Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Ah, yes. The 10 Lepers. Now, this text is a bit special. It comes up twice a year. You heard it today, and you’ll hear it in November. It’s also the Gospel lesson for Thanksgiving. Now, whether you hear it now or in about a couple months from now, there’s a nagging question, or, at least, there should be. Whether you knew it or not, we’re left with a question, a problem, really. What sort of text is this? What’s it all about?

There’s only one place to get an answer for that. There’s no room for “this is what it means to me” and “that’s what it means for you” here. That way of handling the Scriptures is no good. In fact, any sort of “that’s your interpretation” talk makes not only this text but every text of Scripture meaningless. You either rest on what the Lord Himself and His author say, or you don’t. It’s either our text or the Lord’s text. And between us and our Lord, there’s only One “Way, Truth, and Life.” Continue reading →

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Driven. The Prophets and Kings of the Old Testament were. Not just to preach. Not just to rule. No, more than that. They desired, they were driven “to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Driven. The Lawyer certainly was. Not to receive the Gift of God’s Word. Not to deliver the Good News. No, he was driven to “put Jesus to the test.” Why? Because he desired, he was driven “to justify himself,” to make himself right with God, to make himself forgiven.

Driven. Jesus was. Certainly was. He wasn’t just driven by the Spirit, like He was at His temptation. Jesus Himself was “destined, dedicated,” desired even, was “willing” to do all that He did, “to do His work, and [meet] His death.” Continue reading →

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

((5. Oops!: When you stand before God, there’s no other sinner but you.))

“God be merciful to me, the sinner.”

“God be merciful to me, the sinner.”

Look down, beat your breast, and say it with me, “God be merciful to me, the sinner.”

Not “a” sinner, one among many. No, the Tax Collector in our parable says that he’s the only one. From the Tax Collector’s godly perspective, he is all that counts. The Lord looks at him and him alone, and what does the Lord find? The only sinner there is. Everyone is better than him, more godly than him, more righteous than him because they are good, godly, and righteous—he is not.

So also you. That’s who you are before God. When you stand before the Lord’s judgment seat, there is no one else. There is no class action lawsuit. There’s only you. There is no other sinner but you. Continue reading →

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Peace! That’s what the Lord wants. Not just peace of mind. But actual peace. He doesn’t want some human idea of world peace. That’s just an empty substitution, an idol, instead of the true peace He wants. He wants peace between Him and all humanity. He wants “peace on earth”—no more separation between God and men. He wants His mercy, “peace, goodwill” to be “toward men,” that is, for men, for you—each of you.

What the Lord wants, He gets. He moves all of human history to do it. Abraham. Isaac. Jacob. The children of Israel. Egypt. Exodus. David. Prophets. Priests. Blood sacrifices. Tabernacle. Temple. All waiting for, all preparing for, all pointing to One—Jesus, God with a body. There, in Him, is the Lord God getting what He wants for you—peace.

Jesus is our “Peace-maker,” but how? What are “the things that make for your peace,” as Jesus says today? Certainly, all of history that Jesus moved in order to come, but more specific than that. Jesus “made peace by the blood of His cross.” His body given and His blood shed are the things that make for peace. That’s the Lord’s way. Where all the Old Testament pointed. Where even you, today, should look for peace.

JESUS’ BODY AND BLOOD MAKE FOR YOUR PEACE. Continue reading →

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Jesus is the king of parables. No one can tell story quite like He can. He’s the author of Life. Writing, weaving, tying all stories into His one salvation story. Jesus, the master story teller, can always tell a story that makes heads turn. Certainly our Gospel text, today, does that. Jesus told his parable, and said a few more things about money, and Luke tells us, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.” In fact, Jesus told all His parables to make people scratch their heads. He tells a parable about a Sower, and we get hung up on the soils. He tells a parable about Him saving 100% and not works, and we get hung up on being the Samaritan. And today, He tells a parable that involves a manager forgiving debs, and we get hung up on the money. Continue reading →