New Orleans Day 2

Good morning!  It's already Day 3, but I'll update about that tonight when we're back from working.

The Lord blessed us this trip with safe travels and gracious hosts along the way - we arrived late last night and have settled in to Camp Restore.  Saturday night and Sunday morning we were the guests of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Nashville, TN.  Their hospitality was fantastic, and we couldn't have hoped for a more perfect place to stop on our travels.  Rev. Philip Young and the congregation he serves there were gracious hosts and we will definitely be through there again when next we head south for mission work!

I wish it were warmer here in NOLA, but it's like we have brought the record cold temps with us.  Thankfully record cold for NOLA is 'only' 28 or so degrees, but it's not quite as warm as we hoped.  Oh well, we came south for more than warm weather, we came to serve.  Pray for our group to have courage and willingness as we begin the work for which we came!

New Orleans Trip: Day One

Waking up at 4:45 has its advantages - no line for the shower!  :-)

I'm preparing to embark now on a trip with the students I serve to New Orleans for some service work to help rebuild in the wake of Katrina.  You can see details about the trip at our Chapel website.

It's going to be exciting and challenging.  We're bringing together a group of 24 people who, at best, only know about half of the group, and several who know less than a handful.  Your prayers for patience and courage in the coming week would be appreciated, along with safe travels!  I'll be updating throughout the trip as a way of keeping a journal of what happens and how we're doing.  If you don't hear from me tonight in Nashville, it will be because there was no Wi-Fi.  We'll catch up for sure again in New Orleans!

Blessings, Pastor Bakker

Sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas

Seeing Salvation

Luke 2:22-40

First Sunday after Christmas, 2009 C

Zion Lutheran Church

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Pastor Jonathon Bakker

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.  The Holy Scripture for our consideration this day is the Gospel reading from St. Matthew.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  So he came by the Spirit into the temple.  And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’ 

            Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, are you still celebrating?  Christmas is not yet over - today, according to the carol, your true love owes you three French hens!  The presentation of Jesus in the Temple did not take place on the second day of Christmas, that is, the second day of his life, but when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus there in accordance with the Law, they made the appropriate offering of two small pigeons, or a pair of turtledoves.  Christmas has only just begun, friends, and just like the joy of a new baby does not end on the day of its birth, our Christmas joy does not end with the Savior’s birth.

            In today’s Gospel we have a rare picture of the joy Jesus’ birth brought to the people of his time.  When we look at the Scriptures as a whole, they are the book of the life of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  They tell us who he is, why he came, from where he came, what he said, what he did, and what he still does.  The Scriptures are also a book about the life of Jesus’ Bride – his body, the holy Christian Church.  They tell of our origins, our fall, our need for the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and most importantly, they tell of our future.

             Like I said before, today’s Gospel is a rare account – like many events with Jesus, this was no ordinary trip to the Temple.  The text today certainly focuses on the Gospel, on what God is doing for his people in Christ, but in it Jesus performs no miracles and he heals no sick people.  In fact, Jesus does not say one word – it is the other people in the Temple who speak today for joy at his appearing.  Anna spoke of Jesus to those seeking redemption in Jerusalem, giving thanks to the Lord.  She was a widow who lived at the Temple, praying and fasting night and day, and she rejoiced to see her redemption, her salvation, in the flesh.

            The other speaker in the Gospel was named Simeon.  He was a faithful man who, by the Holy Spirit, believed the promise that God would send a redeemer.  It had been revealed to him, in fact, that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

            In recent weeks we have heard of the difficulties some of the key people in the New Testament had with doubts over Jesus’ identity and mission.  John the Baptist wondered whether Jesus was the Christ or if they were waiting for another.  Joseph, his mother’s husband, struggled over whether or not Mary was telling him the truth about this pregnancy. 

           Today in Simeon, we learn of a man who believed that Jesus was the Savior without question.  His words upon seeing the infant Savior for the first time are such a part of the life of our church that most of us probably have them memorized.  ‘Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word.  For mine eyes have seen the salvation which thou hast prepared before, the face of all people.  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.’  Surely you recognized them when you heard them the as part of the Gospel reading – we sing them nearly every week when we gather for the Divine Service. 

