Lutheran Church
RESURRECTION
Lay ministers serve RLC
Resurrection lay ministers Gary Kresge, Jeff Johns, and John Hazzard have been doing a great job serving the church since the resignation of Pastor Chris Boyd. Pastor Boyd resigned at the end of January. His ministry still extends to the Catawba Island Fire Department as its chaplain and as a volunteer fireman. He is in the process of being called to a new church within the Missouri Synod closer to his home town of Dayton. Until an interim pastor through the NALC is in place at RLC, the congregation will receive pastoral care from three lay ministers. Pastor Dan Pennington has been providing communion.
Sermons
The Ascension of Our Lord June 1, 2025
Sermon Text John 24:44-53
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, Westerville, OH
“Where’s Jesus?”
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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
My wife, Susan, once took our grandson, Seth, and granddaughter, Ayla, to Sunday worship in an Army chapel. She was watching the children while James and Rebekah were out of town, so attending the service on the Army post was more convenient. To that point, the kids had always been in Lutheran churches for Sunday worship, most of which have red sanctuary lamps burning, somewhere in the church. So, Ayla, probably 7 at that time, noticed right away that there wasn’t a sanctuary or eternal candle burning in the Army chapel. As the saying goes, I guess, “If the Army wanted the chapel to have a sanctuary lamp, they would have issued them one!” So maybe that’s not customary in military chapels where various groups are using the chapel for worship, sometimes even Muslims and Buddhists. Nevertheless, right away, as they sat down, Ayla asked Nana, “Where’s Jesus?” My wife didn’t catch on right away. Ayla explained that she thought the red sanctuary candle, in a church, meant that Jesus was there, and without it, it seemed, to her that maybe Jesus wasn’t there.
A couple weeks ago, the sermon was titled, “Why?” and this week, I’ve titled the sermon, “Where?” As in, “Where’s Jesus?” If there’s a theme to the lessons on a Sunday when we are focusing on the Ascension of the Lord, it surely is, “Where’s Jesus?” In our first lesson, after Jesus had spoken to the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit, as the disciples were looking on, Jesus was lifted, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” And Luke tells us, “While they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men (angels) stood by them in white robes and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” At that moment, witnessing such an altogether supernatural and otherworldly event, as Jesus was taken up into heaven, into the clouds, who wouldn’t wonder, “Where did He go?” Where’s Jesus?” St. Paul doesn’t help much, when he speaks of the ascension of our Lord in our second reading, as he writes to the Ephesians that God “raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
Now, if our burning question in life is “Where’s Jesus?” that description by Paul seems to clearly point up. Jesus ascended, up through the clouds as the men of Galilee watched Him go, so Jesus is undoubtedly seated at the right hand of the Father God, in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, where God made Jesus head over all things in the Church, putting all things under His feet. So, should two angels appear to us and ask us, “why are you standing looking up for Jesus?” we would answer, “Because that’s where He is! He ascended through the clouds. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, far above all things in the Church! The Church thinks about Jesus in that way. Scripture speaks about Jesus in that way. Jesus went up, up and away!
However, that’s not how Jesus talks about “where.” Yes, the Lord has been telling His disciples that He was going to the Father, that He would leave them. But He is leaving them, to return to them—to us. We’ve been hearing this the last few weeks as we have been hearing Jesus in the Farewell Discourses in John’s Gospel. It hasn’t always made sense to the disciples. And unfortunately, it hasn’t always made sense to us disciples today.
Christians today often wonder, “Where is Jesus?” We ask that when we are struggling in life. We ask that when we are lying in a hospital bed or standing by a gravesite. We wrestle with that when we are feeling lonely, isolated, and alone. “Where are you, Jesus?” “Are you here, Lord?” We question because we are sometimes confused, confused because we hear two messages in the Scripture. On the one hand, we have the biblical witness to His ascension to God’s right hand, where the Lord is seated at the right hand of God the Father, far above all created things. On the other hand, we have the Lord’s own words in Matthew 28, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the close of the age.” We also have His words in Matthew 18, that wherever two or three are gathered in His name, there He will be in the midst of us. We also question because even as we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord, we also have the promise in John that the Word became flesh to dwell among us, to live with us, full of grace and truth. So, how do we reconcile the ascension, with Jesus’ words in John at the Lord’s Supper, when He says, “Let not your hearts be troubled—I go away, and I will come to you.” This leaves us to question and wonder—which is it? Where is Jesus? Up there? Or somehow, here?
Well, Jesus is both there and here! The Ascension of our Lord is all about Jesus being there at the right hand of God the Father, so that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He can be here with us, always, to the end of the age! That is what Jesus is saying when He prepares the disciples for His ascension, which will be closely followed by the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit of God, which makes Jesus present with us, not in one place at one time, but truly, wherever two or three are gathered in His name, with us always. It is the power of the Holy Spirit of God which works with the Word of God to make Jesus present, in the Word and in the Sacraments, which Martin Luther described as “the means of grace”—the instruments, the channels through which God shares Christ’s presence with us, not figuratively, not symbolically, but truly, as Jesus is incarnate in the Word and in the water of Holy Baptism and in His Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Altar. Why does God use these means of grace? Why does God give us Christ’s presence, specifically, in Word and Sacrament? So that we will know and we can trust where Jesus is when He comes to us!
You see, we humans are not always spiritual people. We are often too much in the world and of the world. We are afraid and troubles, and we are distracted and disheartened. We are often blind to the reality of God’s presence in the world. We wish we were more spiritually attuned, but life and worry get in the way. So as surely as God became human, became flesh and blood in Jesus, born as a baby in Bethlehem, God becomes present, becomes incarnate, in Jesus, in the Word, written, read, and preached. He was in the Lord’s Supper, which became His body and blood, broken and poured out for us to eat and drink, so that we consume His real presence.
