Received and Delivered

The apostle, Paul, writes: "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you…" 1 Corinthians 11:23–32

This is the life of the Christian—what has been received and delivered from God. We participate in that life by the grace of Go...d, according to the will of the Father. But never forget that the command of Jesus to love one another as He has loved us is fulfilled only in and by Him. It is the benefit of Jesus’ work that we receive and deliver by the work of the Holy Spirit in His holy Christian Church. It is not our will, but the Father’s will accomplished by His Son, and proceeding through the Holy Spirit.

We simply cannot deliver what we have not first received—whether that is life or love. And that is why God gathers us here tonight, to receive the love He commands us to deliver to one another.

To hear and/or read the entire sermon preached for Maundy Thursday, "Received and Delivered," click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=3756

+ Graphic design by Rev. John Frasier, Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Louisville, KY.

When Jesus Was Glorified

 

Martin Luther writes: "The Jews were not saved through the Old Testament, for it was not given to them to make them pious; it was given to foreshadow for them the Christ who was to come." -- Luther's Works, AE 30:19, The Catholic Epistles, 1 Peter 1:10-12

Neither do we observe the penitential season of Lent and celebrate the days of Holy Week, or any of the other holy days during the church year, (or even Sundays as the Lord’s Day) with all the associated colors and customs to make us pious, i.e., holy.

It’s not the days, or the colors, or the customs, or anything that we *do.* There is only one way to be made pious, i.e. holy and worthy to live in the presence of God now and forever. That is to be made one with Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God—the fulfillment of all Scripture, the Messiah of God, and "your king [who] is coming to you; righteous and having salvation."

To hear and/or read the entire sermon preached for Palmarum, "When Jesus Was Glorified," click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=3747

Jesus Hid Himself

Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:56-59

Ever since God called man out of hiding in the Garden of Eden, He has been hiding Himself from man and for man.

Adam and Eve went into hiding out of shame and fear. God calls them out of hiding to show His mercy and forgiveness and reveal... His plan of Salvation. Then He hides Himself from them, banishing them from the Garden lest they eat of the tree of life and be condemned to live forever as sinners who surely die from the heat of His wrath.

The rest of the story, the rest of Scripture, is the story of God’s coming out of hiding.

To hear the entire sermon preached for Judica, "Jesus Hid Himself" click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=3735See More

"Where Are We to Buy Bread?"

Today we see that the kingdom of heaven which Jesus is always bringing to earth and opening up for believers, is about our flesh and blood bodies now, just as well as it is about spiritual things and an eternity that begins sometime after our death. The kingdom of heaven is not some haloed, cloud-hopping karaoke party in the sky—or in the pews.

It is where our Father in heaven gives us our daily bread without fail—for our bodies as well as our souls. It is where God lives and where everything, not just bread, proceeds from the mouth of the Lord and is provided by His Word, and Him made flesh in Jesus.

 

So Jesus answers the question by demonstrating in flesh and blood, that “Where Are We to Buy Bread?” is the wrong question. Ultimately, daily bread—whether for body or soul, flesh or spirit—is from the Lord alone.

To hear the entire sermon preached for Laetare, "Where Are We to Buy Bread?" click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=3731See More

Feeding of the 5000 and the Sacrament of the Altar

The 5000 who were listening to the preaching of Jesus all day grew hungry and faint at the end of the day. Just as Jesus miraculously provided bread and fish to strengthen them for the journey home, so too does our Lord miraculously provide His very body and blood for us in the Sacrament to strengthen us in body and soul for our journey home through this cursed world to Him.

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
LAETARE: FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
THE LARGE CATECHISM
PART V: SACRAM...ENT OD THE ALTAR

22] … Christ asks me to eat and drink, so that this treasure may be my own and may benefit me as a sure pledge and token. In fact, it is the very same treasure that is appointed for me against my sins, death, and every disaster.

23] On this account it is indeed called a food of souls, which nourishes and strengthens the new man. For by Baptism we are first born anew (John 3:5). But, as we said before, there still remains the old vicious nature of flesh and blood in mankind. There are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes also stumble (Hebrews 12:3).

24] Therefore, the Sacrament is given as a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself (Psalm 23:1-3) so that it will not fall back in such a battle, but become ever stronger and stronger. 25] The new life must be guided so that it continually increases and progresses. 26] But it must suffer much opposition. For the devil is such a furious enemy. When he sees that we oppose him and attack the old man, and that he cannot topple us over by force, he prowls and moves about on all sides (1 Peter 5:8). He tries every trick and does not stop until he finally wears us out, so that we either renounce our faith or throw up our hands and put up our feet, becoming indifferent or impatient. 27] Now to this purpose the comfort of the Sacrament is given when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too heavy, so that it may gain here new power and refreshment.

Condensed quotations from the Lutheran Confessions from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Lord grant you faith in His grace alone
for your salvation unto eternal life.

[Graphic: Giovanni Lanfranco, "Multiplication of the Loaves"]

Beloved Children and the Kingdom of God

In [Baptism] Jesus both conquers the devil and takes care of God's children who, by imitating Him, join in this work of God’s kingdom.

This new life casts out the old and fills up the new. How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes ...when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.

To hear and/or read the entire sermon preached for Oculi, "Beloved Children and the Kingdom of God," click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=3725

"The Constancy of the Martyrs"

Irenæus wrote: "Wherefore, brethren, we do not commend those who give themselves up [to suffering], seeing the Gospel does not teach us so to do." As we heard, Jesus Himself said to His disciples,"When they persecute you in one town, flee t...o the next,..." [Matthew 10:23a] For martyrdom is not an end of itself. Martyrdom doesn't save anybody. But it is a witness to the Gospel, thus the word, "martyr." It is not called sacrifice, but martyrdom, a witness to the love of God in Christ Jesus who is faithful unto death.

There is, you see, no virtue in pursuing martyrdom. And there is no shame in avoiding it. But if it comes upon us, God will support us and will deliver us, giving us the proper words to speak in that day as well.

To hear the entire sermon, and/or read the sermon outline preached for Reminiscere Wednesday, "The Constancy of the Martyrs," click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=3723