief and damnation. Those who are damned can only blame themselves. While those who are saved can only give credit to God. Why some are saved and others are not is a mystery that God has not revealed to us. What God has revealed to us is that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from our works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Yet, the large chunk of our Gospel lesson does not speak simply of grace, but of the wonderful works of mercy that the sheep on the right have done for their Lord. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to me.” These are indeed marvelous works, which God will praise for all eternity. Yet, they are not the works which save us. Rather, they are the fruits of saving faith. It is as Scripture says in Ephesians 2:10, after saying that we are saved by grace through faith apart from our works, declares, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” These works are real. They are fruits of faith. And Christ Jesus will reveal them on the Last Day.
It is much like that parable which Jesus tells in Matthew 13, where the master plants good seed in his field, but an enemy comes by night and plants bad seed. The master tells his servants to wait until the harvest to separate the bad darnel from the good wheat, lest they pull up the wheat with the weeds. The darnel looks like wheat at first, but when the ear appears the distinction between the wheat and the weeds becomes obvious. At the harvest, the laborers bind up the darnel and burn it and the gather the wheat into barns. The wheat is good, because it came from good seed. But it is its fruit which reveals itself.
But there is another detail you must notice. The sheep on the right are ignorant of their good works! “When did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” That we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them is an article of faith. We believe it, even when we do not see it.
This is kind of like how we confess that we believe in one, holy, Christian, and Apostolic Church. We believe that there is one united Church, the body of Christ, because Scripture clearly tells us there is. Yet, there are many who operate under the assumption that we must be able to see that the Church is united in order for it to be united. So, the Roman Catholic Church has historically claimed to be the one holy Christian Church on earth and has solidified this unity by submission under the Pope. Yet, the Roman Catholic Church is not truly united, but has factions and divisions throughout it. Of course, the greatest scandal of the Roman Church is that it denies that a sinner is justified by grace through faith alone apart from his works and rather teaches that one is justified by faith and works.
The Protestant Church has operated similarly. Although there are many factions among the Protestants, there has been a continued effort to unite the Protestants under one Protestant Church. But to do this, they insisted that Protestants compromise what they believe on important issues such as election, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Absolution. So, instead of building a Church on the teachings of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus being the Corner Stone, they built a visible church with a unity that depends on not listening to what the Apostles and Jesus actually say.
And so, it is for those who try to see here and now these works that Jesus will praise on the Last Day. They try to earn God’s praise with their own works that they can see and tabulate, so when Christ says to them that they did not feed him or clothe him or visit him, they are shocked and say, “When did we see you in need and not minister to you?” They tried to see what you ought to believe in through faith. Just as we do not see the one, holy, Christian and Apostolic Church on earth with our eyes, but rather a divided church filled with scandal, yet we believe that Christ’s Church is nevertheless united and holy and can be found where Christ’s Word is purely taught and his Sacraments are rightly administered. So also, we don’t see our works with the spender that Christ does. They seem insignificant and imperfect. Yet, we believe that they are pleasing to God for Christ’s sake.
Christ tells the sheep, “As much as you have done it to the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.” With these words, Jesus identifies himself with every Christian and with his ministers. Jesus tells his disciples that whoever receives them receives him and that whoever gives one of his disciples a cup of cold water, he will by no means lose his reward. Jesus intends for Christians to show mercy to one another and to look after their needs. When you see your fellow Christian hungry, feed him; thirsty, give him something to drink. Jesus also indicates that Christians will suffer for being Christians. They may be naked or in prison. So, we should keep watch to see if our brothers and sisters are suffering persecution for the faith and defend them and support them in any way we can.
Christians also serve Christ by serving Christ’s ministers. St. Paul writes, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and “The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:17-18) So when Christians support the preaching of the word by taking care of their pastors, Christ says that they are caring for Him.
“As you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me,” says Jesus to those on the left. It is true that without faith it is impossible to please God. So, even if the world finds something to be the most spectacular and noblest work, God is not pleased with it if it is not done in faith. So, all the works these goats would present to Christ are worthless in his sight. Yet, it’s not just that they didn’t do these works in faith. These unbelievers didn’t do them at all. Why? Because they separated themselves from the body of Christ. If you do not have fellowship with the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters, then you will not be showing mercy to them. Jesus’ words are an indictment against those who separate themselves from his Church on earth by neglecting the preaching of his Word, receiving the Sacraments, and showing love to Christ’s sheep. If Christ is going to be your Savior, he must be your brother. And if Christ is your brother, then you must be a brother or sister to his brethren as well.
Judgment Day is real. Jesus will judge and some will go to heaven and some will go to hell. How do you know whether you will go to heaven or hell? Through faith in Jesus. You are saved by grace as a gift through faith in Jesus and not by your works. Yet, works always follow faith. Those who love Christ gather to hear his word and they love their brothers and sisters in Christ. And as much as they do for their fellow sheep, they do for their dear Lord Jesus, who has rescued them from all sin, from death, and hell. Dear brothers and sister in Christ, let us love one another and in so doing show love to Christ. Amen.