Certainly, the presence of God fills the whole creation with light and life, in and through Jesus. We know that the Triune God is omnipresent—fully present in His creation. There are many ways that God is present with us in our world, and we experience His presence in what Bill Kulju refers to in adult class as “God winks”—hints, indications of God with us. Sometimes we miss them. Sometimes grief, loss, the Great Tribulation get in the way, and we don’t feel God’s presence, we don’t see evidence of Jesus with us, we experience life as a shadowed existence that seems to get darker by the day. Thankfully, that is not all of us, all the time. It does seem to be most of us sometime in life. Most of us have a time, or times, when we cry out, “Where are you, Jesus?” “Where can I find you when I need you?!” His answer is: I am the Living Word come down from heaven. I am the Word incarnate. I am the Living Bread, that whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood may have my life, in them. In other words, He has promised to be present for us in the Bible and on the altar. That’s why, for 1500 years, every church has a pulpit and an altar. That’s why, even after the Reformation, those who believe in the real presence of Jesus, continue to have not stages and mood lighting, not performers and performances, but pulpits and altars. That’s why, even in foxholes and battlefields, the faithful open their Bibles and create makeshift altars to receive Jesus in the Word and in His Holy Supper. That’s why we have a place for the Word and a place for the Body and Blood of our Lord, here, in our temple—here in the Lord’s temple. That’s why we show reverence and respect. This is where our Lord comes to us. This is where we know and trust that Jesus is with us, even and especially, when we aren’t experiencing Him in our lives, elsewhere. This is where the Living Bread, the Living Word comes down from heaven, to feed us, to nourish us, to comfort us, to give us peace, hope, and joy, in the midst of our doubts and our struggles and our depression and our loneliness. This is where we are illuminated to be sent out to “let our light to shine before others,” as we say in Baptism, “that they see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.” This is where we are emboldened and empowered by our Lord’s risen presence, to prepare us to “go in peace to serve the Lord.” He prepares us to be His witnesses, witnesses to His risen presence in our lives and in our world, as the incarnate Lord, with us always, as He has promised.
Let us be clear. This sanctuary lamp isn’t the presence of Jesus. It is a reminder that Christ is risen! It’s a reminder that Christ is our Light—a light no darkness can overcome! It’s a visible, ever-present, ever-burning reminder that this is God’s House, this is the place where Jesus is undeniably present for us, in Word and Sacrament, by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, we say thanks be to God for Christ’s light, Christ’s life, and Christ’s presence with us!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Festival of Pentecost June 8, 2025
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, Westerville, OH
“Stir Up in Us!”
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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today, we celebrate the Festival of Pentecost, the third great festival of the year, together with Christmas and Easter, and yet a festival which rarely gets the attention of the other two. For example, we don’t ever talk about “C, E and P Christians,” who come to church only on Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost! I’ve never had a Lutheran tell me, “Well, Pastor, we always try to make it to church on Pentecost!” Why is it that we Lutherans, in particular, have a hard time with Pentecost and the Holy Spirit? I mean, Pentecost is observed as the birthday of the Church! Who doesn’t like birthday parties? We mark the coming of the Holy Spirit who makes the Risen Jesus present with us, in Word and Sacrament. It is the Holy Spirit who enlightens us and empowers us to be witnesses to Jesus and His death and resurrection. Yet, such talk about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit in Lutheranism makes many decidedly uncomfortable. Maybe it is because the scripture tells us the Holy Spirit blows where it will, and we are afraid we won’t be able to control it or temper it, what with our traditional and reserved personalities as Lutherans!
I’ve shared in Bible study before, that in my first congregation, Trinity Lutheran, Hobbs, New Mexico, I thought it might be a great idea to put a little more emphasis into Pentecost, so I borrowed a big old revival tent, had it erected in the church parking lot and invited the church and the community to a Pentecost Festival to get us out of the church building and get us a little more attuned to the Holy Spirit. I lost members over that Pentecost Festival, as a few members huffed and puffed that “Lutherans don’t focus on the Holy Spirit!” and some such parting comments. And, wanting to put the best possible construction on those Lutherans, I will just say that you can’t really blame them. We pastors haven’t always been that comfortable speaking about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit either. Jesus? We are comfortable with Jesus. Every Lutheran pastor can preach a bang-up sermon on Jesus. God the Father? Give a pastor the chance to preach about our Father God, and we can speak all day about “God who so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him!” The Holy Spirit? Not so much.
How do you even explain the Holy Spirit? We usually turn to Martin Luther in the Small Catechism, where, in the section on the Holy Spirit, the third article of the Creed, Luther writes, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit calls me through the Gospel, enlightens me with His gifts and sanctifies and keeps me in true faith, just as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.”
Now that’s a part of the Small Catechism worth remembering! It is here that we first heard the Gospel, we are baptized, confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit called us through the Word of God, gathers us around and through the Word, enlightens and sanctifies us by the Word, so that we are born anew into the one true faith. We are kept in that faith, not by our own efforts or actions, but only by the power and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of the divine Godhead. This is why we pray in the prayer of confirmation, “Father in heaven, for Jesus’ sake, stir up in this confirmand, the gift of your Holy Spirit; confirm his faith, guide his life, empower him in his serving, give him patience in suffering and bring him to everlasting life.” This is why in the affirmation of Baptism, as we receive new members, we pray, “Continue to strengthen them with the Holy Spirit, and daily increase in them your gifts of grace; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence…”
We pray that, but do we really mean it? We pray that, but when we were confirmed, when we became members of the congregation, did we mean it? In other words, are we really open to the Holy Spirit, stirring in us, guiding our lives, making us Holy Spirit people, people of Pentecost? It seems to me part of the hesitation isn’t what Scripture says about being people filled with the Holy Spirit, but what our culture and some religious expressions present as “Pentecostal” Christians that scares us off. Watch most any movie and you’ll see Christians supposedly full of the Holy Spirit shouting and dancing in the aisles. You’ll see images of believers full of the Spirit back in the bayou in Louisiana, handling poisonous snakes and speaking in tongues. In media and culture, people who are Holy Ghost inspired are often presented as wild-eyed fanatics. If that is really what Spirit-filled Christians are like, then count most Lutherans out!
