First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

Text: Philippians 4:4–7
Theme: Where is true joy found?
Other Lessons: Zephaniah 3:14–20; Psalm 85; Luke 7:18–35 

(A) In the Name of the Father…Amen. (B) The Epistle reading serves as our sermon text for this morning. (C) Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (D) Memory verse! Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (E) Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray: LSB 357:1 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Venī, venī, Emmānuēl; Captīvum solve Isrāēl, Quī gemit in exiliō Prīvātus Deī Fīliō. Gaudē! Gaudē! Emmānuēl Nāscētur prō tē, Isrāēl. O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Refrain   ref    Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! Amen. (F) For those of you who know Latin, I just read to you the first verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (G) Here we are already in the third week in Advent. (1) What makes this week so different than the others? (a) In the midst of talking about hope, peace, and love, this week we focus on joy. (b) The pink candle: the candle that symbolizes joy. (c) We are a week and a half away from Christmas! (d) This ought to give us great joy! (e) Our readings for today reflect that joy.
Introduction
(A) Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (B) Zephaniah 3:14 (NASB95) 14 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! (C) Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (D) It’s so easy to pretend to be full of joy this time of year.  (1) Just wear the right ugly sweater,  (2) drink a proper amount of eggnog (especially mixed with a little brandy or rum–not that I have any experience with this type of thing!),  (3) and decorate the house with ornaments, lights, and a Christmas tree, while pop-Christmas songs play in the background.  (4) Go to the parties. (5) Watch A Christmas Story. (6) Exchange presents.  (7) Everyone can do it.  (8) Everyone does.  (E) But for many, there’s no real joy in it.  (1) And for some, they are actually at their breaking point: (a) will this be the last Christmas they put on a smile and fake it?  (b) Lord, have mercy! (F) It’s hard to rejoice this time of year for many.  (1) Some have lost a husband or wife.  (2) For others, there’s a son or daughter (a prodigal) who no longer is willing or welcome to come home.  (G) Then there’s those who are lonely, barren, and hopeless, things that run rampant in our broken world.  (1)  It’s very difficult to “rejoice and exult with all your heart.” (H) So we fake it.  (1) We put on a smile. (2) When asked, we say: “I’m fine.” (3) It’s just easier that way.  (4) We don’t want to bother anybody with our burdens. (5) We try to blend in so that no one asks.  (6) The truth is that we really do want to rejoice!  (7) We want our hearts to sing.  (8) We want joy and gladness and the peace that surpasses all understanding.  (9) But when we look at our life: (A) our job,  (B) our family,  (C) even our own mind and heart (D) we find little joy and little song. (I) We ask ourselves: Where is true joy found? (I) Zephaniah locates this joy in the Lord’s promises to His people. But when will this be? (A) How can we, too, rejoice, sing and shout aloud?  (1) How can these Scriptures today be for us?  (2) The prophet Zephaniah locates this joy in the Lord’s promises to His people:  Zephaniah 3:18–20 (NASB95) 18 “I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts— They came from you, O Zion; The reproach of exile is a burden on them.  19 “Behold, I am going to deal at that time With all your oppressors, I will save the lame And gather the outcast, And I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth.  20 “At that time I will bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will give you renown and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” Says the LORD. (B) This is the Lord’s promise.  (1) He will do it.  (2) He will gather us.  (3) He will take away our reproach.  (4) He will deal with our enemies.  (5) He will save us and gather us and change our shame into praise and renown in all the earth.  (6) This gives us hope and sets us on the path toward joy. (C) But when will this be?  (1) When will He gather those of us who mourn for the festival?  (2) When will we no longer suffer reproach?  (3) When will our oppressors be put to shame? (4) When will the lame and outcast be gathered together? (5) When will He bring us in, gather us together, and restore our fortunes before our eyes? (II) John the Baptist leads us to Jesus. Is Jesus the one who will bring these promises to you and me? (A) That was John the Baptizer’s question too.  (1) “Are you the one?  (2) Or shall we look for another?”  (3) Some argue whether John asked this for himself—for his own doubts and struggles and fears—or if he asked for the sake of those that he sent.  (4) Whichever it is, it doesn’t matter much; the answer that is given comforts everyone—John, you, me, and all who would hear this proclamation! (5) John the Baptist leads us to Jesus.  (6) Is Jesus the one who will bring God’s promises to me? (B) Recall what we read in today’s Gospel lesson:  Luke 7:21–23 (NASB95) 21 At that very time [Jesus] cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.  22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.  23 “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” (III) Jesus is indeed the Coming One! Where He is, there the promises are fulfilled and joy can be found. (A) Jesus answered John’s question of who He is and when these things will be by fulfilling the promises before their very eyes.  (B) Jesus is the Coming One.  (1) There is no other.  (2) Where He is, there the promises are fulfilled and joy can be found!  (3) And as He came in the midst of His people, He came to comfort them in their fear and sorrow and shame and sickness.  (4) He came to undo all that saps the joy from us.  (5) He came to take away their sin and ours.  (6) Where Jesus is, there is our joy. (C) Illustration on JOY (from Pastor Ray Pollatz, the pastor who confirmed me): (1) Focus on in this order: (a) Jesus (b) Others (c) Yourself (D) If you’re wondering where you might find joy, especially this time of year, then don’t look to the tinsel or wrapping paper, spiced wine or spiked eggnog.  (1) Look to where Christ is.  (2) That’s the reason Zephaniah tells us to sing aloud and shout, rejoice and exult: Zephaniah 3:15 (NASB95) 15 The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. (E) Paul also locates all of his joy in the presence of Christ when he declares: Philippians 4:4–5 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. (F) And when Jesus sent the men back to John, declaring all that they had seen and heard, joy sprang into John’s prison cell.  (1) It filled his and their worried hearts, and ours too! (2) Wherever Christ and His work: (a) can be heard,  (3) where the promises of healing and restoration ring out: (a) there you’ll find a peace that surpasses all understanding. (G) So it goes for you: (1) you who mourn the loss of loved ones,  (2) you who suffer for the sake of your faith in Christ,  (3) you who pretend to be joyful because you can’t find any within:  (a) Rejoice and be glad, shout and sing aloud!  (b) The Lord is in your midst too!  (c) He’s here among us: (1) here in His church,  (2) here in the Word as it is read and preached,  (3) here in the bread and wine,  (4) here in and among the baptized. (5) Just as He promised He would be! (H) Here He comes:  (1) to take away the judgment against you,  (2) to cast out your fear,  (3) and to strengthen your weak hands and timid hearts.  (4) He comes to you with the promises fulfilled that He made: (a) the forgiveness of sin,  (b) and He gives you: Philippians 4:7 (NASB95) 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (c) He’s here.  Zephaniah 3:15 (NASB95) 15 The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more.
Conclusion
(A) Marathon runners, whether they know it or not, pay homage to the legend of Pheidippides (elsewhere named Philippides, a coincidental name considering our epistle reading for this morning!).  (1) As the story goes, Pheidippides ran all the way from the Battle of Marathon to Athens—roughly twenty-six miles—to proclaim the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 BC.  (2) As soon as he crossed the city’s threshold, he declared, “Rejoice, and we rejoice!”  (3) He then immediately collapsed and died. (B) Though the accounts do vary, the idea beautifully parallels the apostle Paul’s call to rejoice.  (1) Joy, just like peace (shalom), does not come from the ease of life or from temporal goods but from the victory of life over death and deliverance from the enemy that Jesus gives to us. (2) As it was for Pheidippides, so it may also be for us, that joy comes even in the midst of death or on the brink thereof.  (3) We rejoice and are called to keep on rejoicing because the Lord is here as our Savior, defeating a far greater enemy than the ancient Persians. (4) No wonder Paul says: Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (C) This joy is not a joy that is pretend or lasts a moment, but is the eternal joy of the here and now in Christ, who is with you and for you and today is in your midst. now and always. Amen. (D) Let us pray: O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior, Come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen. ref    Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! Amen. The Great “O” Antiphon for December 23 Text: Public domain (E) Philippians 4:7 (NASB95) 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. (F) Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.  All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.  (G) The Lord continue to bless us,  shine His face on us,  be gracious to us,  that He lift His countenance upon us,  and give us His peace.  (H) In the Name of the Father…Amen.

ADVENT 2, DECEMBER 8, 2024
Text: Philippians 1:2–11
Theme: God completes what He starts
Other Lessons: Malachi 3:1–7b; Psalm 66:1–12; Luke 3:1-20

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The text we focus on this morning is the Epistle reading from Philippians 1.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 
D. Memory verse!
Philippians 1:6 (NASB95)6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
E. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 525:1  Crown Him with Many Crowns1    Crown Him with many crowns,    The Lamb upon His throne;Hark how the heav’nly anthem drowns    All music but its own.Awake, my soul, and sing    Of Him who died for thee,And hail Him as thy matchless king    Through all eternity. 
Introduction
A. How many of you have ever started a project that never got finished? 
1. You have the best of intentions to finish what you started, but life ends up happening instead, and you move on to other things—or you vow that you will  finish it someday!  2. Good intentions are just that—intentions, not a job well done. 3. There’s even a certain road you’ve probably heard of that’s paved with them.  4. Thankfully, we have a God who isn’t just about good intentions.B. God Will Complete What He Started.
C. His Word actually accomplishes whatever he sets out to do (Is 55:11). 
1. God spoke, and all of creation and everything in it came into being.  2. That same creative Word is speaking to you today.  3. Our text for this morning, especially verse 6, says:  Philippians 1:6 (NASB95) 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

