First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Epistle lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 477:1-2 Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven
Alleluia, alleluia!
Hearts to heav’n and voices raise:
Sing to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to God a hymn of praise;
He who on the cross a victim
For the world’s salvation bled—
Jesus Christ, the King of Glory,
Now is risen from the dead.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!
Death at last has met defeat:
See the ancient pow’rs of evil
In confusion and retreat;
Once He died, and once was buried:
Now He lives forevermore,
Jesus Christ, the world’s Redeemer,
Whom we worship and adore. Amen.

E. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

Introduction

A. The first and chief article of the faith is this:
1. Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again
for our justification (Romans 4:24–25).
2. He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John
1:29), and God has laid upon him the iniquities of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
3. All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works or
merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in
His blood (Romans 3:23–25).
4. This is necessary to believe.
5. This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law, or merit.
6. Therefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us.
7. As St. Paul says:
® Romans 3:26–28 (NASB95)
26for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time,
so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in
Jesus.
27Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works?
No, but by a law of faith.
28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the
Law.
B. Nothing of this article can be yielded or surrendered, even though
heaven and earth and everything else falls (Mark 13:31).
® Acts 4:12 (NASB95)
12“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under
heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
1. Isaiah 53:5 (NASB95)
5But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our
iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His
scourging we are healed.
2. Upon this article everything that we teach and practice depends, in
opposition to the pope, the devil, and the whole world.
3. Therefore, we must be certain and not doubt this doctrine.
4. Otherwise, all is lost, and the pope, the devil, and all adversaries win
the victory and the right over us.
C. Well, there it is—from the Smalcald Articles (SA II I 1–5) contained in
the Book of Concord, the doctrine you confess about the faith and what your
pastor takes an oath to adhere to in his teaching and proclamation.
1. We are saved by faith in Christ—apart from the deeds of the Law.
D. But then hear the first verse of our text:
® 1 Peter 1:17 (NASB95)
17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each
one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on
earth;
1. “Who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds” but the Lord God
Himself!
2. If we’re judged on our deeds, we ought to fear!
3. Because we are mankind, which means we are fallen beings made of spirit
and flesh.
E. What are we?
1. We can’t keep a promise for a week, let alone for centuries.
2. We witness our God on a mountain giving us his Law and then build a
golden calf against that law.
3. We see our God fight a Pharaoh with miracles to free us and then doubt
he can give us the land he promised us.
4. We will listen to demons about the needs of our flesh and will bite on
the temptations.
5. We stand at grave sides.
6. We will be in graves.
7. We know there is nothing righteous in us.
F. So, are we saved by faith, or Is Eternal Life Based on Our Deeds? No! On
Christ! So . . . Live Those Deeds the Father Judges!
1. God judges sinful deeds (Lev 19:2; Ps 5:4–5).
® Leviticus 19:2 (NASB95)
2 “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”
® Psalm 5:4–5 (NASB95)
4For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells
with You.
5The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do
iniquity.
A. God is fair.
1. The Law is the basis for His judgment.
2. So one sinful thought, word, deed, or desire condemns me.
3. Alas, my very nature is sinful!
4. Therefore, I am condemned!
B. Money or attempts to accomplish good deeds to avoid condemnation are to
no avail.
® Romans 13:8–10 (NASB95)
8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his
neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL
NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it
is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of
the law.
C. If my deeds are judged this way, I should fear!
2. Yes, God is holy and just, but He is also merciful (Jeremiah 3:12).
® Jeremiah 3:12 (NASB95)
12“Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, ‘Return, faithless
Israel,’ declares the LORD; ‘I will not look upon you in anger. For I am
gracious,’ declares the LORD; ‘I will not be angry forever.
A. Before creation, in his omniscience he knew what man would do and
become.
1. Man would be incapable of achieving his salvation.
B. Before the first proclaimed Gospel, before the first sin, before the
foundation of the world, God determined to send his Son for our redemption.
® 1 Peter 1:20 (NASB95)
20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared
in these last times for the sake of you
C. Silver or gold could not meet God’s requirements for our sin.
1. What we could not do, the precious blood of Christ, a sacrificial lamb
without blemish or spot, did for us:
® 1 Peter 1:18–19 (NASB95)
18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or
gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood
of Christ.
D. God has promised eternal life to those who trust in his Son, that trust
working in us by his Holy Spirit using his Word—the never-changing,
life-giving Word.
® 1 Peter 1:21 (NASB95)
21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and
gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
3. By faith in Christ his Son, my judge is also my Father.
A. I come to him as my Father, confessing I am sinful and can’t meet his
demands.
1. If he judges by deeds, am I still condemned?
2. Is eternal life mine or not?
B. God cannot deny himself.
1. He must judge in righteousness and he must be faithful to his promises.
® 2 Timothy 2:11–13 (NASB95)
11It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live
with Him;
12If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will
deny us;
13If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
2. We know we speak and act with sinful flesh.
A. Our actions, words, desires, thoughts, will—are not perfect.
B. Even our acts of love are tainted with sinful thoughts.
C. How will we be judged?
3. As righteous! Because Christ’s righteousness covers those sinful
“taints”:
A. the righteousness given to you at your Baptism, received by the faith
the Holy Spirit works in you!
C. So the Father does judge our deeds!
1. But your sins are not in his book of deeds!
2. Your sins shall not be remembered.
3. Your “good deeds,” though tainted, are righteous by the blood of Christ.
4. Your righteous deeds are the fruit of faith, evidence of being a new
creation
® 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NASB95)
10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each
one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad.
® Matthew 25:34–40 (NASB95)
34“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world.
35‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and
you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in
prison, and you came to Me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry,
and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and
clothe You?
39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent
that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them,
you did it to Me.’
® 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.
4. Therefore, since the Father has judged you righteous apart from deeds,
live the deeds he judges righteous.
A. You are righteous, “pure,” by faith.
® 1 Peter 1:22 (NASB95)
22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a
sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
B. You want to serve such a loving Father by serving your neighbor—in love,
not expecting anything in return—for your neighbor has no impact on your
salvation.
1. That has been accomplished by Christ!