That’s not what Scripture says about the work and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Sure, the Holy Spirit comes to each of us differently, works in each of us in different ways, even as the Holy Spirit touches the believers in Acts, causing each to speak in his own language, in his own way to spread the Gospel. However, in our Gospel lesson today, Jesus says the Holy Spirit is “the Helper, sent from the Father, to teach us all things and to bring to mind all that Jesus has said to us.” In that regard, it is the Holy Spirit who helps us to keep Jesus’ words. The Lord said in the Farewell Discourses, in our Gospel reading today, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” How profound then, that after telling us to keep His words, Jesus promises the Father will send His Spirit to be our Helper—to remind us of all that Jesus has said and taught, so that we might, keep His words—live His words—obey all that Jesus has commanded us, as He says in the Great Commission. In this way, as Jesus says repeatedly, the Holy Spirit guides us into all the truth because we learn the truth, from Jesus and His life and His instruction, as Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. On our own, we cannot know the truth or keep the truth, even as we have a hard time keeping Jesus’ words in our minds and in our hearts. But the Holy Spirit is our Helper. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our advocate, as well as our comforter. As Luther wrote in the Small Catechism, the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies us and the whole Christian Church on earth, preserving it in unity with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
What is so scary about that? What is there in that understanding of the Holy Spirit that might be off-putting, or cause us to be hesitant, praying for, opening ourselves to the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit might stir us up, strengthen us, daily increase in us the gifts of grace; the spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in Christ’s presence…” I don’t know about you, but I could use all of that! Even as I would like to see more of the fruit of the Spirit, in my life. Who among us wouldn’t appreciate the Holy Spirit, creating in us, more “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?” St. Paul says in Galatians 5, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” And that’s what the Festival of Pentecost is all about. Living by the Spirit, walking by the Spirit, who helps us to keep, to live, to obey, the words of Jesus. So, today, we pray for those being confirmed. We pray for new members. Even more, we pray that today, for ourselves, that we may be, each and every one of us, not closed or reluctant, but open to the Holy Spirit in our lives, as we pray, “Father in heaven, for Jesus sake, stir up in us, this Pentecost Sunday, the gift of your Holy Spirit. Confirm our faith, guide our life, empower us in our serving, give us patience in suffering and bring us all, finally, to everlasting life.” For we ask it…
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel April 27, 2025
Lesson: St. John 20:19-31
"Fear or Faith?"
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today, John describes for us the response of the disciples the evening of that day, the first day of the week, in fact, the day of Jesus' resurrection and first appearances, as the evangelist says, the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews.
Interesting, isn't it, that this is the evening of the day of resurrection, the evening of the very same day on which they had not only heard the good news that Jesus was not dead, but alive, and several, at least, had already seen Jesus--not just Mary Magdalene, but also Simon Peter, and the so-called "beloved disciple", John, the author of this gospel. And yet, where do we find these followers of Jesus?
Hiding behind locked doors, for fear of the Jewish leaders, for fear that they, too, might be caught up in the persecution that had caused their Lord to be arrested, tried, beaten, and finally crucified. And we see here the power of resurrection, but also the sometimes greater power, of fear! For eight days later, John tells us that they are again, in the house, and the doors were shut, which can also be translated "locked"--giving us a clear image of the disciples, one week later, on Sunday, again, still concerned for their safety, still gathering like frightened sheep, still trusting, not in the reality of resurrection and new life and courage--but relying on the solid wood of the door, and the deadbolt that held it in place. And this passage, this account of the disciples, hiding behind locked doors, ought to trouble us Christians today, as we disciples gather in the upper room on Sunday. For we may see ourselves in this account, just as the early Church saw themselves, often gathering behind locked doors for fear, not of the Jews, but in fear of the Romans--often gathering for Sunday worship, not out in the open, not courageously in public places, but in secret rooms where they could gather without being seen, or noticed--for fear--that they would be arrested, tried, persecuted. And this experience of the first disciples might challenge us to ask, "are we, ourselves, still hesitant, shy, fearful--afraid to be Christians out in public, boldly and courageously--or are we most comfortable, gathering behind closed church doors, not locked, but certainly secure enough to keep us out of sight from the world around us?" Are we, ourselves, motivated in our everyday lives, by resurrection power--or by fear? That's one of the questions, at least, we are to be asking ourselves, as we hear about disciples of Jesus, hiding behind locked doors.
For fear is still with us, isn't it? Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported that 30 years ago, the greatest fears of grade school children were: 1) Animals, 2) Being in a dark room, 3) High places, 4) Strangers, 5) Loud noises. Today, they report that kids are afraid of: 1) Divorce, 2) Nuclear war, 3) Cancer, 4) Pollution, 5) Being mugged. And are we adults any different? Still, today, adults are afraid of divorce, war, cancer, a polluted, corrupted world, and yes, being mugged. Children's fears 30 years ago were somewhat irrational--fear of wild animals, of a dark room, of loud noises. Our fears today are real and rational. There's some reason to be fearful of divorce, war, and cancer. But, the question raised by our text is: because Jesus is risen from death, can we live new lives--without fear? Can our lives be different, in Jesus, so that we no longer hide ourselves behind locked doors, so that we no longer need to hesitate to speak about Jesus, or to witness to the faith that is in us? Has the death and resurrection of Jesus so changed our lives that we can live, in response, boldly, and courageously?