I. What is that good work Paul says God has begun? A. Paul is convinced, he says, beyond any reasonable doubt, that God had begun something with these Philippian Christians. He calls it a “good work.” 1. He uses similar language in Ephesians:  Ephesians 2:8–10 (NASB95) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. a. Paul calls us God’s “workmanship,” but an even better translation might be that we are God’s “work of art.” b. God is not just the Creator of the world.  1) He is the artist who brought the world into being, an artist par excellence, who loves to create works of art.  2) It is in His very nature to create. c. In Genesis, He pronounced His work of art, the world, “good” or even “beautiful” (LXX: Greek translation of the Old Testament).  1) After He made human beings, God pronounced them “very good”—“very beautiful.” B. Faith itself is a good work that God began in each of us when He gave us his Holy Spirit at our baptism. 1. It is not a good work in the sense of something we do to earn his favor. 2. It is a good work He did in us to make us His children—not adults of God, but his children. a. Children are meant:  1) to be molded,  2) shaped by their parents, who were given the awesome privilege of participating in God’s creative work by bringing children into this world. b. Children also have that innocent trust that whatever their parents are doing for them is for their good.  1) It is the same with our heavenly Father. C. Faith is the good work that God spoke into you at your baptism. 1. The ultimate goal of faith is our salvation. 2. But another goal of faith is those good works the Artist prepared for us to do.  3. Paul says in verse 9 of our text: Philippians 1:9 (NASB95) 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, a. Our work of faith is to love, and this is part of God’s good work too. II. There are forces in our lives and in this world that do not want to see this good work of God completed. A. They want to thwart God’s good intention for you. 1. Those who are in league with Satan are actively praying for the demise not only of Christians but also of their pastors.  2. Rev. Dr. Joel C. Elowsky, pastor and professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, relates the following story of what happened to him:  a. Back when I was in seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, I met an actual practicing witch, who told me that she was praying specifically for the downfall of pastors.  b. I was a bit shocked, not only because I had come face to face with a witch but also because she told me that she was actively praying for my downfall.  c. It was truly a “thanks for sharing” moment!  d. At first, I really was shocked to hear that witch say she was praying against me.   e. Then I thought about it for a minute and replied in turn: “Give it your best shot.”  f. This is the confidence we can have in Christ Jesus. III. Opposition is not going to stop this side of eternity. A. The third-century African bishop Cyprian of the prosperous city of Carthage knew this from firsthand experience.  B. He told his people:  1. “Our warfare is with greed, with immodesty, with anger, with ambition.  2. On top of that, there is our diligent but toilsome wrestling with carnal vices, with the enticements of the world.  3. The mind of man, besieged by—and in every quarter infested with—the onslaughts of the devil, can hardly meet the various points of attack, scarcely resists them. 4. If greed is humbled, lust springs up.  5. If lust is overcome, ambition takes its place. . . .  6. Pride puffs up, drunkenness entices, envy breaks unity, jealousy severs friendships. . . .  7. There are so many persecutions the soul suffers daily, with so many risks is the heart wearied, and yet it delights to abide here long among the devil’s weapons” (adapted from Cyprian, On Mortality 4–5). IV. This kind of opposition can create doubt. A. In the face of such opposition, can God really bring the good work he started in us to completion at the day of Christ Jesus? B. Satan has allies:  1. our sin-soaked culture,  2. our sin-poisoned atmosphere,  3. and our own sinful flesh. C. There are times God’s work in us can be painful as he disciplines us. Proverbs 3:11–12 (NASB95) 11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof,  12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. 1. Have you known anyone who, after having surgery, began physical therapy, and then declared:  a. “If the therapy is going to hurt this badly, I’ll just choose never to “fill in the blank”? 2. Without the therapy: a. the knee replacement will never work as it should, b. the broken bone will never mend like it should,  c. the heart will fail. 3. We may settle for this, as something we put up with, but God will not settle for that with us. V. God’s work in our lives will  be brought to completion at the day of Christ Jesus! A. It is no less than God Himself:  Philippians 2:13 (NASB95) 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 1. He is our Creator, the one who brought us into this world in the first place. a. He is the one who made us, not we ourselves. b. When we get broken spiritually, He knows what’s going on in us. c. Paul’s words assure us that the prayers of those who oppose God and His people are no match for the Creator and Artist of the universe. B. This is the Artist who, to sculpt His work of art, first allowed Himself to be disfigured, defaced, broken to pieces by His own creatures, who were no artists. 1. For us and for our salvation, He took our sins on Himself and put them to death with Him on the cross. 2. But the Creator did not let the pain, suffering, and death His creatures inflicted on Him have the final word. LSB 525:4 Crown Him with Many Crowns 4    Crown Him the Lord of life,     Who triumphed o’er the grave And rose victorious in the strife     For those He came to save. His glories now we sing,     Who died and rose on high, Who died eternal life to bring     And lives that death may die. Text: Public domain C. And then the Artist took to crafting the clay, beginning with a water bath. 1. The old Adam:  a. needs to be put under,  b. needs to be drowned daily with all our sins and evil lusts,  c. so that a new Adam can emerge who is righteous and holy before God. 2. The Artist knows the damage sin can cause: a. He felt it himself.  b. It can be downright painful at times—at least for the old Adam. D. But the Artist’s work of art—His masterpiece!—will be completed! 1. That final day when He comes with all His holy angels, He will have finished what He started—making you His forever. 2. In the meantime, He continues His artist’s touch:  Philippians 1:9 (NASB95) 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, a. He reminds you of your baptism; He forgives your sins at this altar. b. And you, as forgiven sinners, more and more come to see those around you also as the Artist’s workmanship: 1) sinners who are also being sculpted into precious pieces who will share eternity with Him and with us 2) those whom we also love.Conclusion
A. With the help of a generous donor, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, recently installed stained glass windows in its chapel, where previously there had been clear windows to the outside. 
1. These new windows depict the theme of the Te Deum, the hymn of praise to God sung in our liturgy of Matins.  2. The Te Deum depicts all of creation praising God for the salvation He accomplished through His Son’s atoning sacrifice.  3. His kingdom is now opened up to all believers, who in the final window scene appear before Him as He welcomes them into the new Jerusalem descending from above.B. Take a look at the stained glass we have in our sanctuary:
1. Stained glass windows serve as the perfect medium to represent the salvation of God’s people.  2. Each window is made up of broken pieces of glass that on their own might look rather useless and tragic.  3. But when those broken pieces are put together by the hands of the artist, the result is a beautiful work of art that redeems the broken pieces and gives them new meaning in the larger context of the art piece.  4. We truly are God’s work of art, broken pieces and all, for He is putting them, putting us, back together and assembling us into something we could never have imagined.  A. The Master Artist has done this in our baptism into Christ, and we can be sure that He who began such artwork in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).C. This text from Philippians 1 reminds me of a song that came out in the late 1980s by a Christian singer named Steve Green:
He who began a good work in you He who began a good work in you Will be faithful to complete it He’ll be faithful to complete it He who started the work Will be faithful to complete it in you
If the struggle you’re facing Is slowly replacing Your hope with despair Or the process is long And you’re losing your song In the night
You can be sure That the Lord has His hand on you Safe and secure He will never abandon you You are His treasure And He finds His pleasure in you He who began a good work in you He who began a good work in you Will be faithful to complete it He’ll be faithful to complete it He who started the work Will be faithful to complete it in you. 
D. Like the Philippians, we Christians today can look forward to the day of Christ Jesus, not only with hope but also with confidence that He who began this work will bring it to completion on that day. Amen.
E. Let us pray:LSB 525:5  Crown Him with Many Crowns5    Crown Him the Lord of heav’n,    Enthroned in worlds above,Crown Him the king to whom is giv’n    The wondrous name of Love.Crown Him with many crowns    As thrones before Him fall;Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns,    For He is king of all.Text: Public domain
F. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,    and the love of God,    and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. 
G. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. 
1. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.  2. The Lord continue to bless us,  3. shine His face on us,  4. be gracious to us,  5. that He lift His countenance upon us,  6. and give us His peace. H. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Text: Luke 17:11–19
Theme: From giving thanks to being generous 