            What we do not hear every week is the surrounding context of Luke’s Gospel.  Hearing who first spoke those words and the circumstances around his seeing and holding Christ in the flesh gives that canticle a significance we may not regularly consider when we join in Simeon’s song.  This is the ‘Nunc Dimittis’ we sing immediately after the Dismissal from communion.  We kneel at this altar and receive the true body and blood of Jesus, and then we return to our places and join together to sing the words of a man who was finally ready for death.

            Yes, you heard me say that correctly – when we sing those words after we receive the Lord’s Supper, we sing the words of a man asking for death.  ‘Lord, now let your servant depart in peace.’  We might think that someone who has been waiting his whole life to see his salvation would ask for something different.  Surely he must have misunderstood God’s intention for him.  Surely there had to be a better reason for his long life than to merely wait and see the Lord.

           Some Christians hear Simeon’s story and wonder when they will ‘depart in peace according to God’s Word.’  Life in this world can make one weary – for many, retiring from a career, losing a spouse, or watching your children move away can leave you tired of living and wondering what else is left.  The Gospel does not tell us whether Simeon died that very day or lived for many more years, which comes as little comfort for those who suffer from the hard-knocks of life.

            It is a provocative question, to be sure, but it is ultimately unhelpful because that is not what the account of Simeon teaches.  Such questions put the focus on Simeon and not Jesus; looking at what Simeon was to do instead of who Jesus was and what he would accomplish.  Simeon knew this and took comfort instead in God’s promise.  He understood that he was created by God to live forever, just like each one of us, and he knew that only God could give eternal life.

            Through Simeon’s marvelous proclamation at seeing and holding Christ, Simeon confessed his faith in Christ and his trust in God’s promises.  He was a man who had lived in anticipation of seeing salvation, and God blessed him greatly.  Not only did he see his Lord, he also took Jesus into his arms and blessed God as he spoke those words.

            It is this context of the most important day of Simeon’s life that makes his words so appropriate for us to sing when we receive the Lord’s Supper.  With those words we confess not only that our lives are in the hands of God who has forgiven our sins; with those words we proclaim not only that we long for the eternal life he has promised for us in Christ; with those words we declare that we, too, with our own eyes, have seen our salvation.  More than that, though, we have tasted salvation.  In the bread and wine of Holy Communion, we receive the very body and blood of our Lord.  It is the same body and blood that was born of the Virgin Mary; it is the same body and blood that suffered, died, and rose again for the forgiveness of our sins; and it is the same body and blood that Simeon held in his arms when he first spoke these words so long ago.

            As we continue to live in this world and suffer the earthly consequences of the fall into sin, do not forget why we sing what we sing when we receive the Lord’s Supper.  God has heard our prayers and will not leave us alone or in the darkness; God lightens us with the salvation that is ours in Christ, with the glory of his people.  He shows and feeds us salvation and we stand ready, in peace and joy, for his eternity!

            To Christ alone be all the glory, forever and ever, amen.

            The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, our Lord, amen.

January Newsletter Article

O God, You have taught me from my youth;

And to this day I declare your wondrous works.

Psalm 71:17

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I have had the privilege of guest-preaching and teaching in some of our sister congregations and Lutheran schools over the past month as part of being campus pastor at Christ The King Lutheran Chapel. Speaking about the work the Lord is doing here for the International and American students is fantastic. The services, Bible studies, fellowship activities, and service projects we undertake are impressive, and the students who attend our chapel treasure their experiences here.