This is the situation Jesus confronted, when he visited the first disciples, hiding for fear behind locked doors. Was it okay that they seemed to be spending all their time locked away? Was he pleased to see that they cowered in fear, keeping to themselves, safe and secure in their panic room? Did he come to assure them and comfort them, and then to leave them where they were, shivering in fear? I trust you know the answer to those questions--for Jesus comes to break into their fear, even as the locked door couldn't keep Him out! Jesus comes to bring them His peace, but even more, to bring them His Spirit--so that they would not fear, so that they would not remain sealed away from the outside world, but empowered, and encouraged, ready to be sent out to live as the disciples, the apostles, the ambassadors Jesus had called them to be! So, first, He speaks peace to them, saying, "peace be with you." But then, He says to them, "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.' " And in this, the Lord is commanding the disciples to go; He is sending the disciples out to preach the forgiveness of sins, and to actually forgive sins! In this, the Lord is filling His disciples with the Spirit's power, so that they will not hide in fear, but be ready to be sent--out, into the world--which so desperately needs to hear, and to receive the good news of the living hope that we have, through the resurrection of Jesus.
And though our lesson for today tells us next about Thomas, what we do know is that ultimately, the apostles went--out, to the ends of the earth! We do know that almost immediately after this empowering and sending, Peter, himself, was standing up in public, preaching a sermon to the very Jews whom they had previously been afraid of, saying, "Jesus of Nazareth, you crucified and killed, but God raised Him up, having loosed the pangs of death…this Jesus", says Peter, "God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses."
We do know that Christian martyrs throughout the ages have been willing to stand up, publicly, as witnesses to Jesus Christ, who though He was dead, was raised from death. And we know that even today, Christians are being persecuted throughout the world, for being witnesses to Jesus, risen from death: as Christians are being persecuted, still, in the middle east, in China and southeast Asia and in Africa, where 54 Christians were slaughtered after Palm Sunday services, just two Sundays ago, in Nigeria. And they are being persecuted because disciples are not willing to hide behind locked doors for fear of recognition and persecution, but in the power of the resurrection, are suffering various trials, as the genuineness of their faith, more precious than gold, is being tested by fire, finally, redounding to praise and glory and honor, at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
And how are we doing, in this regard, today? The Risen Jesus Christ appears to us, today, gathered as we are, on the first day of the week, behind closed doors, and though He manifests His broken and wounded body, so that we will not be faithless, but believing--though He offers Himself to us, today, as He offered Himself to Thomas--still, still, in response, we are being sent. Our Lord says to us, "As the Father sent me, even so I send you." And He has breathed on us, and we have received the Holy Spirit, in Baptism and Confirmation, to empower us to be His witnesses. The question is, will we go? Will we go to be His witnesses, or will we go and keep Jesus to ourselves? Will we go and find ways to share the good news of the resurrection with others or will we hesitate, afraid we might offend? Will we go, born anew through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, manifesting the Risen Jesus in our bodies, in our lives, or will we keep him hidden from view, for fear of what others might think? Through the resurrection of Jesus, you and I have been raised up, to no longer fear, to no longer hide our faith behind closed doors, but to live powerfully, as Christian witnesses out in the world, wherever we go! The challenge today is, will we continue to leave our faith sealed up safely within the four walls of the church building, closed up behind the doors of our homes--or will we go forth to live the faith we proclaim--that others may come to believe and have life in Jesus' name? We have not been born anew for fear, but for faith--so we live that faith, powerfully, boldly, and courageously!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Third Sunday of Easter May 4, 2025
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, Westerville, OH
“Holy Havoc!”
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We took a few days after Easter to visit our son and his family at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, where our son is an Army chaplain. As soon as we walked into their kitchen, I saw a sugar cookie on the counter, in clear plastic wrap, The cookie was decorated with a logo which said, “Wreak Havoc!” Which is what you see on the insert in our bulletin. When I saw it, I thought, that’s kind of an odd saying to put on a cookie, “Wreak Havoc!” But then, I also saw a military coin in his living room (maybe you’ve seen those metal coins which military folks pass back and forth), and this one said, “Bring the Havoc!” together with the name of our son’s military regiment. Evidently, that’s the nickname of their field artillery battery, or unit. they are the “Havoc” battery. What caught my attention, besides the cookie right there begging for somebody to eat it, was the fact that I had just been thinking about that strange word, “Havoc.” I thought, where have I heard that recently? It isn’t a common word so much these days—it’s kind of outdated, like, “mayhem,” or “malarkey.” When was the last time you heard a parent or a teacher say to kids, “Stop wreaking havoc?” Then it came to my mind. I remembered when I had been reading the lessons for this Sunday, Luke writes in Acts, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name?” Other translations say, “Isn’t this the man who was wreaking havoc on the church?”
The havoc Saul was wreaking on the Church wasn’t the same as the havoc a military artillery might cause in a time of war, but Saul was dropping bombs, figuratively, wherever he went. He had a letter of authorization which empowered him to enter the homes of Christians, having them dragged out and arrested, for false and blasphemous religion. If you remember your New Testament history, it was Saul who was complicit in the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr. St. Luke tells us Saul was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.”
Apparently, there was no leader in Judaism who was so fervent and so effective at persecuting Christians, as Saul, whose purpose in life, at that time, was to wreak havoc in the newborn Church, among all who called upon the name of Jesus. This is why Ananias and then the believers in Damascus had such a hard time accepting that Saul had changed. He changed so radically from being a rabid persecutor of Christians and the Church, to entering Jewish synagogues to preach about Jesus! When the Lord spoke to Ananias, telling him to go find Saul, now Paul, to minister to him in his blindness, no wonder Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. He has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
However, the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” Then, after being baptized, going to Damascus to preach in the synagogues, the people were confused, saying, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name?” And whereas before, Saul had been wreaking havoc on the Christians, it seems he was also wreaking havoc among the Jews, for Luke writes in the last verse of our first lesson, “But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.”