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen. B. The Gospel lesson serves as our sermon text for this evening. C. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. D. Memory verse! Luke 17:19 (NASB95) 19 And [Jesus] said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” E. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray: Psalm 100:1–5 (NASB95) 1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.  2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.  3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.  5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.Introduction
A. As we ponder on the sermon text from Luke 17, picture yourself as one of Jesus’ disciples who was making this journey with Him.  1. You are traveling to Jerusalem by way of Samaria and Galilee… 2. Here your story begins. B. If you had told me three years ago that I would one day become a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, I would have laughed at you; I would have said you were out of your mind.   1. But there I was, journeying with him and the others along the border between Galilee and Samaria.  2. I remember that time like it was yesterday. C. Jesus didn’t seem to mind traveling near Samaria.  1. That was unusual to us.  2. Most Jews steered clear of the Samaritans.  3. We looked down our noses at them.  4. Looking back on everything that’s happened since, I sure wish I hadn’t done that. I. These lepers whom Jesus sent away to the priests—was He refusing to heal them? A. Well, anyway, we were heading toward Jerusalem, and I was ready for a rest.  1. Finally, we came upon this little village where I thought we wouldn’t be noticed so we could relax for a little while.  2. I was frankly a little tired of all the commotion we caused everywhere we went.  3. Jesus sure could draw a crowd!  4. On this trip, no sooner had we walked into the village than the saddest gaggle of men you ever saw—standing off at a distance—lifted up their voices and shouted, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” B. You could tell right away they were lepers—ten of them—their hair hanging loose, bodies wrapped in tattered cloths.  1. They knew that the Torah commanded them to keep their distance, and when those without leprosy would draw near to them, the lepers were commanded to shout, “Unclean, unclean.” C. But on that day, they weren’t shouting, “Unclean!”  1. They were shouting, “Jesus, have mercy on us!” D. I thought to myself, “Do they really know who Jesus is, or have they just heard He can heal people, and that’s all they care about—getting healed?”  1. But as I look back at that time, I realize now that I didn’t yet know who Jesus really was either… E. I was a little surprised at what happened next.  1. Jesus just called back to them: a. “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” F. What? Wait a minute! That’s it? I thought,  1. “Is Jesus refusing to heal them?” 2. “I know He’s tired too, but I don’t remember Him rejecting people who wanted healing, even when He was tired.” II. No, He healed them all, and off they went to give a thank offering to God. A. What happened to those guys?  1. It turns out that on the way to the priests, they were healed, every last one of them.  2. Their skin, which had been flaky and as white as snow, was now smooth as a baby’s bottom.  3. They no longer had to live outside the city limits but could rejoin their families.  4. They could actually kiss their wives again and hug their kids. 5. Maybe they hadn’t done that for a long time.  6. I can’t imagine what that must have been like.  7. They could wear regular clothes again and never again have to yell out, “Unclean!”  8. No longer were they society’s rejects. B. Jesus healed them, and then He sent them off to show the priests so that they could make a sacrifice—a thank offering to God.  1. That was appropriate.  2. They obeyed Jesus’ command.  3. I probably would have done the very same thing.  4. I would have obeyed the Healer and gone right to the priests, like He said to. III. What happened next? Well, all but one—a Samaritan!—who came back and praised Jesus as God! A. Actually, I’m getting a little ahead of myself. How did I know they were all healed?  1. Well, one of the ten didn’t make it all the way to the priests just yet.  2. He turned back.  3. We all saw him coming.  4. You really couldn’t miss him.  5. He was shouting at the top of his lungs, praising God, and he didn’t care who noticed.  6. He was jumping up and down, running around; it was quite a sight!  7. The next thing I knew, the man was flat on his face, right in front of Jesus’ feet. B. “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Master! Thank you, Jesus!” he just kept saying over and over.  1. You want to know the most shocking thing about it?  2. I can’t believe I’m saying this: he was one of those Samaritans. 3. Jesus even pointed it out when He said:    Luke 17:17–18 (NASB95) 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?  18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 4. The word that Jesus used:  a. “foreigner,”  b. That is the word that’s written in the law of the Jerusalem temple forbidding anyone but Jews to enter.  c. Being a foreigner wasn’t a little thing to us back then. C. But did you notice something else Jesus said?  1. In that one sentence, in a passing, subtle way, Jesus called himself God.  Luke 17:18 (NASB95) 18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 2. The other nine, who were Jews, obeyed Jesus and went off to the priests to offer up their sacrifices.  3. But this one, this Samaritan, believed and trusted that this Jesus was truly God—God in the flesh, living among the people, preaching to everyone and healing everyone, even Samaritans.  4. This one leper, now healed, got it!  5. Jesus was God. IV. Only later, when Jesus rose, from the dead,  did I get that these healings were a result of Him dying to remove our sin. A. As I said, looking back, I realize I hadn’t gotten it yet by then myself.  1. If I had, I wouldn’t have thought all was lost with what happened not long after—what happened during a week that came at the end of that same trip, when we finally reached Jerusalem.  2. That week I’ll never forget as long as I live. B. When we first got to Jerusalem, it was like we were in a parade, and Jesus was the grand marshal!  1. People were waving palm branches, shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!”  2. They were laying their coats down for Jesus to walk on. 3. Kind of like the red carpet at the Academy Awards, you know?  4. But by the end of that week, Friday, He was hanging—on that nasty Roman cross.  a. beaten,  b. bloodied, c. blistered… C. Only after that did we finally know what His healing those lepers was really about.  1. Friday became Sunday, and Jesus came back to life.  2. We saw him! We testify to what we saw! 3. That’s how we know, once and for all, that He is God.  4. And here is the thing:  a. Since Jesus is God, and since He died for us, all our sins are taken away;  b. as God, He was certainly a great enough sacrifice to pay for all of us—for everyone who ever lived or will live, for that Samaritan leper, and even for the other nine who didn’t turn back to thank him.  c. For me.  d. For you.  e. And it’s only because those sins are taken away that anybody gets healed, miraculously or just in the plain old everyday way.  f. Because sin separates us from God, and if our sin was still in the way, we wouldn’t get anything from Him but punishment in hell.  g. Healing those lepers was already a result of what Jesus was about to do that last week.  h. Healing the lepers happened because of Jesus’ dying on the cross! V. So in all circumstances, we ought to thank Jesus for every blessing His cross has earned for us, even the little ones. A. So that Samaritan leper going back to thank Jesus was going back to the source of his healing.  1. He returned to the Source.  2. Where the other nine still obeyed their Healer and went to worship at the temple, they didn’t acknowledge Jesus, God in the flesh, and His cross as the source of their blessing. 3. They missed the opportunity to go back to the Source to thank Him.  4. They were thankful, I’m sure, but they missed the opportunity to be thankful to the crucified Jesus. B. I know I’ve done the same thing as those nine lepers; I’ve forgotten I have Jesus on the cross to thank for all my blessings.  1. Sometimes I’ve taken Him and the blessings He gives for granted.  2. You’ve missed chances to thank Him too, haven’t you?  3. Oh, we remember to thank Him at Thanksgiving.  4. There’s a national holiday to help us remember to be thankful for the blessings we have received.  5. But the holiday doesn’t get us to His cross. C. We ought to thank Jesus every day for every blessing His cross earned, even the little ones: 1. before and after a meal,  2. at bedtime,  3. in the morning,  4. when the kids or grandkids come over for a visit.  5. We thank Him for the good times,  6. What about the bad times?  a. Do we even thank Him during those times? Why not? b. Because He rose to be with us always, Jesus turns those bad moments into something good.  c. Yes, we even thank God even when life is difficult. D. My good friend Paul wrote a couple letters to our brothers and sisters in Thessalonica.  1. In his first letter, he wrote this:  1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NASB95) 16 Rejoice always;  17 pray without ceasing;  18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. E. Knowing what Paul has gone through, when he says to give thanks in all circumstances, trust me, he means the good and the bad.  1. When I was a young boy and very sick, my mom would give me something to help me feel better. 2. Then she would say: a. “Remember to thank God, even now.”  b. At the time, I thought that was odd, but she knew what God said through Paul about giving thanks in all circumstances.  c. And, remember, don’t just be generally thankful. d. Be thankful to Jesus. VI. In the end, Jesus told the Samaritan—and He tells you and me—“Your faith has saved you.” A. I still have not told you the end of that story about the one leper yet.  1. While he was still face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet,  Luke 17:19 (NASB95) 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith [in Me] has made you well.” 2. That’s what Jesus tells you today too.  a. “I have healed you.  b. That disease called sin that kept you from a relationship with Me is gone.  c. It is removed from you as far as the east is from the west.  d. I’ve given you faith in Me, and your faith has saved you.”
Conclusion
A. Faith: 1. faith that Christ died for you,  2. faith that Christ rose for you.  3. With the healed leper, we praise God and say,  I. “Thank You, Master! Thank You, Jesus!”  B. What can we learn from the leper who came back to Jesus, thanking God for what He had done?  1. Something we have lost in the culture in which we live: a. When someone does something good, something that is worthy of thanks and praise, we say “thank you.” 2. The life we live is not just to be one of thanksgiving (one day out of the year), but living a life of thanks (throughout the year). 3. Put some gratitude in your attitude! 4. Amen! C. Let us pray: Spirit of grace and of prayer that proceeds from the Father and the Son, grant us Your power, and intercede for us with sighings which cannot be uttered, that in spirit and in truth we may give thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ for His love and truth. Anoint us with the oil of gladness to walk before our God in a holy conversation, and to run the way of His Commandments. Amen. D. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)    The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,     and the love of God,     and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.  E. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.  1. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.  2. The Lord continue to bless us,  3. shine His face on us,  4. be gracious to us,  5. that He lift His countenance upon us,  6. and give us His peace.  F. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Text: Luke 17:11–19
Theme: From giving thanks to being generous 