While I did speak of the wonderful things that are taking place here at the chapel, I was also asked what parents, grandparents, and pastors could do to help ensure that their own children and grandchildren would take their own faith seriously, continue attending church services at a Lutheran church when they move away from home, and grow and mature as Christians. It was such a good question that I thought I should share this with all of you – many of whom have children and grandchildren of your own. The only caveats I offer are these – first; the suggestions I make here will not guarantee that your children or grandchildren will cherish the faith as you do, nor will it guarantee that they will live out that faith by regularly attending church and availing themselves of God’s gifts in Word and Sacrament, and second; this may be strong medicine for parents who do not consider this to be a serious issue for their families. Please rest assured that I write what I write because of the things that I hear from parents as a pastor to college students.

Near the beginning of most school years at CMU I can count on getting a few phone calls from parents with some or all of the following requests:
- Has my child been going to church?
- Can you make sure my child is going to church?
- How do I get my child to attend church while he or she is away at school?
- My child won’t answer the phone – can you make them talk to me?

Sadly, almost every time I have to ask, ‘and what was your child’s name again…?’ It’s not that I do not care about these students – far from it – the sad fact is that almost every time I don’t even know them!

Again, I cannot guarantee that you will not find yourself in their position one day as well, but there are things all Lutheran parents can be doing for their children throughout their lives to help keep this from happening. First, realize that most of our work in the church is ‘Preventative Spiritual Care.’ Just like you go to see the doctor regularly to stay on top your health and ensure that your body stays strong to fight off diseases and sicknesses, pastors work to prepare you to face the spiritual trials that will surely come down the road. It all begins with Baptism, continues through Sunday School and confirmation preparation, youth and adult Bible study, and is rooted in the Divine Service.

The best thing you can do as a parent is show by example and by your words the following three things:
- the reason you are Lutheran and not something else.
- that weekly church attendance is important for Christians.
- that you expect your children to continue to grow and mature as Christians when they go to college.

Obviously these things cannot happen overnight. You cannot sit down with your son or daughter the night before you drop them off at college, tell them these things, and expect that they will have no spiritual problems while away at college. These things should be part of the pattern of your lives from the time of childhood for your children. Don’t send them away to college as ‘blank slates’ – you will be alarmed at what will fill it. You can’t expect your children to be strong and dedicated Christians in college if you haven’t raised them to be strong and dedicated Christians from the beginning of their lives.

I cannot overemphasize how crucial it is for children going away to college to have a strong, distinctive, Lutheran identity. This identity is confused when they are allowed to sleep in on Sundays instead of going to church. It is likewise confused when they attend multiple churches with other family members and friends. It is further confused when their parents have not expressed – in both action and words – that being a Lutheran is the most important thing in their life.

If your children or grandchildren attend a public university, they will have next to no support or encouragement from their classmates or professors to grow and mature in the Christian faith or even go to church. One of the most difficult things for anyone to do is to go to church alone, and most college students are faced with that very thing as freshmen, when feelings of loneliness are at their highest in a college student’s career. Make it a priority to visit your children while they are at college and go to church with them there. Introduce them to the campus pastor and let them get to know one another. It speaks volumes to your children about your commitment to the faith when you make it a priority to attend church even when you are away from home.

There is surely much more that could be said about this topic, but for now this is plenty of food for thought. Do not be afraid to take the initiative with your children and do not worry whether you might be too late – there is no time like the present to resolve, as parents and grandparents, to tell the next generation what you believe, why you believe it, and why you care that they too believe it!

To Christ alone be all the glory, forever and ever, Amen.
Pastor Bakker

Sermon for Advent 3 (3yr) w/ Thanks to Pastor Cook for the ending!

Jesus, The Preacher

Luke 7:18-28

Third Sunday in Advent, 2009 C

Zion Lutheran Church

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Pastor Jonathon Bakker

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.  The Holy Scripture for our consideration this day is the Gospel reading from St. Luke.

Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.  And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, ‘Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?’  When the men had come to him, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?’’  And that very hour he cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind he gave sight.  Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of me.’  When the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’  For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ 

            Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus is a gifted preacher.  Now, that may sound odd to our ears, because Jesus is much more than just a preacher, but in this Gospel that is exactly what he does.  ‘Tell us,’ they implored.  ‘We were sent by John the Baptist!’ they said.  ‘Are you the Coming One?’