Conclusion
A. Like kids in confirmation, we struggle to understand and explain the
question, “Why do I want to fear the Lord?” as Peter says in verse 17 of
our text.
1. Is Jesus not my Savior?
2. Does he not love me?
3. Am I going to be allowed in his presence only if I tremble with fear?
4. We use the word respect to convey the idea that the fear of God means we
love him so we don’t desire to anger him.
5. But we also need to keep in mind that we fear him because he will
discipline his children for their own good.
6. We are to be wary of those things that bring God’s discipline, for if
they are unchecked, they will lead to his wrath and condemnation.
B. The Greek word for fear, φόβος, is derived from φοβέομαι, which means
“to flee” or “withdraw.”

1. We certainly are to cling to God for all good things:
A. his salvation,
B. his guidance,
C. his protection.
2. But as children of the living God, we fear him by:
A. withdrawing from those things that anger him,
B. Staying away from those things that replace him in our heart as God.
3. Not that we are fearful of those things in themselves; we are fearful of
what they will do to our relationship with God.
4. If we do not withdraw from such things, then something else in our life
has become what we fear more, for we’re no longer fearing God.
5. Something our sinful nature claims is now our god.
C. We hear from:
® Psalm 130:4 (NASB95)
4But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
1. Let us ever withdraw from those things which do not give forgiveness:
A. idols,
B. works,
C. false religions.
D. We withdraw from them so that we will ever be with our God.
D. Since before the world began, our Father had you in mind.
1. He would send his Son into the flesh for you:
A. to die for you,
B. redeem you,
C. and bring you to faith in what he has done for you.
2. We have been brought to that faith by the Father’s own living Word, his
imperishable seed.
3. That faith, that trust, is strengthened by staying in the Word.
4. As long as that faith remains—whether it be feeble or strong—you will
stand confidently before your judge.
5. So live a life of thanks for what has been done to redeem you from sin,
death, and the devil.
6. Live in love for the precious blood and resurrection of the Son of God.
7. In Christ, eternal life is yours right now!
8. The great reunion with all the faithful is yet to come.
9. So now live in the freedom, the joy, the deeds the gift of eternal life
that Christ brings! Amen.
E. Let us pray:

LSB 477:3 Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glory be to God on high:
Alleluia to the Savior
Who has gained the victory;
Alleluia to the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity!
Alleluia, alleluia
To the triune Majesty!
Text (sts. 1, 3): Public domain
Text (st. 2): © 1982 The Jubilate Group, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by
permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000247

F. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

G. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. Psalm 146 serves as our sermon text for this morning, which reads as
follows:
Psalm 146:1–10 (NASB95)
1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I
have my being.
3Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
4His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts
perish.
5How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the
LORD his God,
6Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps
faith forever;
7Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The
LORD sets the prisoners free.
8The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are
bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous;
9The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10The LORD will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise
the LORD!
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 797:1-2 Praise the Almighty
Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him!
Yes, I will laud Him until death;
With songs and anthems I come before Him
As long as He allows me breath.
From Him my life and all things came;
Bless, O my soul, His holy name.
Alleluia, alleluia!