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen. B. The Gospel lesson serves as our sermon text for this evening. C. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. D. Memory verse! Luke 17:19 (NASB95) 19 And [Jesus] said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” E. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray: Psalm 100:1–5 (NASB95) 1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.  2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.  3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.  5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.Introduction
A. As we ponder on the sermon text from Luke 17, picture yourself as one of Jesus’ disciples who was making this journey with Him.  1. You are traveling to Jerusalem by way of Samaria and Galilee… 2. Here your story begins. B. If you had told me three years ago that I would one day become a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, I would have laughed at you; I would have said you were out of your mind.   1. But there I was, journeying with him and the others along the border between Galilee and Samaria.  2. I remember that time like it was yesterday. C. Jesus didn’t seem to mind traveling near Samaria.  1. That was unusual to us.  2. Most Jews steered clear of the Samaritans.  3. We looked down our noses at them.  4. Looking back on everything that’s happened since, I sure wish I hadn’t done that. I. These lepers whom Jesus sent away to the priests—was He refusing to heal them? A. Well, anyway, we were heading toward Jerusalem, and I was ready for a rest.  1. Finally, we came upon this little village where I thought we wouldn’t be noticed so we could relax for a little while.  2. I was frankly a little tired of all the commotion we caused everywhere we went.  3. Jesus sure could draw a crowd!  4. On this trip, no sooner had we walked into the village than the saddest gaggle of men you ever saw—standing off at a distance—lifted up their voices and shouted, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” B. You could tell right away they were lepers—ten of them—their hair hanging loose, bodies wrapped in tattered cloths.  1. They knew that the Torah commanded them to keep their distance, and when those without leprosy would draw near to them, the lepers were commanded to shout, “Unclean, unclean.” C. But on that day, they weren’t shouting, “Unclean!”  1. They were shouting, “Jesus, have mercy on us!” D. I thought to myself, “Do they really know who Jesus is, or have they just heard He can heal people, and that’s all they care about—getting healed?”  1. But as I look back at that time, I realize now that I didn’t yet know who Jesus really was either… E. I was a little surprised at what happened next.  1. Jesus just called back to them: a. “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” F. What? Wait a minute! That’s it? I thought,  1. “Is Jesus refusing to heal them?” 2. “I know He’s tired too, but I don’t remember Him rejecting people who wanted healing, even when He was tired.” II. No, He healed them all, and off they went to give a thank offering to God. A. What happened to those guys?  1. It turns out that on the way to the priests, they were healed, every last one of them.  2. Their skin, which had been flaky and as white as snow, was now smooth as a baby’s bottom.  3. They no longer had to live outside the city limits but could rejoin their families.  4. They could actually kiss their wives again and hug their kids. 5. Maybe they hadn’t done that for a long time.  6. I can’t imagine what that must have been like.  7. They could wear regular clothes again and never again have to yell out, “Unclean!”  8. No longer were they society’s rejects. B. Jesus healed them, and then He sent them off to show the priests so that they could make a sacrifice—a thank offering to God.  1. That was appropriate.  2. They obeyed Jesus’ command.  3. I probably would have done the very same thing.  4. I would have obeyed the Healer and gone right to the priests, like He said to. III. What happened next? Well, all but one—a Samaritan!—who came back and praised Jesus as God! A. Actually, I’m getting a little ahead of myself. How did I know they were all healed?  1. Well, one of the ten didn’t make it all the way to the priests just yet.  2. He turned back.  3. We all saw him coming.  4. You really couldn’t miss him.  5. He was shouting at the top of his lungs, praising God, and he didn’t care who noticed.  6. He was jumping up and down, running around; it was quite a sight!  7. The next thing I knew, the man was flat on his face, right in front of Jesus’ feet. B. “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Master! Thank you, Jesus!” he just kept saying over and over.  1. You want to know the most shocking thing about it?  2. I can’t believe I’m saying this: he was one of those Samaritans. 3. Jesus even pointed it out when He said:    Luke 17:17–18 (NASB95) 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?  18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 4. The word that Jesus used:  a. “foreigner,”  b. That is the word that’s written in the law of the Jerusalem temple forbidding anyone but Jews to enter.  c. Being a foreigner wasn’t a little thing to us back then. C. But did you notice something else Jesus said?  1. In that one sentence, in a passing, subtle way, Jesus called himself God.  Luke 17:18 (NASB95) 18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 2. The other nine, who were Jews, obeyed Jesus and went off to the priests to offer up their sacrifices.  3. But this one, this Samaritan, believed and trusted that this Jesus was truly God—God in the flesh, living among the people, preaching to everyone and healing everyone, even Samaritans.  4. This one leper, now healed, got it!  5. Jesus was God. IV. Only later, when Jesus rose, from the dead,  did I get that these healings were a result of Him dying to remove our sin. A. As I said, looking back, I realize I hadn’t gotten it yet by then myself.  1. If I had, I wouldn’t have thought all was lost with what happened not long after—what happened during a week that came at the end of that same trip, when we finally reached Jerusalem.  2. That week I’ll never forget as long as I live. B. When we first got to Jerusalem, it was like we were in a parade, and Jesus was the grand marshal!  1. People were waving palm branches, shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!”  2. They were laying their coats down for Jesus to walk on. 3. Kind of like the red carpet at the Academy Awards, you know?  4. But by the end of that week, Friday, He was hanging—on that nasty Roman cross.  a. beaten,  b. bloodied, c. blistered… C. Only after that did we finally know what His healing those lepers was really about.  1. Friday became Sunday, and Jesus came back to life.  2. We saw him! We testify to what we saw! 3. That’s how we know, once and for all, that He is God.  4. And here is the thing:  a. Since Jesus is God, and since He died for us, all our sins are taken away;  b. as God, He was certainly a great enough sacrifice to pay for all of us—for everyone who ever lived or will live, for that Samaritan leper, and even for the other nine who didn’t turn back to thank him.  c. For me.  d. For you.  e. And it’s only because those sins are taken away that anybody gets healed, miraculously or just in the plain old everyday way.  f. Because sin separates us from God, and if our sin was still in the way, we wouldn’t get anything from Him but punishment in hell.  g. Healing those lepers was already a result of what Jesus was about to do that last week.  h. Healing the lepers happened because of Jesus’ dying on the cross! V. So in all circumstances, we ought to thank Jesus for every blessing His cross has earned for us, even the little ones. A. So that Samaritan leper going back to thank Jesus was going back to the source of his healing.  1. He returned to the Source.  2. Where the other nine still obeyed their Healer and went to worship at the temple, they didn’t acknowledge Jesus, God in the flesh, and His cross as the source of their blessing. 3. They missed the opportunity to go back to the Source to thank Him.  4. They were thankful, I’m sure, but they missed the opportunity to be thankful to the crucified Jesus. B. I know I’ve done the same thing as those nine lepers; I’ve forgotten I have Jesus on the cross to thank for all my blessings.  1. Sometimes I’ve taken Him and the blessings He gives for granted.  2. You’ve missed chances to thank Him too, haven’t you?  3. Oh, we remember to thank Him at Thanksgiving.  4. There’s a national holiday to help us remember to be thankful for the blessings we have received.  5. But the holiday doesn’t get us to His cross. C. We ought to thank Jesus every day for every blessing His cross earned, even the little ones: 1. before and after a meal,  2. at bedtime,  3. in the morning,  4. when the kids or grandkids come over for a visit.  5. We thank Him for the good times,  6. What about the bad times?  a. Do we even thank Him during those times? Why not? b. Because He rose to be with us always, Jesus turns those bad moments into something good.  c. Yes, we even thank God even when life is difficult. D. My good friend Paul wrote a couple letters to our brothers and sisters in Thessalonica.  1. In his first letter, he wrote this:  1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NASB95) 16 Rejoice always;  17 pray without ceasing;  18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. E. Knowing what Paul has gone through, when he says to give thanks in all circumstances, trust me, he means the good and the bad.  1. When I was a young boy and very sick, my mom would give me something to help me feel better. 2. Then she would say: a. “Remember to thank God, even now.”  b. At the time, I thought that was odd, but she knew what God said through Paul about giving thanks in all circumstances.  c. And, remember, don’t just be generally thankful. d. Be thankful to Jesus. VI. In the end, Jesus told the Samaritan—and He tells you and me—“Your faith has saved you.” A. I still have not told you the end of that story about the one leper yet.  1. While he was still face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet,  Luke 17:19 (NASB95) 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith [in Me] has made you well.” 2. That’s what Jesus tells you today too.  a. “I have healed you.  b. That disease called sin that kept you from a relationship with Me is gone.  c. It is removed from you as far as the east is from the west.  d. I’ve given you faith in Me, and your faith has saved you.”
Conclusion
A. Faith: 1. faith that Christ died for you,  2. faith that Christ rose for you.  3. With the healed leper, we praise God and say,  I. “Thank You, Master! Thank You, Jesus!”  B. What can we learn from the leper who came back to Jesus, thanking God for what He had done?  1. Something we have lost in the culture in which we live: a. When someone does something good, something that is worthy of thanks and praise, we say “thank you.” 2. The life we live is not just to be one of thanksgiving (one day out of the year), but living a life of thanks (throughout the year). 3. Put some gratitude in your attitude! 4. Amen! C. Let us pray: Spirit of grace and of prayer that proceeds from the Father and the Son, grant us Your power, and intercede for us with sighings which cannot be uttered, that in spirit and in truth we may give thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ for His love and truth. Anoint us with the oil of gladness to walk before our God in a holy conversation, and to run the way of His Commandments. Amen. D. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)    The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,     and the love of God,     and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.  E. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.  1. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.  2. The Lord continue to bless us,  3. shine His face on us,  4. be gracious to us,  5. that He lift His countenance upon us,  6. and give us His peace.  F. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Sermon for 11.24.24
Text: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Theme: The clash of the kingdoms

In the Name of the Father…Amen.

The first reading serves as our sermon text for this morning.

Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 512 At the Name of Jesus1 At the name of Jesus     Ev’ry knee shall bow, Ev’ry tongue confess Him     King of glory now. ’Tis the Father’s pleasure     We should call Him Lord, Who from the beginning     Was the mighty Word.

Memory verse!
Daniel 7:14 (NASB95)“And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.”