            It is incredible, when you think about it.  John the Baptist, born to Zechariah and Elizabeth when they were long past the age of childbearing, was brought up in the knowledge that he was the forerunner to the Messiah.  Now he wonders if Jesus is this Messiah.  He was the new Elijah and the new Isaiah, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, and the people came to him as he prepared the way of the Lord.  Now he wonders if Jesus is the Lord.  He baptized Jesus in the Jordan River to fulfill all righteousness; he was right there when the voice of the Father came down from the heavens, calling Jesus his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased.  He saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove come upon Jesus.  Now he wonders if Jesus is the Coming One, or if he should be looking for another.

            It is incredible.  Of all the people we would not expect to harbor doubts about Jesus’ true identity and mission, John that Baptist would be among those crowding the very top of the list.  Mary knew for certain that Jesus was God’s own Son; Joseph believed this, Elizabeth and Zechariah believed it, the Twelve all came to believe it, and John the Baptist even proclaimed him to be the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  At least, that was what he must have thought at the time.

            Those who are skeptical of the religious claims the Bible makes love the fact that passages like this exist in Scripture.  If Jesus truly is the Son of God, why would Scripture include such an embarrassing anecdote about John?  Wouldn’t it lead others to have similar doubts?  Isn’t it incriminating that one of Christianity’s key figures had such serious questions about Jesus’ divinity when the going got rough?

            Herod had imprisoned John at this point in his life for his criticism of several of the evils Herod had committed, not the least of which was marrying his own brother’s wife, Herodias (who also happened to be his niece).  She detested John the Baptist so much that she eventually requested his execution.  John did not know how long he had, but his days were numbered.

            The going was rough for John, and all of a sudden he found himself imprisoned.  No more preaching and baptizing in the Jordan; no more pointing to Jesus and talking about how unworthy he was to untie his sandal straps; he now had some time on his hands to think about the things that had taken place, and he began to wonder.  ‘Is this really how things were supposed to go?  Shouldn’t the Son of God be rising to the top of society?  If Jesus really is the Coming One, wouldn’t he be looking after me, his forerunner?’

            They are good questions, questions we ourselves ask.  Oh, we don’t think about them all the time.  In fact, most of the time we don’t even think about the Son of God and consider what he has to do with the things going on in our lives.  When things go badly, that is when we begin to wonder about all kinds of things, and sometimes that wonder even raises doubts.  In good times, we’re happy to think that God is distant, that he’s there for those who need him, but as for us, we’re doing pretty well on our own.  When things get bad, however, God cannot be too close to us, and when bad times do not improve, or they get worse, we struggle just like John the Baptist.

            ‘Are you going to help me Lord, or should I start looking somewhere else?’ we might ask.  Or it might turn into, ‘If you really love me, Lord, help me.’  Or even, ‘Lord, if you’re really there, I could use a hand.’  No Christian is exempt from the struggles with unbelief we face in this life from the devil, our own sinful nature, and the world.  John the Baptist proves that there is no such thing as, ‘once saved; always saved.’  The sign of the cross given to us in baptism upon our foreheads and our hearts is no mere ‘stamp of approval’ to ward off every spiritual problem and doubt we may ever face – in fact, that cross on us is more like a bulls-eye for the evil one who seeks to plant those seeds of doubt and unbelief within us.  Nothing frustrates Satan like the faith given in baptism, and he will do everything in his power to make you question whether Jesus really is the Son of God, and whether he really died for your sins and rose again from the dead for you.

            Unbelief is persistent in its desire for our souls, never letting us have a moments’ rest while we live.  John the Baptist had reached rock bottom.  The great preacher was greatly puzzled.  Before, he had proclaimed the one who would grant freedom to those imprisoned.  Now that he sat in prison, perhaps his expectation was that Jesus would come and free him.