Trust not in rulers; they are but mortal;
Earthborn they are and soon decay.
Vain are their counsels at life’s last portal,
When the dark grave engulfs its prey.
Since mortals can no help afford,
Place all your trust in Christ, our Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia!
E. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Introduction

A. Is it hard work that makes the world go round:
1. whether it be:
A. in academia,
B. business,
C. government,
D. or any type of vocation?
B. In order to succeed:
1. you take classes,
2. you chase after advanced degrees,
3. you put in long hours.
4. You borrow money, so you put off marriage and children to pay the
debt—the enormous capital offense!
5. But you finally get the sheepskin and, you hope, the successful career
and life that follows.
6. Is that what makes for success?
C. Or is it the other great wisdom of the world known by the cliché, “It’s
not what you know, but who you know”?
1. Business deals are made on the back nine,
2. promotions approved over martinis.
3. It’s all about contacts, networking.
4. Is that how life and eternal life works?
D. People certainly think the afterlife works on the basis of what we do,
our hard work.
E. “Just get a job!” is something I have heard people say to those who are
hungry and homeless.
1. That saying also seems to apply to those who are spiritually “poor”.
2. Just get a job!
A. People, in their pride and arrogance:
1. think having enough good works,
2. sincerity,
3. and personal suffering
4. will tip the scales in one’s favor to pay off the enormous debt of sin.
B. But our cause is more lost than that of poor Sisyphus, who for eternity
the Greek gods forced him to roll a boulder to at least near the top of the
hill before it always rolled back.
F. Instead, it is truly “not what you know, but who you know.”
1. “For us fights the valiant One, Whom God Himself elected” (LSB 656:2 A
Mighty Fortress is our God).
2. Our salvation is not found in what we know:
3. our hard work
4. and study
5. and best efforts
6. but in who we know, our Savior, Lord, Redeemer, and King, Jesus, who was
crucified but is risen from the dead (Matthew 28:5–6).
1. “Long live the king!” is a subjunctive, a wish.
A. “And all the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’ ” (1 Samuel 10:24).
1. This acclamation is made at the accession of a new king to the throne.
2. From King Saul to King George, this is a common expression.
3. It’s an awkward sentence, though—“Long live the king.”
4. The verb “live” is in the subjunctive mood—unusual usage in modern
English.
5. The subjunctive expresses wishes, desires, and conditional statements.
B. A nation wishes its king will live long.
1. Stability in national leadership is usually desirable.
2. There’s very little worse than a quick succession of governments and the
uncertainty that follows.
3. As the king goes, so goes the nation.
4. When the king dies young, the nation is left in turmoil.
5. We’ve seen all of these realities played out in our Lenten and Holy Week
series on the good kings of Judah.
2. It reminds us that the end of all kings is still death.
A. Now that we’re at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, it pays to return to the
beginning to see how we got to this point.
1. The first chapter of Matthew begins with a genealogy of Jesus.
2. In the middle of the genealogy are the generations of the kings of
Judah.
3. For example:
Matthew 1:8 (NASB95)
8 “Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and
Joram the father of Uzziah” and so on.
A. This is a stark reminder that one king follows another as life and death
take their turns.
B. Reading this might bring to mind the salutation, “The king is dead. Long
live the king!”
B. Likewise, the structure of the Books of Chronicles in the Old Testament
is very clear.
1. Whenever a king dies, there is a burial story and then the beginning of
the next reign.
2. The key facts are how old the king was when he took the throne and how
many years he lived.
3. Whether the reign was long or short, you could be sure that one king
would die and another take his place.
4. “The king is dead. Long live the king!”
C. The other thing written at the beginning of each king’s reign concerns
the faithfulness of the monarch.
1. Usually he either followed or abandoned the ways of his father David.
2. The point is that the king had a large influence over the direction of
the nation.
3. A good king like David or Josiah led the nation in righteousness, but a
bad king like Manasseh led the nation into evil.
4. The blessings or punishments visited on the king inevitably fell on the
people also.
D. A lesson we continually learn from history, ancient or modern, is
written in Psalm 146:
Psalm 146:3–4 (NASB95)
3Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
4His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts
perish.
E. Although we often look to political rulers for deliverance, there is no
salvation in them.
1. They live and die as ordinary people do.
2. Even the best leaders of men see their plans perish when their breath
departs.
3. Even if the king is wonderful, his successor might undo everything he
did.
4. We see that in the constant cycle of repairing the temple and then
plundering it throughout Judah’s history.
5. As King Solomon foretold in Ecclesiastes, a king cannot control how his
children will rule.
6. If Solomon could have only known that his son Rehoboam would split the
kingdom in two by his tyranny!
7. In the end, the only difference between one of the great kings of Judah
and any peasant in the land is the size and place of the tomb.
F. Verse 3 of the hymn “Praise the Almighty” declares:
Blessèd, oh, blessèd are they forever
Whose help is from the Lord Most High,
Whom from salvation can nothing sever,
And who in hope to Christ draw nigh.
To all who trust in Him, our Lord
Will aid and counsel now afford.
Alleluia, alleluia!
3. But for once, the King is dead. Long live the same King!
A. The King is dead.
1. Long live the King!
2. There is one king in history who breaks this mold.
3. He came from a line of kings, but was not born in a palace.
4. Instead, the angel Gabriel announced his birth to his mother, saying:
Luke 1:32 (NASB95)
32“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the
Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
5. An angel also visited Joseph, the son of David, proclaiming that:
Matthew 1:21 (NASB95)
21“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save
His people from their sins.”
6. This one was hailed as King by Magi from the east.
7. He was christened as King with the Holy Spirit at his Baptism in the
wilderness.
8. Peter says in Acts that:
Acts 10:37–39 (NASB95)
37you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea,
starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
38“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit
and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were
oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
39“We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews
and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.
9. Nathanael recognized Jesus as King of Israel early on.
10. As Jesus went through the land conquering the kingdom of darkness,
preaching the coming kingdom of God, and restoring creation, the crowds
would have made him king.
11. Indeed, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds cried out:
John 12:12–13 (NASB95)
12On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they
heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began