Introduction
The late Queen of Canada, better known to much of the world as Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland—the Queen of England—Elizabeth II, was admired by almost everyone. 
After seventy years on the throne and a truly regal manner for all those years, she’d earned it. 
Now her son, Charles III, carries on, still king of fifteen countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Meanwhile, the United States hasn’t had royalty since throwing off King George III now almost 250 years ago. But a fascination for royalty surely persists here in the United States.Witness the popularity of the series on Netflix called The Crown. Part of our fascination with royalty may have been the personal appeal of Princess Diana. But even decades after her tragic death, nearly twenty-three million watched the marriage of her son, Prince William, to Kate Middleton on  television. And even Charles’s coronation, despite his being far less photogenic than his first wife, was viewed by ten million here in the U.S.  In Canada, in England, and to some extent here in the United States and in the world, the image of a king or a queen remains a powerful symbol.
Today, this Last Sunday of the Church Year, we observe Christ the King Sunday, and this is where our attraction for all things royal and kingly should focus, forChrist’s Kingdom Supersedes All Human Kingdoms.
I. The kingdoms of the world certainly  have their power.Daniel has envisioned four beasts representing four powerful earthly kingdoms to come in the days ahead.1. The beast like a lion with eagle’s wings represents Babylon (7:1–4). 2. The beast like a bear represents Persia (7:5). The beast like a four-headed leopard with wings represents Greece (7:6). The terrifying ten-horned beast represents Rome (7:7–8). “The strongest of the strong!”“Pax Romana” (the peace of Rome)
B. The “kingdoms” of our world today aren’t all nations  and armies, but they’re powerful in their own ways.Yes, there’s the former British Empire—now just a loose  Commonwealth—and Russia and China.
The United States isn’t a kingdom, but . . .
a. The government controls so many aspects of our lives:restricting free speech (especially when it comes to religion),  spending our tax money for abortions, the war in Ukraine, housing illegal alienscampaigning for anti-Christian values.b. Corporate America rules our thinking (what’s stylish and therefore desirable)  and livelihoods (and therefore our time commitments).c. Hollywood, the sports world,  and the media are kingdoms unto themselves and  powerful, or so they think!
II. But Daniel sees a glorious kingdom coming from out of  this world: the messianic kingdom (vv 9–10, 13–14).This kingdom is ushered in by the King of kings.
Clothing as white as snow stands for purity.
2. Fire stands for judgment and the presence of God.
B. There can be no doubt this “one like a son of man” is the Son  of God (v 13).The “Ancient of Days,” God the Father, gives him the kingdom (v 13).
All nations worship him.
Jesus Himself would use the term “Son of Man” for Himself far more than any other title—even during his trial  Mark 14:61–62 (NASB95)61 But [Jesus] kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”

C. All dominion has been given to the Son of  ManBoth worldly kingdoms and the kingdom of God are derived from God’s authority.
2. But there are huge differences between these kingdoms:Human authority covers some territory, but God’s authority is universal(v 14a).Human authority is time limited, but God’s kingdom is eternal (v 14b).Human authority will be taken away, but God’s authority will not (v 14c). III. The clash of these kingdoms—the worldly versus the  messianic—will ultimately be no contest.The ultimate clash was decided on the cross.
The prince of this world, Satan, brought his most powerful weapon to bear: death.
But the messianic King triumphed over death.
Satan was powerless to hold the “one like a son of man,” Jesus.
B. Now the reign of Christ the King will be evident to all at His  second coming.“All peoples, nations, and languages” shall most certainly serve him (v 13).
That will include not only those who believed and will receive Him with joy, but also those who denied or ignored or fought against Him to the death and will then be forced to bow the knee before Him (Rev 1:7; Phil 2:10–11).Philippians 2:10–11 (NASB95)10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.People will either confess Him to be Lord of their lives now on earth and receive eternal life in heaven or they will confess Him as Lord in hell.  His dominion “shall not pass away,” and his kingdom “shall not be destroyed” (v 14).
C.  Society often rejects the transcendent values of the kingdom  of God.People today think it is “better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven” (John Milton, Paradise Lost)1. But we must remain committed to the principle that we must  obey  God rather than man (Acts 5:29).2.  We will struggle within each of our human kingdoms (Jn  16:33), but God assures us that He is with us (Mt 28:20) in the  person of Jesus His Son.
ConclusionUnder whatever kingdoms we live, and whichever “kingdoms” influence us, this is always our assurance: the King of kings and the Lord of Lords rules over all things, always for our good. (Romans 8:28)

Even the liturgy at the coronation of Charles III got it right!Just before he placed the crown on Charles’s head, the archbishop prayed: “King of kings and Lord of lords, bless, we beseech thee, this Crown, and so sanctify thy servant Charles upon whose head this day thou dost place it for a sign of royal majesty, that he may be crowned with thy gracious favour and filled with abundant grace and all princely virtues; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, supreme over all things, one God, world without end” (The Church of England, The Coronation of King Charles III, May 2023, https://www.royal
.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2023-05/23-24132%20Coronation%20Liturgy_05%20May_0.pdf). Amen.
Let us pray:LSB 512 At the Name of Jesus
7 Glory then to Jesus,     Who, the Prince of light, To a world in darkness     Brought the gift of sight; Praise to God the Father;     In the Spirit’s love Praise we all together     Him who reigns above.Text: Public domain

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)
   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,    and the love of God,    and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. 
Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed. 

The Lord continue to bless us, shine His face on us, be gracious to us, that He lift His countenance upon us, and give us His peace. 

In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Sermon for 11.10.24
Text: Hebrews 9:24-28
Theme: Once and for all

In the Name of the Father…Amen.
The reading from Hebrews serves as our sermon text for this morning.
Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:LSB 563:1-2 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousnessMy beauty are, my glorious dress;Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,With joy shall I lift up my head.
Bold shall I stand in that great day,Cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay;Fully absolved through these I amFrom sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
Memory verse!
Hebrews 9:28 (NASB95) So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Introduction 
§ The saying “hanging by a thread” might have been a way of describing some of the early Christians living in Rome:  v they were weary,  v worn down,  v discouraged,  v and disheartened from the public persecution and shame they were experiencing firsthand for confessing the name of Jesus. 
§ Life:  v in this fallen world,   v under the suffering of the cross,  v it has a way of making us war weary,  v of wearing us thin,  v a source of discouragement,  v makes us sick and tired of being “sick and tired” v and cause us to be so disheartened so that we at times feel as though we are “hanging by a thread.”
§ To such a people then and now, the letter to the Hebrew Christians is a “word of encouragement” (see 13:22).  v The author of Hebrews has plenty of encouragement for us today as he bids us to think and reflect on the all-sufficient sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, who stands before the heavenly Father even now as our great High Priest. 
§ He tells us that because: Christ’s “Once and for All” Sacrifice Is the Complete and Definitive Work for Our Salvation,
v we may have the certainty, comfort, encouragement, boldness, and confident hope.  v By that final work of atonement, we live today and tomorrow in Christ and wait eagerly for His return.
I.    Christ’s atoning work gives us certainty that our sins are forgiven before God. Verses 24-26 A. There are many forces inside and outside of us that would cause us to question and doubt our standing be-fore God and his forgiveness in Christ. 1. How often do you wonder if the work of Christ is for others, but not for you? A. Thoughts of lust. B. Words of anger C. Deeds full of revenge 2. How often does the old Adam, that hardened unbeliever in each one of us, cause us to doubt God’s love in Christ? A. How about every single day! 2. How often does the evil one deceive us into believing that God cannot and should not and will not even consider forgiving someone like us? A.     How about every single day!B. The author makes it crystal clear that Christ’s death is the all-sufficient sacrifice for “the sins of many” (v 28), including yours and mine! 1. All sacrifices of the old covenant were temporary and designed to foreshadow something greater. A. They served as pictures of what was to come.2.    These sacrifices and offerings find their fulfillment, end, and goal in Christ’s decisive “once and for all” sacrifice (v 26; cf v 28).
A. Christ’s death is the single payment for all sin, transgression, and iniquity,  that is —total and complete forgiveness of every sin! B. David says in Psalm 32: Psalm 32:1–2 (NASB95) 1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!  2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! C. Unlike the high priest who offered sacrifices: 1.  yearly,  2. habitually,  3. repeatedly,  4. and frequently,  5. Christ offered himself “once” and for all and His death secures an “eternal redemption” (9:12). 6. Upon His ascension to “the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3), He sat down because His work was and is complete (10:12)! 7. All is complete! Nothing else needs to be done, ever!  8. As our Lord proclaimed while on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30)!
3. Sin was not overlooked, ignored, or swept under a rug; rather, it was dealt with decisively and sufficiently, and it was removed completely. a. The verb “put away” (v 26) is very strong and can be translated “the annulment.”  b. That is, the debt of your sin has been paid in full and no longer exists. 1. Dr. John Kleinig says it this way:  “The picture here is that sin incurs a debt with God and so results in a state of indebtedness. So, just as God canceled the debts of the Israelites on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) and released them from their indebtedness in the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25:8–55), so Jesus canceled the debt of sin before God by his death in order to provide release for sinners from their consequent indebtedness with his blood” (Kleinig, 462). Furthermore, “The author implies that Jesus did not just overlook sin but actually removed it; he took it up on himself (ἀναφέρω, 9:28) to take it off (cf ἀφαιρέω, 10:4) and take it away from sinners (cf περιαιρέω, 10:11)” (Kleinig, 448–49).C.     Christ bore your sin, my sin: 1.     He took it upon Himself in order to take it off of you and take it  away forever (v 28; 10:4, 11–12).
Transition
A. Not only do we have certainty that our sins are forgiven in Christ, but we have the comfort that Christ’s blood cleanses the whole of us from every impurity.
II.    Christ’s blood cleanses comforts our consciences and sanctifies body and soul. Verses 25-26 
A. Our heavenly Father wants us, His beloved children in Christ, to have a good and clean conscience. 1. Sin, however, gives us that “smell”  that does not go away.
2. The evil one wants to keep it that way.  A. He wants us to have a guilty conscience, a bad conscience, so that we question our standing before God. 3. This is why Christ entered God’s presence, not with the blood of any animal but with His very own.
B. The author of Hebrews tells us that Christ appeared to deliver “the good things” of God (9:11). This includes the cleansing power of His blood to “purify” our conscience and deliver to us a good and clean conscience (9:14; 10:22).
1.“Blood functions on the boundary between the clean and unclean, the holy and profane.  A. When lost through violent death, blood defiles, yet when offered through sacrifice, blood cleanses: ‘It is the blood that makes atonement’ (Lev 17:11).  B. To all appearance blood stains whatever it touches, yet Hebrews understands that [Christ’s] blood can be used to bring cleansing, sanctification, and forgiveness (9:13–14, 22), to inaugurate covenants (9:20; 10:29), and to provide access to God (9:7, 12, 25)” (Koester, 414–15).2. Jesus’ blood can cleanse our consciences as no other can because He is superior to all others.
A. His blood has the power to cleanse even the foulest of sins and the conscience that is unrelenting. B. He sprinkles His blood over your sin, over your conscience (9:14), and on your heart (10:22) to make and keep you holy—His blood and the Spirit: 1. Calls 2. Gathers 3. Enlightens 4. Sanctifies C. His blood not only cleanses you but also releases you from the sins committed against you: sins of thought, word, and deed.3. This is what Jesus desires to do for you again today at his table as he gives his blood for you in his Holy Supper (9:13–14).
Transition: Forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus,
III.    Christ is our eternal High Priest! Therefore we have courage and boldness to approach the Lord. Verse 24 A. At his exaltation, Christ entered not an earthly temple made with hands but the heavenly holy presence of God, to present His blood not only to cleanse and sanctify sinners but also to provide them with complete unrestricted access to God’s presence (Kleinig, 427).
1. As He did frequently in His ministry and taught His disciples to do likewise, Jesus gives us the gift of prayer—not because of any merit or worthiness in us, but because of His.
2. Since Jesus is our great High Priest, we have confidence and boldness to approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace in our time of need (4:14–16; cf 10:19–22). 3. The invitation is both wide and broad: cast “all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7). 4. The promise is sure and certain: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (Jn 14:13).B. Not only does Jesus give us complete access to the heavenly Father, but he also lives now and forever as our great High Priest to make intercession for his brothers and sisters (7:23–25).
1. We are not left to ourselves in our prayers. Jesus is with us every step, carrying us along (see John Kleinig, Grace upon Grace: Spirituality for Today [St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2008], 156–61).
2. When you are too tired to pray, when you fail to pray, Jesus is praying for you! He is always and forever praying for you. a. Right now, Jesus is praying for you and your needs (cf John 17: Jesus’ high priestly prayer). 1. Assurance of eternal life. 2. To keep you away from the evil one. 3. Be sanctified in God’s truth. 4. Remember where true unity and peace is found: in Christ and in Him alone! b. When you are weary and hanging by a thread, Jesus is praying for you.
Transition
§ Since Christ Jesus has entered the presence of God on our behalf and serves as our great High Priest, and since He has already dealt decisively with sin,
IV.    Christ’s coming again in glory gives us hope as we await His return. Verse 28 
A. Christ’s appearance signaled “the end of the ages”: 1. His sacrifice marks the fulfillment of time (v 26).B. Since Christ dealt with sin decisively in His first appearance, the author directs his audience to their great hope in Christ’s second appearance, which will bring final salvation to “those who are eagerly waiting for him” (v 28).
C. Even though Christ will someday return to judge the living and the dead, those who are in Christ Jesus need not fear judgment or condemnation but can wait confidently for their blood-bought inheritance to be received in full.
Conclusion
§ The well-known phrase “all for one and one for all” is the motto of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis from Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Three Musketeers.  a. The three musketeers joined forces to fight as one against power and corruption—“all for one.”  b. And even though they were very different and diverse characters in many ways, their strong spirit of brotherhood led each one of them to defend and fight for the other—“one for all.”
§ In a much greater way, Jesus is the one who is truly “all for one and one for all”!  a. All the sacrifices in the Old Testament find their fulfillment, their goal, their end, in His perfect and definitive “once and for all” sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:26).  b. As Isaiah long foretold, Christ would indeed bear the iniquities and “the sins of many” (9:28), making “intercession for the transgressors” (Is 53:12).  c. Yes, Christ’s “once and for all” sacrifice avails for the many, for all who look to Him, who believe upon Him, and who are “eagerly waiting” for His return (9:28). § Brothers and sisters in Christ, our eternal redemption has been:  a. won,  b. purchased,  c. paid for in full by the perfect blood of Jesus.  d. The work is complete!  1. Our salvation and final rest in Jesus is as sure and certain as the sun setting today and rising tomorrow!  2. Come what may today or tomorrow, you belong to Christ, and your great High Priest will see you through this life till He comes again in glory to bring you and all His saints into the fullness of His eternal inheritance. Amen.
§ Let us pray:LSB 563:6 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness6    Jesus, be endless praise to Thee,Whose boundless mercy hath for me,For me, and all Thy hands have made,An everlasting ransom paid.Text: Public domain
§ 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,    and the love of God,    and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.  
§ Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed. 
§ The Lord continue to bless us, shine His face on us, be gracious to us, that He lift His countenance upon us, and give us His peace. 
§ In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Sermon for 110324
Text: Revelation 7:2-17
Theme: A future that is bright and glorious!