            Unbelief always seems to demand miracles.  Surely you have heard people give the excuse that they would believe if only God would do something miraculous.  There are no miracles, however, for those caught between faith and unbelief – there are only the words of Jesus.  The great preacher must hear the Greatest Preacher, and what does he say?  Does he give John a straight, ‘yes, I am the Coming One?’  Does he tell John, ‘no, you need not look for another?’  No.  ‘The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.’  John receives no miracle to stave off execution or free him from Herod’s clutches, but in Jesus’ preaching, he was sprung from the harshest prison of all – the prison of unbelief.

            It is not impossible for modern medicine to drastically improve vision and hearing, and even broken bones and diseases of the flesh are treated with amazing rates of success.  Raising the dead, however, is impossible, but when you think about the sequence of all of these things, the most significant thing Jesus preaches to John is that the poor have the Gospel preached to them.

            No miracle is coming on demand for John – Jesus does not work that way.  He must instead be content that in Christ his sins are forgiven and everlasting life is his in heaven.  This is what it means to have the Gospel preached to you – faith does not feed on miracles but on the Gospel.  Jesus’ answer to John finishes with a cryptic message, ‘blessed is he who is not offended because of me.’  Only the one who takes Christ at his word regardless of life’s circumstances receives the greatest miracle of all – the eternal life and forgiveness promised in Christ!

            Some will still insist that John’s conflict with unbelief compromises the witness of Scripture, but anyone who has engaged in that same struggle – and we all have – knows better.  We need only listen to the rest of the story to hear the answer we long for.  The weakness of John the Baptist reminds us that even the preacher must do battle against the evil one; the dilemma of John the Baptist teaches us that in our own struggles to trust the Lord, he has not abandoned us; and the words of Jesus reveal that in him we have the greatest preacher of all.

            We know where unbelief leads, but what about trust?  Trusting Christ still leads to death – John is not exempt from his coming execution and neither will any of us escape the wages of sin - but trusting Christ also leads past death to resurrection.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Trusting Christ ends in eternity. 

            To him alone be all the glory, forever and ever, amen.  The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, our Lord, amen.

Sermon: First Sunday in Advent

A Whole New World

Luke 21:25-36

First Sunday in Advent (C), 2009

Zion Lutheran Church

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Pastor Jonathon Bakker

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.  The Holy Scripture for our consideration this day is the Gospel reading from Luke.

‘And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.’  Then he spoke to them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.  But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.’

            Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Christmas is coming.  Are you ready?  Many shoppers on ‘Black Friday’ were out and about to ensure that they will be prepared with gifts for their loved ones.  More and more homes are decorated on the outside already, and the Christmas tree lots are officially open for business.  Few of us might be ready, for instance, if we were to look at the calendar and see that Christmas was tomorrow, but we know that it’s still three and a half weeks away.  We have time and maybe even a plan to have everything ready and in place so that when Christmas arrives, we can joyfully spend it with our loved ones sharing gifts, travelling to see family, and eating a feast or two.  We don’t have to be ready for Christmas to be here tomorrow – December 25^th is plenty of time.  We’ll be ready.

            There is also another kind of preparation that merits our undertaking; we prepare to commemorate of the Nativity of Christ in the manger at Bethlehem.  In our Lord’s humble entry into this world, he came under the Law to be the sacrifice for our sins, and we are prepared for this through the penitential season of Advent.  Singing Advent hymns, praying collects that stir up our hearts to repentance and faith, and hearing the Word of the Lord from the Gospels make us ready to celebrate our Lord’s birth on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Advent may strike us by surprise most years, coming on the heels of the Thanksgiving holiday, but there is no reason to panic during Advent, because this is the time for preparation.  It is as Luther himself wrote in the 13^th verse of the Christmas hymn, ‘From Heaven Above’:

            Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child

            Prepare a bed, soft, undefiled,

            A quiet chamber set apart

            For you to dwell within my heart

God alone makes our hearts ready to receive the Lord throughout this season of Advent so that come Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we will celebrate the Incarnation of Christ with joy.  We’ll be ready.