Now, isn’t that fascinating?! Saul, who was blowing up the early Church with his persecutions, threats, and murder, suddenly brought havoc upon the Jews! What would cause such a change of heart and mind? How could one do such a complete 180-degree turnaround? How could the Christians and the Jews, NOT question Saul’s/Paul’s motives and intentions? Was he a wolf in sheep’s clothing, just waiting to pounce on the Christians? Was he preaching in the Jewish synagogues to find believers in Christ, hidden amongst the Jews? Who knew? Who could believe such a transformation? How could someone like Saul, so quickly become Paul?
That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? How does change happen in life? How would it happen that Peter, who denied Jesus three times, boldly preached the first Christian sermon? How could it be that the eleven disciples, soon to be twelve again, could go from hiding in the upper room behind locked doors, in fear, to becoming the apostles sent to Jerusalem and Judea and the ends of the earth to courageously spread the Gospel? How does it happen? It happens only through an encounter with the Risen Jesus!
From Easter Sunday on, through the next couple of weeks, we will hear the real-life accounts of lives that were changed, transformed radically, by an encounter with Jesus, risen from death, risen to new life! From the women at the tomb, and the disciples in the upper room, and doubting Thomas, and now Saul becoming Paul, we see miraculous things happening in the lives of those who once cowered in fear and uncertainty, now bold, ready and willing to step out in faith. What caused the change was being in the presence of their Risen Lord, not dead, not buried, but alive again, to be with them always! That is what brings about real change and transformation in life. It was the Risen Jesus who appeared to Saul as he was on the road to Damascus, striking Saul down, blinding Saul for three days, so that after three days, Saul would have something of a death and resurrection himself. He saw the Light, receiving new sight and insight, believing in the resurrection, to believing in the Son of God, who died and was raised. He was given forgiveness, salvation as a gift, through the blood of the Lamb of God, poured out for the sins of the world. It was for Paul much the same as it was for the disciples, as it was the Risen Jesus who appeared to them as they had gone back to their fishing by the Sea of Tiberius, reminding them that, as He had told them, they would not be fishermen, but “fishers of men.”
And what of those today, who still doubt and disbelieve? What of those who today are at times fearful and uncertain? What of us who very much want and maybe need a change of direction, a transformation in our lives? If only we might have a Damascus Road experience! If only you and I might have an encounter with the risen Jesus, which turns our hearts and lives. If only…
For all the talk of the Last Supper, there are those who say we should also focus on the “First Breakfast” as a precursor to the Lord’s Supper. In our Gospel lesson, after seeing the Risen Lord, Jesus invited them saying, “Come and have breakfast.” In language similar to the wording used to describe the Lord’s Supper, Jesus took the elements and blessed them and gave them to the disciples! This makes a bit more sense for us today to be invited to this First Breakfast, because now we have the Lord’s Supper on Sunday morning, on the day of resurrection! This is our Damascus Road experience! This is where the Risen Lord appears to us, every Sunday, in the holy meal, the sacrament of our Lord’s risen presence among us, to give to us, to you and to me, His embodied presence in the bread and wine that become His Body and Blood, so that as we eat and drink, His presence in us, will strengthen and encourage us, will transform our hearts and lives. To do what? To love and care for His sheep. To follow Him wherever He leads us! To be, not weak or fearful, but strong and bold and victorious in life, because the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign, and in Him, we have new life and abundant life and eternal life!
So, now we go forth to bring holy havoc to the world! Now we go forth to turn the world upside down, as it says in the Acts of the Apostles, to shake things up in the world, with the good news of Jesus Christ and His risen presence in the world! Now, we go forth to be apostles and ambassadors for Christ, bringing love and forgiveness, and peace and joy, and life and light and salvation, to those, like Saul, still living in darkness. For Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
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THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSES ALL HUMAN UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN JESUS CHRIST…OUR LORD AND SAVIOR THAT IS THE SOLID ROCK WE STAND.
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Easter VI, Cycle C May 25, 2025
Sermon Text John 16:23-33
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, Westerville, OH
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“Speaking Plainly?”
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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sometimes, we think of the twelve disciples in less than gracious ways. We think of them as difficult. We think of them as not too bright. We think of them as unable to listen and hear clearly what the Lord is telling them. Why else would Jesus say to them, again and again, “Let he who has ears, hear!” And yet, our characterization of them is not always fair. Yes, they were all too human and had their arguments with each other and their lapses in judgment and understanding. But, let’s be honest. Sometimes the Lord is difficult to understand, at least, as John remembered and recorded the Lord’s words! At times, we have a hard time hearing Him and grasping what in the world He’s saying!
Some of Jesus’s instruction in the Farewell Discourses, John chapters 13 through 17, are perfectly clear and understandable. His prayers for the unity of the Church, for example, are clear and straightforward. The example He gives, in the washing of the disciple’s feet and His new commandment that we love one another, as He loves us, are easily grasped. But these verses we have as our Gospel lesson today can leave us scratching our heads, together with the twelve. They leave us asking, “Is it us?” “It’s Him, right?” “It’s not us—it’s Jesus, who is sometimes, for us, less than clear and direct, in what He’s saying, as recorded by John.” And while we may feel a little guilty saying that, the Lord admits it, in our passage today!