to shout, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even
the King of Israel.”
12. But the crowd’s reaction, especially after the feeding of the five
thousand, was based only on his power.
13. They thought anyone who could feed them for free would be a great king.
14. Free food and no taxes sounded great, then as now.
B. Instead, the only crown Jesus ever wore was made of thorns, not gold.
1. The only purple robe he wore was stripped off after he was mocked.
2. The inscription of his kingdom was posted on a cross:
3. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
4. So the day of his coronation was the day of his death.
5. That was not a long life for the king—certainly the shortest reign of
any king of Judah.
6. The King is dead.
C. Long live the King!
1. This morning we celebrate the only King to succeed himself.
D. The King of Kings Lives Forever.
4. That makes him so different from every other king.
A. The Son of Man, who lived without so much as a pillow to call his own,
was buried in a rich man’s tomb.
1. He had a reservation at a brand new tomb with a garden view.
2. The owner no doubt expected that to be a long-term stay, but Jesus left
after just three days and two nights.
B. So Jesus proved to be different from all the kings before him.
1. To begin, he kept his word more than any of his ancestors.
2. He said he would suffer and die and rise on the third day; that’s
exactly what he did.
3. You can put your trust in this Son of Man, because there is salvation
only in Him and in no one else!
C. Further, even as his Spirit departed, his plans were accomplished.
1. He left nothing undone; it is finished.
A. The sixth word or saying that Jesus spoke from the cross was the single
Greek word tetelestai which means “It is finished.”
B. Papyri receipts for taxes have been recovered with the word tetelestai
written across them, meaning “paid in full.”
C. This word on Jesus’ lips was significant.
D. When He said, “It is finished” (not “I am finished”), He meant His
redemptive work was completed.
E. He had been made sin for people (2 Corinthians 5:21) and had suffered
the penalty of God’s justice which sin deserved.
F. Even in the moment of His death, Jesus remained the One who gave up His
life (cf. John 10:11, 14, 17–18).
G. He bowed His head (giving His seventh saying:
Luke 23:46 (NASB95)
46And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I
COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” Having said this, He breathed His last.
H. This differs from the normal process in death by crucifixion in which
the life-spirit would ebb away and then the head would slump forward.
Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of
the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL:
Victor Books, 1985), 340.
2. His life’s work of saving his people through the forgiveness of sins
culminated in his death for the sin of the world.
A. His plans didn’t perish in the tomb but were completed in his
resurrection on the third day.
B. As his own successor, he didn’t pass on his kingdom to sons.
C. He ascended to the heavenly throne as Lord of all.
D. As it is written:
Ephesians 1:18–23 (NASB95)
18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will
know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of
His inheritance in the saints,
19and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
20which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and
seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head
over all things to the church,
23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
D. The Son of David is surely an unusual king.
1. He didn’t wage war against neighboring kingdoms.
2. He didn’t build a temple, palace, or city walls.
3. He didn’t preside over a booming economy.
4. Instead, his mission was healing and justice.
5. The mission of the Lord Jesus is summarized in Psalm 146:
Psalm 146:7–9 (NASB95)
7 [He] Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the
hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free.
8The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are
bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous;
9The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
6. These words are reflected in Luke 4 as Jesus began his public ministry:
Luke 4:18–19 (NASB95)
18“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE
GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND
RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
E. His victory was greater than all the kings of Judah because it was won
over the last and greatest enemy—death.
1. This was won through the forgiveness of sins, which robbed death of its
sting.
2. His life of love changed the way his people live, and his death changed
the way his people die.
3. In his kingdom is freedom and life.
4. In his kingdom there is fullness of joy; at his right hand are pleasures
forevermore.
F. Unlike with the kings of Judah, his people are not located in one
region.
1. His are the saints, as Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 1 when he says:
1 Corinthians 1:2 (NASB95)
2To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been
sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place
call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
2. His sheep listen to his voice and follow him.
3. His people live the blessed life, receiving all blessings with
persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
4. He leads his people in all righteousness, a righteousness not of
ourselves but which he has fulfilled with His death and resurrection.
G. So Jesus Christ, as John wrote in Revelation, is:
Revelation 1:5 (NASB95)
5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,
and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released
us from our sins by His blood—
H. The cycle of anointing a new king and wishing he will be better than the
previous is over.
1. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords; he is here, and he isn’t
going anywhere.
I. Not only that, but he has made his people kings.
1. St. Paul writes:
1 Corinthians 6:2 (NASB95)
2Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is
judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?
2. And in Revelation we hear that in the new Jerusalem God’s servants will
reign forever and ever.
3. The beginning of Psalm 146 reads:
Psalm 146:1–2 (NASB95)
1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I
have my being.
J. We have a long time to sing those praises because, like our King, we
also live forever.
1. Hallelujah!
5. So we can drop the subjunctive: “Long lives the King!”
A. There is good news today: we can drop the subjunctive.
1. We will change the expression this glorious morning.
2. Instead of “Long live the king”, it is “Long lives the King!”
3. No more wishing, desiring, hoping.
4. Put it in the indicative mood.
5. Declare it; say it’s true because it is!
6. “Long lives the King!”
Psalm 146:10 (NASB95)
10The LORD will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise
the LORD!
B. This is news of inexpressible joy.
1. As he rules, so goes his kingdom.
2. The fortune of his kingdom is completely dependent on her King.
3. And so we have a kingdom with peace and stability under our Lord Jesus
Christ.
4. For the Son of David was pierced for our transgressions and has ascended
to the throne, that we:
5. “may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in
everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen
from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity” (SC, Second Article).