0 Comments

Second to Last Sunday: Saved to Love

11/26/2018

0 Comments

Matthew 25:31-46
November 18, 2018

All three of our Bible lessons today make it clear that there will be a final judgment when, as we confess regularly in the creed, Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. This will be a terrible moment for those, who will be condemned to eternal punishment. Yet, it will be a wonderful day for those, who will inherit the kingdom. And so, it is of the utmost importance that we know how we will enter into eternal life.
We, of course, know that sinners are justified by faith apart from works of the law. That means that God finds you innocent of all sins when you have faith in Jesus Christ, who paid your debt of sin on the cross. You will not be found righteous before God by your own works but only through faith in Jesus Christ.
To what end though? Yes, Christ Jesus has freed us from eternal punishment. That’s certainly a relief. We can look forward to enjoying eternal life in God’s kingdom. But for what? What has God saved us to do? Now that we are saved, then what? Many tragically believe that since we are saved apart from our works, we are free to sin as much as we want. St. Paul laments that people accuse him of teaching that we should do evil that good may come. (Rom. 3:8) This is an evil teaching. God did not rescue us from sin and death, so that we could indulge in the same sinful behavior for which we were condemned. What a strange and cruel god that would be, who rescues some from hell, so that they can enjoy eternally the sins for which others will be punished eternally! No, Jesus died on the cross not only to rescue you from the results of your sin: death and condemnation, but from your sin itself. So, to what end did God rescue you from hell? Our Lord’s lesson on the final judgment today answers this question.
In our Gospel lesson, where Christ will separate the sheep from the goats and pass judgment on them, he doesn’t make any mention of faith. Nor does he speak about what his blood has done to wash away their sins. In fact, he doesn’t even speak of forgiveness. Rather, he says to those, who are to enter eternal life, “I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and in prison and you visited me.” And he rebukes the condemned for doing none of these deeds. The Gospel lesson is so void of the discussion of faith that many say that it teaches that we are saved by our works. Some even have a theory that while some are saved by faith in Jesus, others, who do not believe in Jesus can still be saved if they do good works of mercy.
Yet, this again is false. There is only one way to heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ, as our Lord himself says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) And Jesus does not teach a different way of salvation in our Gospel lesson today. While he commends the righteous for good works, he tells them to inherit a kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. You don’t work for an inheritance. And if the kingdom was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, then it certainly wasn’t prepared on account of their good works. Jesus teaches here salvation by grace alone. But this isn’t the main focus of this Gospel lesson. Rather, the main focus is the answer to our question. To what end does God save by grace? The answer: so that we might love now and forever.
Jesus commends the righteous for their acts of mercy toward him; providing food, water, clothing, shelter, and friendship in need. When asked when they did these works (for the righteous had no recollection of doing any of these things for Jesus), Jesus answered, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” And who are the least of these Jesus’ brothers? They are your fellow Christians. Jesus says, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” This is why you were saved, so that having been freed from the clutches of sin, you would love and do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)
Scripture states, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:13-14) Christ did not set you free so that you could become a slave to sin. Christ set you free, so that you would love your neighbor even as Christ loves you. This is why after receiving Christ’s true body and blood in the Sacrament, we pray that by it, God would strengthen our faith toward him and fervent love toward one another.
Christ identifies himself with his Christians. When you do an act of mercy to a fellow Christian, you are showing love to Christ, personally. This is how closely Christ has united himself to us. That is also why when Saul, whom we know better as St. Paul, was busy persecuting the Christians of the early Church, Jesus said to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me.” When you show hatred toward a fellow Christian, you show hatred toward Christ himself. Yet, when you show love and compassion toward a fellow Christian, you show love to Jesus personally.
This lesson does not mention faith explicitly, but it certainly implies faith. Who are those, who show such mercy to Christians, but fellow Christians? Jesus says in Matthew 10:42, “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Christians show love to other Christians, because they love them. They recognize Christ in their fellow Christian. Who are they, who support the preaching of the word with their tithes and offerings, support Lutheran Schools and missionaries around the world; who sacrifice their time for the sake of the Church of Christ? It is those, who believe the Gospel. Jesus does not mention faith explicitly, but he does explicitly mention the most obvious fruit of the Christian faith: love toward Christians.
A bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree bears good fruit. You must make a tree good before it can bear good fruit. Christ makes you good by washing away your sins in his blood. You receive this forgiveness of sins through faith and so through faith you become a good tree. The fruit produced by a good tree, that is through an heir of the kingdom, is love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law both by loving God perfectly with his whole heart, soul, and mind, and loving his neighbor as himself. And he fulfilled the justice demanded by the law by being punished in our place. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. And now, through faith in him+, the law is fulfilled in us. St. Paul writes in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” To be saved by faith means to be saved apart from your works, by grace. Yet, faith in Jesus Christ does not leave you the same person. Faith changes you. Faith makes you a good tree that bears abundant fruit.
Yes, we know that we still sin. We don’t perfectly love as we ought. Although, God has changed us to be good trees, the old bad tree still produces rotten fruit. This is a struggle of which St. Paul writes again in Galatians 5, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
It is your faith in Jesus which drives you to fight against your sinful desires. It is faith that causes you to love. And while you will not love perfectly in this life, you don’t despair on account of that. Your sins are forgiven. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Don’t look at your works to see whether are good enough to get to heaven. Rather, trust in Jesus alone. Notice how the righteous weren’t even aware of the acts of kindness Jesus attributed to them. But God was aware. These works were despised by the world, but sanctified by the Holy Spirit. And done by his good trees, these works are precious in the sight of God.
Although we won’t ever reach perfection in this life, we strive to love now, because that is what God has called us to do for eternity. By doing acts of mercy you behave like a little christ. Christ Jesus saw us sick and in prison, and he not only visited us, but he put on our prison clothes and was punished in our stead. He clothes us with his own righteousness as he baptizes us in his name, giving us his own name. He feeds us with heavenly food and even gives us his own blood to drink, satisfying our thirsty souls. This not only opens the kingdom of heaven to us, this makes us true citizens of that kingdom, in fact children of the heavenly Father. This work of Christ is what produces these works in us. And these are only a foreshadow of the works of love that we will do for one another and for our God and Savior Jesus in eternity. Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us love one another now and be confident that we will love one another in eternity. Amen.