In the Name of the Father…Amen.
The first reading serves as our sermon text for this morning.
Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Memory verse!Revelation 7:12 (NASB95)
12 saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:LSB 907:1-2 God Himself Is PresentGod Himself is present:     Let us now adore Him     And with awe appear before Him. God is in His temple;     All within keep silence;     Humbly kneel in deepest rev’rence. He alone On His throne     Is our God and Savior;     Praise His name forever!
God Himself is present:     Hear the harps resounding;     See the hosts the throne surrounding. “Holy, holy, holy!”     Hear the hymn ascending,     Songs of saints and angels blending. Bow Your ear To us here:     Hear, O Christ, the praises     That Your Church now raises.
IntroductionThe Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen, the current academic dean, professor, and my academic advisor while at the Fort Wayne seminary, relates a story concerning his childhood. 
He states:
“During my childhood, my father was the pastor of a Lutheran congregation with a large old red brick church founded many decades before we arrived there. I distinctly remember not only the church building but also the large church cemetery, which flanked the left side of the sanctuary and wrapped around the back behind where the chancel stood. At an anniversary service of that congregation, my father, I remember, reminded the members sitting in the pews that their congregation was actually much larger than the people who were in church. The members immediately nodded, most of them thinking that he was referring to those inactive members.

He then said something rather startling: If we wanted to make room for the rest of the members, we would need to knock out the side and back walls of the old brick church. He went on to explain that even though the bodies of many members were resting in the ground to the side and behind the sanctuary, these fellow saints were alive with Christ and were a vital part of the church. He reminded us that our focus is to be on continuing to baptize into Christ, continuing to teach, and continuing to commune, so that Christians are born and nurtured in the faith until they join the saints after death. 

He reminded us that the true size of that congregation would only be seen on the Last Day, when Christ will raise in glory all the bodies from that cemetery and take the faithful members still living at his return to experience restored creation with the entire church of all ages for eternity”, exactly what verse 9 of our sermon text for this morning declares:

Revelation 7:9 (NASB95)After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

That, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is the future to which all of us can look with eagerness.
The future, Your Future Is Bright and Glorious!
I. We presently face struggles as the church on earth.Revelation 7:9 (NASB95)After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

This part of the vision recorded by John in the book of Revelation helps us to see that the life of a Lutheran Christian congregation is not just about living Sunday to Sunday or year to year or decade to decade or even a hundred years together. This vision helps us to see the goal of every Christian, every congregation, and the church militant across the earth: to be part of this great multitude for eternity that no one can number from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before God’s throne, standing before Christ, the Lamb slain for our sin, clothed in resurrected glory for eternity. 
Why are congregations established? Why such an emphasis on seeking to be faithful in reaching out to the lost in our community year after year? Why are pastors called to a church? Why are sanctuaries built? Why teach Sunday School?Why give offerings to the Church sacrificially each week?Why do we continue planning for the future in the place? The answer?So that we and many others from this congregation, this community, this generation of sinners may be part of this great multitude before the throne of the Lamb!
Why did God first give this vision to John to share with the seven churches and many others in future generations?Because he knew that the faithful saints of these congregations had struggles in the past, they were going through struggles in the present, and they would encounter more in the future. Sin was very much alive and well in these pagan cities of ancient Rome. In the seven letters that Jesus dictates in Revelation 2–3, we hear of: false apostles, false teaching, sexual immortality, the Jezebel-like priestess, spiritual lukewarmness, and much more.
This sounds a lot like the world today, doesn’t it!? Many in the church are so confused on: what marriage is, how one’s gender should be expressed, and who created this world in the first place. As we heard in the Beatitudes of our Gospel, Jesus promised His faithful church it would face challenges: Matthew 5:11–12 (NASB95)11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God gave this vision of the future, of the Church Triumphant after the day of resurrection, to encourage us about what our individual future is and what our future is as a congregation.This is your future: risen, living, worshiping, and singing for all eternity:  
Revelation 7:10–12 (NASB95)10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Knowing this is our future encourages us to be faithful and active witnesses in the present.II. Christ’s blood that was shed in the past is the sole reason for our future glory.What is the only reason given for these saints being in heaven? Perhaps they are there because of: the great lives they lived, the fact they were members of the Church Militant for so long,the number of boards on which they served, all the money they gave in their offeringsor the church council meetings that they attended? No, there is only one reason given for their status:Revelation 7:14 (NASB95)I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Your future as a congregation, your future as the church militant on earth, and your future as the Church Triumphant in heaven is all based upon the blood of the Lamb, Jesus the Christ, that was shed on Calvary’s cross to atone for your sin, my sin, for all sin! As John the Baptist proclaimed when he saw Jesus: John 1:29 (NASB95)The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!You are saints, holy ones, now and forever only through the holy blood of Jesus.

This vision in Revelation 7 is dripping with irony. The last thing you want on a white robe would be blood; it stains permanently. But the blood that Jesus shed cleanses permanently, because it is a payment in full for sin. It is a blood that continues to cleanse you from sin today as you hear of it here and as you drink it at this altar. As the hymn to the Lamb in Revelation 5 states: Revelation 5:9 (NASB95)9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
III. Our future will be lived in a restored creation in resurrected glory.This vision is one of the most extensive descriptions in the Scriptures of what we as the Church will do after Christ’s return into eternity. Listen to your future as Christians, as a congregation, once again: Revelation 7:15–17 (NASB95)15 “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 16 “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

None of our years on earth have been without:tears of pain and struggle; there will be more tears in the years you have left in your earthly journey;of that you can be sure. 