Conclusion

A. May the words of Revelation, chapters 19 and 11 be our words not only
for today, but for every day:
Revelation 19:6–7 (NASB95)
6Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the
sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
7“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of
the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
Revelation 11:15 (NASB95)
15Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven,
saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of
His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
B. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
C. Let us pray:
LSB 797:4-5 Praise the Almighty
Penitent sinners, for mercy crying,
Pardon and peace from Him obtain;
Ever the wants of the poor supplying,
Their faithful God He will remain.
He helps His children in distress,
The widows and the fatherless.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise, all you people, the name so holy
Of Him who does such wondrous things!
All that has being, to praise Him solely,
With happy heart its amen sings.
Children of God, with angel host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Alleluia, alleluia! Amen.
Text: Public domain
D. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
E. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
F. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

Text: Ezekiel 37:1–14, 24–28

Theme: After the end

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. Ezekiel 37:1-14 serves as our sermon text for this morning, which reads
as follows:
Ezekiel 37:1–14 (NASB95)
1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of
the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of
bones.
2He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very
many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.
3He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord
GOD, You know.”
4Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry
bones, hear the word of the LORD.’
5“Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to
enter you that you may come to life.
6‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with
skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that
I am the LORD.’ ”
7So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a
noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its
bone.
8And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin
covered them; but there was no breath in them.
9Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say
to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.” ’ ”
10So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and
they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of
Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has
perished. We are completely cut off.’
12“Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I
will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My
people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
13“Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves
and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.
14“I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will
place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have
spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’ ”
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 459:1 Christ Is Arisen
Christ is arisen
From the grave’s dark prison.
So let our joy rise full and free;
Christ our comfort true will be. Alleluia! Amen.

E. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
1. All good things must come to an end.
A. All good things must come to an end.
1. There were many good kings of Judah, and the kingdom of Judah lasted for
centuries.
2. There were also many bad kings.
3. But one thing that all the kings—whether good or bad—had in common was
death.
4. From David to Zedekiah, the last king, the good and the bad, the king
and the commoner, they all meet in the grave.
2. The end for Judah and her kings was dead, nothing but dry bones.
A. This morning, we hear about what came after the last kings: exile in
Babylon.
1. There the prophet Ezekiel sees a vision, a valley of dry bones.
2. It symbolizes the complete destruction of the kingdom of Judah, the
whole house of Israel.
3. All that was left was bones, and those were very dry and lifeless.
4. Judah had abandoned the Lord, and he had visited his wrath on them.
5. Judah had refused to hear the prophets:
a. preferring to stone them instead,
b. throw them in pits,
c. and otherwise mistreat them,
d. and now Judah herself has no voice with which to call on God
B. The end had come.
1. The end of the kings,
2. the end of the temple,
3. the end of Israel itself.
4. So what does the future hold?
5. The people were in exile,
6. Jerusalem was now in ruins, with nothing even to go back to.
7. What could possibly redeem this situation?
3. Only the Creator of life can renew them.
A. New life is not found in dry bones.
1. Only the direct action of the Creator can bring renewal amid death.
2. The life-giving Spirit of God must breathe into them as the Word of God
proclaims,
a. “Prophesy, Son of Man, that these might live.”
4. But the Son of David did rise with new life.
A. The prophet Ezekiel speaks of a renewal of the kingdom.
1. And the people of Judah did return to Jerusalem.
2. They did rebuild:
a. the city,
b. her walls,
c. and the temple of the Lord.
3. Many thought this return was the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision.
4. But it was never the same.
a. The temple wasn’t the same;
b. the kingdom wasn’t the same.
5. Israel was constantly overrun by competing empires vying for global
dominance.
6. Eventually, the greatest empire in history would conquer.
7. So-called kings would rule in Jerusalem, but Herod was only a puppet and
only questionably Jewish, certainly not of the house of David.
B. When the Son of David did come, he was rejected by his own people and
handed over to the Romans for death.
1. As he said:
a. “It is finished” (John 19:30), he gave up the Spirit and breathed his
last.
2. But this Son of David, who said:
a. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), could not see
corruption.
b. The bones of Jesus were not broken and never dried.
c. He burst the tomb and brought life and immortality to light.
C. The Word of God made flesh tasted death and conquered death to speak
life again to his people.
1. The dry, lifeless bones of Israel are knit together into the Body of
Christ by the Word of his power and the Spirit of the living God.
D. The prophecy of Ezekiel would not be fulfilled until the Son of David
reigned and united God’s people back into one flock.
E. The Son of David Gives Us Life without End.
5. So our life in Christ will never come to an end.
A. No earthly thing will last forever.
1. But the kingdom of Jesus is not of this world, as he told Pontius
Pilate.
2. The life we now have is not of the flesh, but of the Spirit.
3. The flesh will die, but our bodies are destined to be resurrected in
glory.
4. As we have believed in this life in Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes
away your sin and mine, we will live forever in the sanctuary of the Lord
and his presence.
5. We will forever live in the covenant of peace he has made by his blood.
B. We can be sure of one thing this Easter morning:
1. the best thing in the world will last forever.
2. The Son of David is our great king, and the life he gives will never
come to an end. Amen.
F. Let us pray:
LSB 457:2-3 Christ is arisen
Were Christ not arisen,
Then death were still our prison.
Now, with Him to life restored,
We praise the Father of our Lord. Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Now let our joy rise full and free;
Christ our comfort true will be. Alleluia! Amen.
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn
License no. 110000247
G. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
H. In the Name of the Father…Amen.