0 Comments

Final Judgment: Love Christ, Love His Church

11/20/2017

0 Comments

Trinity 26 (Second to Last Sunday)
Matthew 25:31-46

November 19, 2017

On the Last Day the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne and before him all nations will be gathered. And he will separate the people as a shepherd separates sheep and goats. The sheep on his right will enter eternal life. The goats on the left, however, will go away into eternal punishment.

People don't like to think of a final judgment. And oddly enough, many who even believe in heaven don't believe that there is a hell. I'm sure many people come to this opinion by their own wishful thinking, yet even those who claim to be leaders in the church make the same claim! Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Elizabeth Eaton was recently asked in an interview for the Chicago Sun, "Is there a hell?" She answered, "There may be, but I think it's empty."1

Of course, she's wrong. Jesus is right. Jesus tells us clearly that just as there is a heaven, where the righteous will enjoy eternal life, there is a hell, where the cursed will go to be punished eternally. So, for anyone who fears God, life's greatest question is, "How will I be judged righteous, so that I will go into eternal life and not into eternal punishment?"

Scripture clearly answers this question. You are declared righteous by God through faith in Jesus Christ, not by your works. The Holy Spirit caused St. Paul to write, "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.'" (Romans 4:4-8)

You are declared righteous, because you are forgiven for Christ's sake. For the sake of Jesus' suffering and death all your sins are forgiven. That means that on Judgment Day none of your sins will remain to accuse you, as the Psalmist says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12) You don't earn this forgiveness and righteousness through your works, rather it is given to you as a gift through faith alone, as Romans 3:28 states, "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."