It’s interesting that Jesus, Himself, says in verse 25, “I have said these things to you in figures of speech.” Now, “figures of speech” is an understatement. The word, in Greek, is paroimia, which is much more complex than just a simple figure of speech. Various versions of the Bible translate it, “proverbs,” but others have Jesus saying, “I have been speaking to you in dark or shadowed sayings.” Some translate it, “I have been speaking to you in veiled language, using hidden meanings.” Basically, Jesus means He realizes He’s been talking with them using images and language that are hard to understand, veiled to the hearer, not readily accessible. Jesus says, “The time is coming when I will no longer speak in figures of speech or veiled language but will tell you plainly about the Father.” And then, He said, “In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
And although the disciples respond, saying, “Ah, now you’re speaking plainly and not in figures of speech,” I don’t know about you, but I still don’t find that all too clear. Is this that time when Jesus is going to speak plainly, or is that time still to come? He’s been speaking about Himself and the Father already, so this doesn’t seem like new information, even though it seems a revelation to the twelve. The reality is, until after His death and resurrection, it’s not all clear and plain. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Lord opens their minds to understand all that the scriptures say about Him, so that the apostles then have their eyes opened and it all makes sense. At the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday, these words of Jesus still seem a little hidden and veiled. But there are messages and meanings in our passage from the Farewell Discourses today.
First, Jesus tells us that the Father loves us and we can approach the Father, ourselves, in Jesus’ name. We hear Jesus say, “Come to the Father in prayer, and whatever you ask, the Father will give you.” We often get caught up on His comment, “whatever you ask, the Father will give you.” But Jesus’ point is not that the Father will give us whatever we want, but that the Father is open to us, that Jesus was opening up a new relationship and a new closeness, between the Father God and we, His children, so that as a Father welcomes His children with open arms, God is always ready to embrace us and hear us, as we pray. That love and openness—to us, to you and me, is what Jesus is communicating to us—not that we will get everything we want—like, a new car or boat, or protection from trial or loss or grief. Which brings us to the next point.
Second, the Father will answer our prayers, as we pray in Jesus’ name. Because Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, atoned for our sins, healing the breach caused by our sin, reconciling us, sons and daughters, with God our Father, we now approach the Father, we come to the Father, in Jesus’ name. We dare not approach the Father, on our own, trusting in our own righteousness, for before God, on our own, we are sinful, disobedient children. We know we can be sinful, disobedient children. We confess it every Sunday! Our estrangement from God our Father has been healed by the death of Jesus, who, as the Lamb of God, died to take away our sin, that in Him, we might return to our Father, prodigal sons and daughters humbly begging for grace and mercy, surprised to find our Father God running to us, embracing us, throwing a banquet for us, in our honor. As the lost have been found, we are welcomed at the table of the Lord. All—only because we have been reconciled to God, through Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray and in whose name we come, every week, to the foretaste of the feast to come is the third thing we want to hear, today, in our Gospel lesson.
This is but a foretaste of the feast to come. We have in our second lesson today, the wonderful vision of the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, where God will dwell with His children and the Lamb will be the light, and there will be no night there—even as there will be no crying, pain, or death. Wowever, we aren’t there, yet. We are still in the Great Tribulation, as the Revelation has it. We are still struggling and suffering with life and illness and grief. We are still fighting against sin and Satan and the forces of evil. The Lord recognizes this, as He says at the end of our reading, “In this world you will have tribulation.” But, He says, He promises, He assures us, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”
That’s pretty clear and direct. Now the Lord is speaking plainly! When we are struggling, we are encouraged, because Jesus has overcome this sinful world! When we are grieving, we are comforted, because Jesus has overcome death! When our lives feel out of control, we rely on Jesus, because He is in control, of our lives, of our homes and our families, of our world. No matter how hard or how often we pray to be delivered from evil, saved from the time of trial, protected from the Great Tribulation, in this world, we will have tribulation, we will have trouble and suffering. However, Jesus has overcome “the world!” Jesus has overcome Satan and the forces of evil! Jesus has overcome the principalities and powers which came against Him, and come, even now, against us. That is the assurance we receive, from the Lord today, as He says, “Take heart, I have overcome the world!” Which is what we’ll say in our hymn of the day, as we sing, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! We are heirs of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.” And—this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is our story, this is our song, praising our Savior, all the day long!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Sermon Text John 10: 22-30 May 11, 2025
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, Westerville, OH
“A Mixed Message!”
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We might like to think that after the season of Lent, as we are now in the seven weeks celebrating the resurrection of our Lord, that we’d be past the scripture texts about opposition to Jesus. During the Sundays of Lent, week after week, we hear about the increasing attempts by the religious leaders to trap Jesus, to get Him to incriminate Himself, to make it easier to have Him arrested, tried, and put to death. In some ways, that’s what makes Lent so, shall we say “tedious,” as every Gospel lesson is about the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders. Now that Good Friday has come and gone, and we are celebrating the hope and promise of resurrection, one might like to have Gospel readings upbeat and uplifting! This is how we usually hear our Gospel lesson today, as we are reassured in this passage, and earlier in John 10, that Jesus is our Good Shepherd; that Jesus knows us intimately; that we hear His voice and follow Him willingly; that Jesus gives us eternal life, and no one can snatch us out of His hands. That is a pretty upbeat and uplifting message, which comforts us and encourages us. It’s good news, isn’t it?!
Yes, until you read the very next verse, which isn’t part of our Gospel lesson today, but which is essential to understanding the context, understanding the meaning of our reading today. For just after Jesus spoke these words of comfort and care in verses 27- 30, John tells us, in verse 31, “The Jews took up stones again to stone him.” Seeing that, Jesus says, “I have shown you many good works from the Father, for which of these do you intend to stone me?” The Jews answered, “We stone you, not for any good work, but for blasphemy because you, a man, make yourself God.” So again, they tried to arrest Jesus, but John says, “He escaped from their hands.”
So, today, the message for you and for me is mixed. There’s good news and bad news. On the one hand, we have the good news, the assurance that we have a Shepherd, Jesus, who loves us and cares for us. He is one with the Father, so we know that we have the divine promise of forgiveness, life and salvation, so that we will always belong to God. We will always be God’s adopted daughters and sons, and “no one will be able to snatch us out of His hands.” That’s the good part of the message in our Gospel lesson today. However, the other part? There will be some, in our lives, who try to “snatch us out of His hand!”