You have shed some tears, no doubt, in saying a temporary goodbye to some of the saints of your extended family and church family who are now with the Lord. But nothing ever has, nor nothing ever will, separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He refreshes us daily for our work in the world and our service to Him in His Church. 
But one day sin will be no more:no more hunger and thirst and struggle. 
Our baptismal garments will be exchanged for the permanent robe of resurrected glory, and God will wipe every tear of pain and suffering from our eyes.

The Proper Preface for Holy Communion on All Saints’ Day declares that peace and comfort found in our sermon text for this morning:It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God. In the communion of all Your saints gathered into the one body of Your Son, You have surrounded us with so great a cloud of witnesses that we, encouraged by their faith and strengthened by their fellowship, may run with perseverance the race that is set before us and, together with them, receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:ConclusionWhat then does Revelation 7 do for you?It helps you to see your ultimate and certain future as forgiven saints through the blood of Christ: God himself with be with you, and He will wipe every tear from your eyes. Death will be no more, neither shall there be any mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymoreand you will see His face! That is your bright and glorious future as saints through the blood of Jesus. Amen.Let us pray:Fount of ev’ry blessing,     Purify my spirit,     Trusting only in Your merit. Like the holy angels,     Worshiping before You,     May I ceaselessly adore You. Let Your will Ever still     Rule Your Church terrestrial     As the hosts celestial.Text: Public domain

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,    and the love of God,    and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.  Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed. 
The Lord continue to bless us, shine His face on us, be gracious to us, that He lift His countenance upon us, and give us His peace. 
In the Name of the Father…Amen.

• Sermon for 102724
• Text: Matthew 11:12-19
• Theme: Be faithful to the end!
• In the Name of the Father…Amen. 
• The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11:12-19 serves as our sermon text for this morning, which reads as follows:Matthew 11:12–19 (NASB95)12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. 13 “For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. 15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, 17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
• Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen .
• Memory verse!    Matthew 11:15 (NASB95)    15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
• Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:LSB 655:1-2 Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your WordLord, keep us steadfast in Your Word;Curb those who by deceit or swordWould wrest the kingdom from Your SonAnd bring to naught all He has done.Lord Jesus Christ, Your pow’r make known,For You are Lord of lords alone;Defend Your holy Church that weMay sing Your praise eternally.
Introduction
• In the book of Jude, the Holy Spirit exhorts us “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” in the Holy Scriptures (Jude 3).  • On Reformation Day, we thank the Lord for using Martin Luther as one contender to restore that faith to the world.  • But Luther is just one in a long line of saints who have contended for the truth of God’s Word: ○ Old Testament prophets,  ○ John the Baptist,  ○ saints of the early church,  ○ other reformers,  ○ and countless faithful men and women today.  • All of them have paid a price to contend for the faith—some, the ultimate price of dying a martyr’s death.
• As Christians, we are not contentious people.  • We love peace and unity.  • We confess our sins. • We forgive one another their sins and do good to others, even to those who sin against us.  • We do not seek persecution or martyrdom nor do we seek to persecute or cause one to be martyred, whether they be enemies of Christ or members of the church.
• As Christians, we must be prepared to suffer for God’s truth in our faith and in our lives.  • We know that the devil and the world hate Christ and His Church. Therefore they hate us as well. • We know that because Christ’s enemies cannot get at Christ in heaven, they will get to Him in His Word and in His church here on earth.  • We know that the devil will attack Christ’s Word and Church, not only through the chief articles of the Christian confession but also just as readily through various teachings that seem less central at first glance.
• For example: • John the Baptist was thrown into prison and executed because he preached on marriage to his adulterous ruler. Try that today! You will be canceled for sure!  • Luther was excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church for undermining the pope’s authority to teach false doctrines like purgatory and the selling of indulgences. How dare he! • Christians today are being pressed hard on a variety of issues regarding: ○  government authority,  ○ marriage and sexuality,  ○ the beginning and end of life,  • We have not even started to talk about the deeper issues of the inerrancy of the Bible, or that God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and so on.
• Jesus is speaking directly to us today.  • His purpose is not to frighten or intimidate us.  • To the contrary, Jesus Warns Us That His Church Will Suffer Violence but Comforts and Strengthens Us to Be Faithful to the End, to contend fearlessly “for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
• I.    Be faithful to the end!Suffering violence is the ongoing status of God’s Word, preachers, and hearers (v 12).
• As Jesus was scorned (vv 16–17, 19a) and crucified, Chris­tians will be persecuted as well.
• The precedent was clear with what happened to God’s prophets in the Old Testament:  • mocked (2 Chr 36:15–16),  • imprisoned (Jer 37:11–16; 38:1–6),  • killed (2 Chr 24:17–22)  • Isaiah, by tradition, was sawed in two; Mt 23:29–35).
• John the Baptist was first rejected by the religious leadership (v 18), and then later beheaded by Herod.
• Luther, as an outlaw, always lived under the threat of death, and faithful followers of the Reformation did die for their faith.
• In the LUTHERAN HYMNAL, hymn number 259 Flung to the heedless winds, (Luther’s hymn honoring martyrs Jan and Hendrik of Brussels) speaks of this when it says:1 Flung to the heedless windsOr on the waters cast,The martyrs’ ashes, watched,Shall gathered be at last.And from that scattered dust,Around us and abroad,Shall spring a plenteous seedOf witnesses for God.2 The Father hath receivedTheir latest living breath,And vain is Satan’s boastOf vict’ry in their death.Still, still, though dead, they speak,And, trumpet-tongued, proclaimTo many a wak’ning landThe one availing name.
• Today, Christians are being martyred in Muslim countries, and here we suffer under the cancel culture, the woke agenda, and open rejection of moral truths.  • In Iran, as a Christian, if you own a Bible or witness to others about Christ, you are considered a “threat to national security.” • In Cuba (90 miles off the Florida coast), the government will detain Christians for up to 48 hours in order to question them about their beliefs, forcing them to deny their faith in Christ. • In Saudi Arabia (a U.S. ally), churches are not allowed to exist in the country and if one were to convert to Christianity from Islam, that would be considered apostasy and punishable by death. 
• II. Be faithful to the end!Jesus comforts us by reminding us of the faithful who have gone before us.
• Jesus reminds us that the prophets spoke faithfully despite violence they suffered: • Zechariah,  • Isaiah (Isaiah 7:3–14),  • and Jeremiah all faithfully testified before kings.
• Jesus points us to John (Matthew 11:7–11), who never wavered from decrying Herod’s sin.
• Luther, at the Diet of Worms, along with the Lutheran princes at Augs­burg,  boldly spoke before kings.
• The superscription to the Augsburg Confession declares Psalm 119:46 when it says: • I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings And shall not be ashamed.
• The writer of Hebrews declares: • Hebrews 13:7 (NASB95) • Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
• Today’s martyrs, by their deaths, testify for all the world to see in their words and witness the love of God found in Jesus Christ.  • We are called to be visible and audible with our witness to God’s truth. ○ Wearing a cross—what does that symbol mean to you? ○ Confronted with a decision that needs to be made—what would Jesus do? ○ What on earth are you doing for heaven’s sake?
• The sacrifices of these contenders for the faith have meaning because of the one to whom we all testify, the object of our faith, the one who always goes before us:  • Jesus Christ!  • His martyrdom is the atoning death that has forgiven all of our sins.  • We are His!  • He is ours!
• III. Be faithful to the end!By Jesus’ own sacrifice and by these examples of others, Jesus works in us strength and courage to endure.
• Like John, we, too, should be willing to suffer all, even death, for God’s Word. • This may not be as remote for us as we wish to think. 
• But God’s eternal promises are sure.  • The joys of heaven: ○ Christ, the Son of God, becoming man and dwelling amongst us. ○  The repentant sinner. ○  The exaltation of the Lamb of God on His throne. ○ God’s righteousness triumphs over all that is evil. ○ The saints called home to heaven.
• Like Luther, we, too, should commit fully to the purity of our doctrine.
• We know the great truths taught by Holy Scrip­ture.  • God created the heavens and earth and sustains them still. • We are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone! Scripture alone declares this!
• How do we know we are saved? Through the Means of Grace: • The Word of God: ○ The Law shows us our sin. Romans 3:23 (NASB95) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ○ The Gospel shows us our Savior. Romans 10:17 (NASB95)     17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. • The Sacrament of Holy Baptism ○  The water with the Word—a life giving flood. • The Sacrament of Holy Communion ○ Christ’s Real Presence in. with, and under the bread and wine. ○ This truly is a mystery!
• With Luther, we can take our stand on all these, for Christ will stand by all who confess Him!
• Because the violence Christ suffered has secured for us eternal peace and safety with God, we do indeed take up our crosses and follow Jesus.  • We do become conformed to His life, death, and resurrection, faithfully to our end, even if it means death for us.
• Illustration
• Violence.  • Do you know that Islam and Christianity have at least one point of similarity: they are both, from the beginning, filled with violence.  • That’s the word Jesus uses twice in today’s text from Matthew 11. • Violence belongs to the essence of both Islam and Christianity.  • That is, of course, where the similarity ends, especially since one religion is the worship of a demon and the other is the worship of the holy triune God.  • Islam inflicts violence on others, but the true faith, Christianity, suffers violence at the hands of its enemies, including Islam.
• Yes, both religions are filled with violence.  • But this is a point that needs to be put before religious skeptics in comparing these two very different religions.  • From the very beginning, the response of Muhammad to opposition was to go to war and conquer with the sword in the name of his religion.  • Whole villages were slaughtered.  • If people refused to submit to Allah and Muhammad his prophet, they would be executed.
• This heretical religion was conceived and brought forth in the blood of its enemies. 
• Its rapid spread throughout the Mediterranean world was all proselytizing by military conquest. 
• Islam means submission to the will of Allah, and for those who do not willingly submit to this demon, the religion calls for forced submission by law and tax and sword—in a word, violence.
• Do not overlook, though, that Christianity is also filled with violence: • that is, suffering for the sake of Christ. • It is through suffering that God works life in believers and fulfills His purposes.  • The violent death of Jesus won the forgiveness and salvation of the world. • The disciples of Jesus suffered and died violent deaths as a testimony to Jesus.  • The Reformers suffered persecution and deadly threats, and, yes, some died for confessing salvation by faith in Christ alone.  • Jesus warns all Christians to be prepared to suffer, even to die, for His sake.
• Conclusion
• Jesus summarizes the message of this text with two wise sayings:      Matthew 11:15 (NASB95)     15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
• He calls on us to pray:  • Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
• Jesus also says:       Matthew 11:19 (NASB95) 19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”         
• To be justified is to be regarded as righteous before God.  • Jesus is our Wisdom.  • God the Father regarded His life and death to be righteous by raising Him from the dead.  • When we hear and believe God’s Word and Sacraments, we, too, are justified by this faith in Christ alone.  • This is the comfort and help we find only in the Gospel.  • Our status with God is sure and certain through faith in Jesus.  • Come what might, come what may, even violence against us as we contend for the faith for Christ’s sake, we who are justified in Christ are secure with God forever. Amen.
• Let us pray:LSB 655:3    Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your WordO Comforter of priceless worth,Send peace and unity on earth;Support us in our final strifeAnd lead us out of death to life.
• 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,    and the love of God,    and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.  
• Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed. 
• The Lord continue to bless us, shine His face on us, be gracious to us, that He lift His countenance upon us, and give us His peace. 
• In the Name of the Father…Amen.