And our Gospel lesson agrees with this teaching. The King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." This kingdom where the righteous will enjoy eternal life was prepared for them from the foundation of the world! In other words, before the righteous could do any righteous deeds, God had chosen them as heirs, blessed them, and prepared a kingdom for them. This is exactly what St. Paul says to the Ephesians in chapter 1, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." (vss. 3-4)

Nevertheless, our Lord Jesus chooses in this lesson on the final judgment to extol good works. The righteous will be praised for their good works. While these works don't earn your salvation, they were prepared beforehand for you to do, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10) What are these good works, prepared beforehand by God himself, which will be praised by Christ as he sits on his glorious throne? They are works of love. Giving food to the hungry and water to the thirsty. Clothing the naked, visiting those in prison and aiding the sick and lonely. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It's actually pretty simple.

Of course, even non-Christians can do these things. Why then are they not rewarded? A good tree bears good fruit. The fruit of the Christian is good, because the Christian has been washed in the blood of Jesus and received the Holy Spirit through faith. So, even when your works seem insignificant, God counts them as precious, because one of his little children has done them. The works of the unbelievers are not praised by God, because they are produced by bad trees. Scripture states, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) Without faith your works will all stand together, the good with the bad. Every so-called good deed you do will be judged by your sinful motive and along with your evil thoughts and desires. Yet through faith in Jesus, God makes your works holy. Your sins have been erased and God glories in the works Christ has done through you.

And to whom do we do these works of love? Now, we are certainly commanded to do good to everyone, even our enemies. Scripture states, "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink." (Proverbs 25:21) Yet, Jesus says to the righteous, "As you did to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Who are the least of these his brothers? They are your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus wants you to find him in your fellow Christian. He says the same thing in Matthew 18, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me..." (vs. 5) And in Matthew 10 Jesus says, "Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." (vs. 42)

Christ dwells in each of his Christians. So, he wants each of his Christians to love the other. Our Lord says in John 13, "A new command I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (vss. 34-35) If you hate one of your fellow Christians, you hate someone Christ loves. Even more, if you hate one of your fellow Christians, you hate Christ.

It is common for people to say that they love Jesus. It is less common for people to love Christ's Church. People refuse to go to church, because they don't like the people there. Or they show complete disinterest in the people of God. All the while they claim to love Jesus.

What would you husbands do if a guy went up to you and said, "Hey man, I think you're really cool, but your wife is a real so-and-so." Would you have beers and chum around with him? If you did you'd be a total loser and a bad husband. Christ is not a bad husband to his bride. He loves his Church. And if you are going to love Christ, you have to love his Church.

And this is why the King will bring out these works and extols them as the finest works ever done. He extols them as one would a bountiful harvest from his grove of fine trees. These works show love to Christ. We all want to serve Christ. If you don't want to serve Christ, then you aren't a Christian. Well, how do you serve Christ? He's in heaven. We're down here. Jesus tells us to love one another. When you receive your brother and sister in Christ you receive Christ himself.

And through these marvelous works, God does great things both in this life and in the life to come. Just look at the incredible welfare provided to the poor and needy by Christians: orphanages, hospitals, schools, charities and relief programs. Yes, Christians will help even unbelievers, but they have especially taken care of their own. And this glorifies God.

And who builds churches and funds missionaries? Do unbelievers pay for men to preach the gospel, baptize and visit the sick and distressed? No, Christians, who love Christ and his Church do. God worked through Christians to fund missions, build churches, translate Bibles and other Christian books. And we today are the benefit of these acts of love. We have a church building built and paid for by the tithes of those, who came before us. We benefit, even in eternity, by the sweat and blood and sacrifice of Christians, who went before us, who loved Christ's Church and wanted future generations to learn of Jesus. And how many of you here today benefited from a father and mother, who were determined to teach you about Jesus, to bring you to church, to pray with you; who received you in Jesus' name?

Do you love Christ's Church? Do you love your fellow Christian? Do you care if he's hungry or thirsty, whether he needs clothes or just a friend to talk to, or a someone who will pray for him? Do you care about the salvation of your neighbor? Do you teach your children about Jesus? Do you support the preaching of the Gospel, so that future generations can have the inheritance you have in heaven?