St. Paul, in our first reading from Acts, writes of this reality, as he wrote to the Ephesians, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” That’s the bad news today. In the early Church, in the Church today, in the lives of those first disciples, and in our lives as disciples and followers of Jesus today, fierce wolves will come in among us, not sparing the flock. Paul says this isn’t just from outside the flock. He says that from among you will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples. Now, certainly, we know that we Christians are not protected from attack by disease and illness. We and our families struggle with addiction and alcoholism, dysfunctional relationships, tensions in marriage, and sometimes divorce. We are attacked from all sides by the devil, who wants nothing more than to use our challenges and difficulties in life to make us question our faith and doubt our Good Shepherd. The devil rejoices when, in the midst of trials and tribulation in life, we begin to ask, “Jesus, do you have me? Am I still held fast in your hand?”
If it weren’t hard enough to deal with these pressures from outside the church, Paul warns us to guard against those in our midst, those who rise up amongst us, speaking twisted things, drawing disciples away from Jesus. We are all too aware, today, of bishops, pastors, and teachers who claim that Jesus didn’t really rise physically, bodily from death, who teach that the Bible isn’t really God’s Word, in its entirety, that there is no such thing as “objective truth,” truth that is true for all time, unchanged and unchanging. As the Roman Catholic Cardinals have been seeking God’s will regarding a new earthly head of their church, there has been great talk of the need for a leader who will speak clearly and firmly about Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, rejecting the “twisted teachings” which have arisen inside the church as well as outside! So, what is St. Paul’s advice to all of us, as we face up to the reality of such attacks and dangers?
Paul says, “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Paul writes, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock… to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” Paul says, “Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Finally, Paul says, “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus…”
In this time, after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, in this time when we know that there will be those who attack the Church and Christians, from outside and within, today’s message is one of exhortation, in response to the good news. We are to be rest assured that we have a Good Shepherd, who is united, inseparable from God the Father, in His will and in His ways. We are to listen for the voice of the Shepherd and follow Him, come after Him. We are to walk where He walks, do what He does, love who He loves. And we are to know that we are held in His hands, and that He will never let us go—never, never, never! And in response to the good news, we strive to finish the course of our lives, testifying to the Gospel of the grace of God; we will pay attention to ourselves and to the flock, caring for the Church of God; we will remain alert, admonishing one another with the word of grace, which is able to build us up and to give us the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Finally, we will work hard in this way, helping the weak and remembering the words of the Lord Jesus.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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​Easter V May 18, 2025
Sermon Text John: 16
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, Westerville, OH
“Why, Why, Why”
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You may find this an unsatisfying sermon. And why? That’s the question and the answer. “Why.” We want to know why. We always want to know why. We believe that we are unable resolve things in our own minds unless and until we know “why?” There is nothing more unsatisfying for us mortal human beings; there is nothing more frustrating and irritating than not being able to get at, finally, “Why?”
Our gospel lesson for today finds the disciples, with Jesus, at the meal on Holy Thursday in the upper room. In the Gospel of John, the account of the meal begins in chapter 13 and doesn’t end until chapter 17. So, in a total of 21 chapters in John, 5 chapters, almost a third of the Gospel, reports to us the words of Jesus at the Maundy Thursday meal. We call Jesus’ teaching in these five chapters The Farewell Discourses,” for what the Lord is really doing in these discourses is trying to prepare His followers for what was to come. Although He had spoken with them repeatedly about the fact that He would be arrested, tried, put to death, and on the third day would rise from the death, it’s clear they didn’t fully grasp what was coming, for Jesus or for them. The more Jesus told them about these things, the more, it seems, they struggled with “why.” They struggled to the point where Peter says, “Lord, we won’t let these things happen to you!” As if they could stop God’s will and the reason that Jesus came in the first place. In the Farewell Discourses, the Lord is trying to explain to the twelve what was going to happen. And in so far as He was able, He spoke to them about why. Finally, in our Gospel reading, He says, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”
How unsatisfying that Jesus is holding back some, because in His mind the disciples can’t bear to hear anything more! Jesus had just been telling the disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house; that He would be gone for a time and then would return, to take them to Himself. He was telling them how in His departure, He would be glorified, although His glorification would come through suffering and death. He also explained to them that as even though He would suffer and die, He would leave them with peace—His peace, which is peace unlike the peace that the world gives. In some of the most confusing words of all, Jesus says to them, “‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe.” Then He says, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming.”
Needless to say, the disciples grasped very little of what was to come and why. If only Jesus would’ve laid it all out for them, explaining in detail God’s plan for eternal salvation, explaining for them the mystery of the Divine Godhead itself, the reality of God who is Father and Son and Holy Spirit. If only the Lord could have or would have spoken plainly about these things and why it all had to happen in these ways, maybe the disciples would have been able to see and understand and accept the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. In our Gospel passage today, Jesus says, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” Surely, that’s an understatement! He has told them so much in these five chapters that their minds must have been exploding, already! Why was He going away? What did He mean saying He was going away, to prepare a place for them and then He would return to take them with Him? Why must He be arrested, suffer and die? Why, why, why? There was so much more Jesus could say, so much more to God’s will and way, but Jesus realized they couldn’t bear it, now, at that time.
And that’s God’s message to you and to me, at times in life, as well. How often we pray to God, asking, “Why?” At the time of the tragic death of a loved one, when we or our children or grandchildren suffer and struggle in life, when we witness seemingly senseless violence, when life seems out of control—if only God would explain to us why, we think, then we will be able to understand and accept! Then we might find peace. But sometimes, the Lord God says to us, “there is more to this than you know, but you cannot bear it now.” And that is so unsatisfying and maybe irritating!