• Sermon for 092924
  St. Michael and All Angels
• Text: Revelation 12:7-12
• Theme: Victory in heaven, hope on earth!
• In the Name of the Father…Amen.
• The Epistle lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
• Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

        Revelation 12:10–11 (NASB95)

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

• Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:

LSB 719:1-2 I Leave All Things to God’s Direction

1    I leave all things to God’s direction;

    He loves me both in joy and woe.

His will is good, sure His affection;

    His tender love is true, I know.

My fortress and my rock is He:

What pleases God, that pleases me.

2    God knows what must be done to save me;

    His love for me will never cease.

Upon His hands He did engrave me

    With purest gold of loving grace.

His will supreme must ever be:

What pleases God, that pleases me.

• Introduction
• One of the greatest lies Satan has succeeding in having people believe is that he is a mythical figure depicted in Scrip­ture and not a real being.
  • If you don’t think Satan exists, he can work under the radar much more effectively.
  • The Scrip­tures, however, reveal Satan for who he truly is!
  • This is clear from Satan’s presence in the Garden of Eden as tempter of Adam and Eve to his presence in the desert tempting Jesus.
• It is the work of Jesus in overcoming Satan and the forces of evil that comes to a climax in our reading from Revelation 12.
  • Here we hear of the work of God’s good angels, namely Michael and company, in bringing an end to the activity of Satan as the accuser who accuses sinners before our God day and night.
  • Satan is depicted as a prosecuting attorney who argues against sinners before God.
  • He accuses sinners of not being worthy of fellowship with God now and for eternity.
• The joyous message for us in this text is that this accuser of all mankind, Satan, is no longer in heaven to bring accusations against us.
  • This text unveils this truth for us:
  • The Victory in Heaven Brings Hope on Earth!
• I. We need deliverance!
• Satan’s rebellion and removal from heaven is one of those mysteries of which God tells us very little in His Word.
  • We do know for sure that Satan led a substantial rebellion of angels after creation and before the fall of Adam and Eve.
  • Verse 4 of our text indicates that up to a third of the angels listened to the temptation that Satan later used on Adam and Eve: “You will be like God.”
• Our text is one of the few places where certain details of this mystery are made clearer.
  • The book of Job and Revelation 12 both make it clear that after Satan’s fall he still had access to the presence of God for some time.
  • His primary activity is to bring accusations before God against sinners, as our text states:
  • Revelation 12:10 (NASB95)

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

• The scene is not a pretty one; the powerful angel Satan keeps reminding God about the sins of mankind day and night!
  • The one who deceived Adam and Eve continued to remind God of the ongoing pattern of sin in Adam’s descendants, including us.
• The prophet Zechariah’s vision shows Satan engaged in such accusation:

Zechariah 3:1–4 (NASB95)

1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel.

4 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.”

• The picture here is clear:
  • Satan reveled in the power to stand before God accusing and condemning sinners.
  • The Angel of the Lord, who is the preincarnate Christ, defends Joshua the priest against the accusations of Satan.
• II. Christ’s victory brings that deliverance!
• The good news trumpeted by our text is that this accusation activity of Satan is no longer effective due to his defeat in a great a war—cast out of heaven, thrown down to earth:

Revelation 12:7–9 (NASB95)

7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,

8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

• No longer does Satan have his day in God’s court to bring accusations against us.
  • Michael, one of God’s archangels, and his fellow good angels did battle with Satan and his angels and threw them down to earth.
• It appears, from first glance, that the source of this victory is the power of Michael and the other good angels of God, almost as if Satan and his angels were not as strong.
  • The source of this victory in heaven, however, is found in one Person.
  • Verse 11 of our text tells us how the martyred Christians overcame Satan and the rest of the evil angels:

Revelation 12:11 (NASB95)

11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

• This is the only these Christians overcame Satan, it is also how created angels overcame him.
• The song of praise in our text puts the credit where the credit is due:
  • “the blood of the Lamb.”
  • This is an obvious reference to Jesus Christ as the unblemished, perfect sacrifice whose blood makes payment for all sins of mankind.
  • The basis for Satan’s removal as the accuser before God is the blood of the Lamb.
  • Satan can no longer accuse sinners because Christ paid the price of all sin and has taken his place before God as the Advocate of all sinners, interceding for us.
• John writes of this wonderful work in his first epistle:

1 John 2:1–2 (NASB95)

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

• The apostle Paul also tells us of Christ defending us before the Father:

Romans 8:34 (NASB95)

34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

• The source of this victory in heaven, then, is the blood of the Lamb.
  • All of us are familiar with individuals who are constantly at the gym pumping iron, namely, lifting weights to build up muscle in every tissue of their bodies.
  • They want to be stronger than the next person, or even the strongest in the world.
  • Was that St. Michael’s secret, that he had pumped more iron in heaven than Satan had in hell?
• The key to the battle in the war against Satan (Rev 12:7) was not one angel, Michael, confronting another angel, Satan.
  • It was the Lord Christ confronting Satan and all the forces of evil as the sacrificial Lamb whose blood was pumped out on the cross as payment for our sin.
  • Michael and his good angels are not some sort of independent militia who had pumped more iron in the gym than Satan and the evil angels.
  • They are the army of the Lamb enforcing the victory of the Lamb by casting Satan out of heaven.
• III. Through God’s good angels, Christ’s victory brings us hope here on earth.
• This victory in heaven brings us hope on earth.
  • Verse 12 of our text states this way:

        Revelation 12:12 (NASB95)

12 “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”

• When we first hear these words, they do not seem very reassuring.
  • Even with all of Satan’s wrath, we who dwell on earth have hope because Satan can no longer effectively accuse us before God.
  • When your sins:
    • are drowned in the waters of Holy Baptism,
    • or forgiven in the Absolution,
    • or pardoned through the eating of Christ’s body and the drinking of his blood in this Holy Sacrament, you stand forgiven before God in heaven.
• Christ is your advocate; Satan cannot accuse you!
  • We are reminded that the same angels who cast Satan out of heaven are the very angels who guard and watch over us each day on this earth.
  • Michael and all good angels have the victory of Christ on their side; they do not meet Satan as equals but as angels who are superior in the Lord, their Creator.
• Just in case anyone think that we do not have hope in the midst of the evil that Satan furthers on this earth, we need only fast-forward to chapter 20 of Revelation, where we read of Satan’s destiny:

Revelation 20:10 (NASB95)

10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

• When the devil reminds you of your past, be sure to remind him of his future!
• Conclusion
• This text from Revelation serves as a summary of the themes of what we hear throughout the book of Revelation, which unfortunately, is not preached on enough:
  • God
  • The slain Lamb who triumphed over sin, death, and the devil
  • The Holy Spirit
  • Redemption
  • Sin, Satan, and conflict
  • God’s judgment
  • Witness and worship
  • Resurrection and renewal
  • We thank God for this victory in heaven, won by Christ on the cross and carried out by Michael and the angelic hosts.
  • This victory fills our earthly struggles with hope as we press toward our heavenly goal.
  • Surrounded and protected by these angels, we join their voices in praising the Lamb:

Revelation 5:9–10 (NASB95)

9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

• Amen.
• Let us pray:

LSB 719:3-4 I Leave All Things to God’s Direction

3    My God desires the soul’s salvation;

    My soul He, too, desires to save.

Therefore with Christian resignation

    All earthly troubles I will brave.

His will be done eternally:

What pleases God, that pleases me.

4    My God has all things in His keeping;

    He is the ever faithful friend.

He gives me laughter after weeping,

    And all His ways in blessings end.

His love endures eternally:

What pleases God, that pleases me.

Text: Public domain

• 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95)

   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

   and the love of God,

   and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

• Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed. Amen.
• The Lord continue to bless us, shine His face on us, be gracious to us, that He lift His countenance upon us, and give us His peace. Amen.
• In the Name of the Father…Amen.