            If only it were so easy to prepare for the coming of the Lord.  It’s described in today’s Gospel and the reading says it all.  The Lord is coming.  Like it or not, ready or not, he is coming.  This is the only passage of Luke in which he speaks of the signs that will accompany the end of the world, and they are not the things humanity is hoping for.  The signs of his coming are startling.  Signs in the sun and moon and stars, anguish in the nations of the earth, the sea and its waves roaring, and the hearts of men failing for fear of what is coming on the earth.  Then, all of humanity, whether they have saving faith in Jesus Christ or not, will see him descending in a cloud with power and glory. 

            We know from the Creed that when he returns in glory, our Lord does so to judge the living and the dead.  Like a book that is open for all to see, there will be no more secrets.  The things we have hidden from our parents, our spouses, and even from our friends and enemies will not be concealed anymore.  When our Lord returns, he will be the judge of all.

            Yet, he also tells us that when we see these things begin to take place, we ought to look up and raise our heads, because our redemption is drawing near.  It almost sounds fanciful to our ears, but our Lord is reminding us that his judgment is not ultimately about the things we have done or not done, but about what we have believed.  Luther tells us that the irony with this passage is that those who ought to be afraid of the Lord’s coming, unbelievers, are not afraid, and those who ought to be rejoicing, believers, are instead terrified.

            What Jesus is promising in this passage is a whole new world which will accompany his return; a new Creation that will not be subject to the corruptibility or passability of this sinful age; a new Creation populated by the whole Christian church of all times and all places.  The heavens and the earth will pass away, but Jesus’ words will never ever pass away.  Just as you know the summer is coming when the leaves begin to appear, so also know that the Lord is coming when these things take place. 

            Jesus also tells us to beware, because the day will come suddenly.  Unlike preparing for Christmas Day in both church and society, when we know that there is time yet before December 25^th to make ourselves and our church ready for the celebration, there are no more warnings yet to come from the Lord before his return.  The rich man could not send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his brothers and family of what was to come.  They had Abraham, and we should expect nothing different.  We had Jesus.  The Lord died on the cross and was raised from the grave.  The time to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is not on your deathbed; it’s not twenty years from now; it’s not even tomorrow.  Our days are numbered, friends.  We may not have a deathbed.  We may not make it twenty more years on this earth.  We might not even make it to tomorrow.

            Preparing for the coming of the Lord is not something we can mark on the calendar and set up a long to-do list so that we are ready by that date, and it is not something we can put off until later – it will come unexpectedly.  We are called to be prepared to meet the Lord every single day!  We prepare for the coming of the Lord by hearing his enduring words and receiving the gifts he gives through them.  The white robes of his righteousness are the only clothes in which we can stand before the Lord and his Holy Communion is the only food that will sustain us into eternity.

            As Advent begins once again, let King David’s prayer in Psalm 39 also be ours.

“Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
 That I may know how frail I am.
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.

Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.
And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.”

We may not know how many days we have on this earth, we may not know how frail we are, and we may not even know who will gather the riches we have heaped up.  But in faith, we confidently wait for the Lord in whom we have the hope of eternal life.

            To him alone be all the glory, forever and ever, amen.

            The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, our Lord, amen.

           

Sermon for Thanksgiving Eve

The Great Thanksgiving

Luke 17:11-19

Thanksgiving Eve (B), 2009

Zion Lutheran Church

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Pastor Jonathon Bakker

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.  The Holy Scripture for our consideration is the Gospel reading from St. Luke.

Now it happened as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as he entered a certain village, there met him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’  So when he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’  And he said to him, ‘Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.’

            Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I always believed that this particular reading was appropriate for Thanksgiving services because of the thankfulness of the Samaritan Jesus healed from his leprosy.  Upon closer inspection, however, and now having seen and experienced what actually takes place during the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, I realize that this reading is chosen because of all the travelling that takes place with this holiday!  Naturally, with such travelling there are usually happy reunions with family and friends we haven’t seen for a while, and for that we give thanks.

            Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, but he was not taking the direct route – in the reading today he’s somewhere to the northwest of Jerusalem, somewhere in the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  He could have been anywhere between Cana and Mt. Gerizim, but he was on the way toward Jerusalem when he met ten lepers outside a village.  They were outside the village because of their leprosy.  When they saw Jesus, they lifted up their voices and cried out to him, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’  And he did, sending them to the priests, because a priest had to confirm that they were cured and a sacrifice, too, was required.  As they went, they were cleansed.

            One of those lepers was a Samaritan, and it is most likely that the other nine were Jewish.  The Samaritan returned to Jesus and fell down before him in thanksgiving for the miraculous cure of his leprosy.  Jesus wondered aloud why only one had returned to glorify God, and then he blessed him, commending his faith, and sent him on his way.  It’s not only Jesus that travels now, but also the thankful Samaritan who had been healed.

            Now, within the Gospel of Luke there is not only this one, but two accounts of Jesus healing lepers. 

The Gospel reading for tonight, from chapter 17, is very similar to an earlier account in chapter 5.  It reads, ‘And it happened when he was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’  Then [Jesus] put out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And [Jesus] charged him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.’’  It’s surprisingly similar to our Gospel, which leads one to wonder why both were included in this Gospel. 

            Surely one account of healing a leper would have been sufficient to demonstrate that even leprosy is no match for our Lord’s divine powers to heal.  Jesus’ temptation by the devil is only recorded once in the Gospel of Matthew, but it would be naive of us to assume that he was not, like we are, tormented by Satan throughout his earthly life.  He did not give in to temptation and he was not sinful, but there is no reason to believe that after 40 days in the wilderness the devil would have just given up and allowed Jesus to carry out his ministry without any interference.  One account of that temptation was enough for Matthew to convey the struggle Jesus had with the Devil and the comfort he found in the care of God the Father, and it’s not unreasonable to expect that the same would be true of a healing miracle as specific as cleansing people from leprosy.

            Friends, these two accounts are included not because they were so similar; they exist for us because of their differences!  Imagine you had 5 children, and they all went outside, chopped down a tree, and cut and stacked the wood for you.  All of those children are equally worthy of your praise and thanks for a job well done, but what if only the older four had actually been given that chore and the youngest one had done it out of his own free will.  Or what if the youngest one also happened to be the only girl?  All would remain equally worthy of your praise and thanks for a job well done, but the youngest, especially if she was a girl, would stand out because of the difference.

            It is the same in our Gospel tonight, dear friends – Luke, who was careful to include the events and sayings of Jesus in his Gospel as accurately as possible, saw fit to write two very similar, but not identical accounts.  The difference is not in the result of Jesus’ healing – the lepers are cured every time; the difference between these two accounts lies in the question the lepers asked Jesus as was travelling toward Jerusalem.  In the first episode, the leper fell on his face and asked Jesus for cleansing.  Cleansing is the technical term for being healed from leprosy.  Luke uses that term in both accounts, describing the lepers as having been cleansed, but in this account of the Samaritan, they do not ask the Son of God for cleansing.

            ‘Have mercy on us!’ is their plea.  As Jesus travels closer and closer to Jerusalem and ultimately toward his death on the cross to cleanse the world of sin, those making requests of Jesus are no longer asking for mere temporal cleansing, but for eternal healing.  And as we see in this reading, Jesus grants both.  The Samaritan was cleansed and his life spared from his physical illness, but beyond that, the Lord of life and death had mercy on him and granted him the fullest healing of all – the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life through faith.  He said, ‘Arise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’

            Friends, in the midst of all this travelling taking place around Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to God for the greatest travels of all – Christ’s journey from heaven to earth, from Bethlehem to Calvary, and from death to life, for us.  Jesus has heard our cries for mercy just like he heard the Samaritan’s cries and grants us full healing in his death and resurrection.  Our only response can be to give him thanks and praise for all that he has done for us.

            To Christ alone be all the glory, forever and ever, amen.

            The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, our Lord, amen.