My father-in-law was given a t-shirt as a joke, with the sentence on the front, which says, "Jesus is coming. Look busy." But that's not what the message of Jesus is for you today. You can't just look busy for Jesus; give a bunch of money to the church, donate your clothes to charity or give to Swaddling Clothes. That would be like taping apples onto an ash tree. No, to produce good fruit you need to be a good tree. To love Christ's Church, you first need to have faith in Christ.

You'll notice that when Christ credits the righteous for their selfless works of love toward him, the sheep replied, "Lord, when did we see you in need and minister to you?" They were ignorant of their good works. They didn't remember them. That's because they weren't keeping tabs of their own good works. They weren't just keeping busy in hope that Christ would consider them righteous. They loved, because God loved them. (1 John 4:19)

The Christian is rich in good works, but the Christian doesn't trust in good works. He trusts in Christ. St. Paul after listing off his myriad of good works proclaims, "But whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends of faith." (Philippians 3:7-9)

God finds value in your good works. You find value in Christ. If your good works are lacking, focus on Christ. It is through faith in Christ that Christ works in you and through you. And for those who trust in Christ, their good works will not go unrewarded by God. You have certainty that you will inherit the kingdom of heaven by having certainty in Christ, who died for you. Everyone whose has faith in the forgiveness of sins through Christ will be called blessed by our Father in heaven. Amen.

0 Comments

Second Last Sunday (Trinity 26) God Rewards His Saints

11/14/2016

0 Comments

Matthew 25:31-46

The end is near! Jesus is coming! Yes, it's true. I'm not making a joke about the Cubs winning the World Series or the end of a contentious presidential election. Jesus teaches us in our Gospel lesson that he will come in glory with all his angels and will judge all nations. Some will be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, while others will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. So, this begs an important question: "Am I saved by works or by grace through faith?"
Some teach that salvation is by works. They even cite Scripture. Jesus says in John 5, "For an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." (vss 28-29) And yet, St. Paul writes, "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." (Eph. 2:8-9) and "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law." (Romans 3:28) and "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16). And St. Peter proclaimed, "But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 15:11)
Does Scripture contradict itself? Certainly not. You are not saved by your works. You are declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This is the teaching of the Bible. And this is the teaching of our Gospel Lesson.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'" (34-35) At first glance it seems those on the right are saved based on their works of mercy, but that is not the case.
The King says, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father." The word for bless used here is where we get the word eulogy. It literally means to speak well of. God the Father speaks well of them. What does this mean? The Father has declared them righteous. He has forgiven their sins for the sake of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. And this righteousness, this forgiveness is received through faith  alone apart from works.
These blessed ones will inherit a kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. You don't earn an inheritance. It's given to you. Furthermore, you don't earn an inheritance prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Rather, this gift of an eternal kingdom was prepared for you long before you could choose to do evil or good, before you were ever born. It is a pure gift by grace. Heaven is prepared for God's chosen people, who have been given saving faith in Jesus Christ.
And yet, our Lord says that he will list these great works of mercy done to their credit. Yet, these works are not what earned them their spot in heaven. Rather, these are the fruits that proved their faith was alive.
Good works necessarily follow faith. True, saving faith produces good works. After St. Paul writes that we are saved by grace through faith so that no one may boast he writes, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10) And St. James presents works as the proof of his saving faith when he writes, "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18) Good works glorify God. They are not simply an accidental result to faith, but the natural result of the Holy Spirit enlivening a person previously dead in sin, as St. Paul writes to the Philippians, "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (2:13)
Good works do not save you. They are the fruit produced by your faith in Christ. Not only do good works not save, but it is impossible to do a good work that is pleasing to God unless you first have saving faith. The author to the Hebrews writes, "And without faith it is impossible to please [God]." (Hebrews 11:6). It is impossible to save yourself by your works, because your works are not pleasing to God until you already have saving faith in Jesus Christ, who alone takes away sins and grants eternal life to all who turn to him.
So, why does Jesus speak of these works, if these works do not save? It's because these works so closely accompany saving faith. If you have saving faith, you are reborn by the Holy Spirit. You are no longer a slave of sin, in bondage to the lusts of your flesh, but you desire to do the will of God. It is impossible to have saving faith and not desire to do good works. If you don't desire to do God's will, you don't have saving faith. This is the same lesson St. James makes, "Faith without works is dead." So Jesus describes the life of the one who has faith in Jesus.
St. John too makes this point, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." (1 John 4:20-21) If you claim that you love God, while hating your brother, then you don't really love God. Likewise, if you claim to have faith in Christ, yet you hate your brother and don't seek to show mercy as Christ showed mercy to you, then your faith is false.
Are you living your faith? Does your lifestyle show fruits of your faith in Christ? This message of the final judgment certainly has a great deal of Law. Have you practiced the love God has commanded of you? Christians love to say that they love Jesus, but Jesus says, "as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." So Jesus places himself in your fellow Christian. If you want to show your love to Christ, show love to your fellow brother and sister in Christ. Many envy the woman, who showed her love to Jesus by washing his feet with her tears. How they would love to wash Jesus' feet, yet they miss the opportunities to show love to Christ in their neighbors all around them. If you notice that such works of love are lacking in your life, reevaluate your faith, what Christ has done for you, how he died for you, forgives you, and continually loves you.
Judgment Day will be a surprise for both those on the right and on the left. For those on the left, because they will be met with eternal condemnation. Although they thought their works were beautiful in God's eye, they lacked faith. And without faith, their works were not pleasing to God. This Gospel lesson intends to warn and bring terror to those secure in their sin. St. Peter warns against such a cavalier attitude, "Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.'" Yet Peter assures us, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief..."  Christ's judgment will come suddenly. There will be no time to prepare.  And those who have resisted God's grace and forgiveness and mocked Christ's coming will have an unpleasant surprise.
We too will be surprised. But not for the same reason! Not in terror. This Gospel Lesson is intended to give us comfort. We will be surprised, because we do not know the day or the hour. But also we will be surprised by how God considers our works.
The righteous will answer Jesus, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you" And Christ will answer, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
You and I will not be surprised that we are saved and welcomed into the kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world. That will not be a surprise to any Christian. You know you are saved today, because Jesus Christ died for your sins. Your salvation does not depend on anything you have done, but on Christ's fulfilling the Law and his sacrificial death. You are assured of your salvation every time the pastor says, "In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins..." You are confident of your eternal kingdom every time you eat and drink Christ's body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins, life, and salvation.
God does not want you to be in doubt of your own salvation. He wants you to have assurance that he has a won for you an inheritance with the precious blood of Jesus. And everytime you receive the means of grace, God reassures you of your salvation.
You will be surprised, because Jesus will credit you with such marvelous works as serving him! "When did I see you and do these things for you?," you will ask. When you showed mercy to your fellow Christian. Christ identifies himself in the Christian. Faith in Christ isn't simply drab knowledge of Jesus. It is a relationship, and bond stronger than marriage. Christ lives in you and you in him. So when you show mercy to a fellow Christian, you show mercy to Christ himself.
The Christian is surprised at this acknowledgment on the Last Day, because Christians don't look at their works. They look to Jesus for the assurance of their salvation. Yet in faith they forgive, love, and give. In chapter ten of this Gospel Jesus says, "“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. … And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matt. 10:40, 42) To receive one of these little ones is to receive the Gospel. Christians take comfort in Christ's forgiveness. Everything else is extra. And you will be surprised by the extra. Those who received the Gospel from one of Jesus' little ones respond with love. Whether that is supporting the local congregation or mission, through which God provides his saving word for generations to come, or simply showing love and patience to your fellow Christian. God cherishes these works. They're forgotten by you. They're unnoticed by the world. But they are cherished by your Savior.
Judgment Day should not be scary for you Christians. You already know the outcome. You are saved. Christ Jesus died for your sins. Do not focus on your works, but on Christ Jesus. And may Christ work in you and through you to do marvelous works.
Amen.

0 Comments

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

As Much as You Did to the Least of These My Brothers

The Lord Harvests His Fruit

Second to Last Sunday: Saved to Love

Final Judgment: Love Christ, Love His Church

Second Last Sunday (Trinity 26) God Rewards His Saints

Rev. James Preus

Archives

Categories

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

As Much as You Did to the Least of These My Brothers

The Lord Harvests His Fruit

Second to Last Sunday: Saved to Love

Final Judgment: Love Christ, Love His Church

﻿Second Last Sunday (Trinity 26) God Rewards His Saints

Rev. James Preus

Archives

Categories

Second Last Sunday (Trinity 26) God Rewards His Saints