I was ordained on July 19, 1981, and began my first call in Hobbs, New Mexico shortly thereafter. My first tragedy was the death of a beloved 84-year-old woman, Rubye Moe, who was killed by a drunk driver. She and her husband, Rolf, had only been married a short time, finding love after Rolf had truly lived his life, so far, as a Norwegian bachelor. In his 80’s, Rolf and Rubye met, fell in love and married and couldn’t have been happier. And then, Rubye was senselessly killed, and as I met Rolf at the emergency room of the hospital, all he wanted to know was, “Why, pastor?” Why, why, why? And what could I say? Thankfully, I had learned in my clinical training, sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut, rather than offer empty, meaningless answers. Because I didn’t know why. Yes, people are sinful, and their sin causes grief and loss. Yes, there are painful consequences to human disobedience and brokenness. But that didn’t answer, why Rubye? Why his beloved wife, whom he had been looking for, waiting for, his whole life. There is more to God’s will than we know, but much of it is more than we can bear, in this life.
Jesus goes on to say, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” And truly, the Holy Spirit came, and spoke through the writers of the New Testament, to guide us into all the truth, about the things which are to come. The Holy Spirit guided Luke as he was inspired to write the Acts of the Apostles, explaining how the Gentiles would also be included in God’s plan of salvation, as we heard in our first lesson today. The Holy Spirit guided St. John the Divine, as he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, inspired to write down the vision he was given, that revealed the good news of what is to come, when the holy city, new Jerusalem will come down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, so that the dwelling place of God will be with mankind, and God will dwell with us, and we will be his people and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things will have passed away.
This is what the Holy Spirit has revealed, in God’s Word, in the writings of the New Testament, and there is good news in all of it, as we are assured that in spite of tragedy, suffering and death, He who is seated on the throne is “making all things new.” There is good news in these Scriptures, inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that we can know that these words are trustworthy and true.” But do the Scriptures answer our every question, and especially our question, “Why?” The Holy Spirit, through Holy Scripture, reveals to us the truth of what we are to know, about God and His will. The Holy Spirit, through Holy Scripture, teaches us what we need to know about the saving death and resurrection of Jesus, and the gift of forgiveness, life and salvation. The Holy Spirit, through Holy Scripture explains to us, why Jesus went away, for three days, after death, and why He then returned on Easter Sunday, even as the Spirit explains to us why Jesus went away, when He ascended, so that through the power of the Holy Spirit, He might return, not bodily, limited by time and space to being in one place at one time, but returned, spiritually, to become incarnate in Word and Sacrament, whenever and wherever believers gather in His name. This is the truth, revealed to us by the Spirit of truth. But there is still more that has not been revealed to us. There is more to God than we can bear now, at this time. And—that’s the truth. We may not like it. It may not satisfy us. It may even irritate us, that we are not always given reasons “why.” But the Lord assures us, “Yes, you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
When you have sorrow, because of loss and grief; when you are sorrowful because life seems out of control; when tragedy strikes and there seems no rhyme or reason to it, the Lord says, “You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” That’s reassuring. That is good news. That despite sorrow and trial and difficulty now, we will see Jesus and we will rejoice and then, no one and nothing will take our joy! Why? Because Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed, alleluia!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Holy Trinity Sunday June 15, 2025
Sermon text John: 15:16 – 16:15
Lay Minister John Hazzard
“The One Triune God”
GRACE BE UNTO YOU AND PEACE FROM GOD THE FATHER AND FROM OUR CRUCIFIED AND RISEN LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Festival of the Holy Trinity was first celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost during the 9th century, initially promoted by Pope Gregory IX. Over time, the custom gradually spread and became widely practiced by the 10th century. It wasn’t until 1334 that Pope John XXII made the observance official for the entire Church. We continue to celebrate Holy Trinity today. Now, you may be asking yourself what is so special about the Holy Trinity and why celebrate it on this particular Sunday. After all, isn’t every Sunday devoted to worshiping the Triune God? In one sense, yes—we speak the words in our liturgy and profess the truth of the Trinity. But in another sense, we become complacent as we go through our church service without giving much thought of what we are confessing and maybe more importantly who we are confessing. Who do we put our trust in? Who do we rely on for our salvation? And who do we worship and try to conform our lives to? The answer to all these questions should be, our one and only Triune God— God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the purpose for celebrating Trinity Sunday is not just to celebrate a doctrine, but to bring us face to face with the living God—not just as an idea, or some far off being we hope to someday encounter, but a God that graciously and lovingly desires to have both a temporal and eternal relationship with us.
When it comes to understanding our Triune God, our problem is Scripture does not give us a fully formed explanation of the Trinity. This is why theologians continue to struggle to make sense of it all, even today. The reason for the confusion is there seems to be two conflicting views of God. In one view we have the God of the Old Testament, where Israel proclaimed for centuries that God is one (Duet. 6:4). On the other hand, we have passages in the New Testament that suggest that Jesus is also God. See, therein lies the dilemma; if we all claim to worship one God, and we do, how can Jesus also be God? Now, if we throw the Holy Spirit into the mix, we really have a problem. It all seems like really bad math to me; one + one + one equals One? However, when it comes to understanding the Trinity, it might be time to embrace new math. Not the new math some teachers teach in middle school, which involves latus multiplication, partial quotient division, and/or the use of tape models to perform operation with fractions. The type of math that leaves every parent who tries to help his or her child more confused than even the student. Instead, we must turn to the math that takes the form of the doctrine of the Trinity.
The best explanation I can give to help us understand the Trinity is to explain that YHWH is the Father and He is the Son and He is the Holy Spirit. The Father is God, and the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, always and at all times, everywhere, but the father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit. As confusing as that may sound at first. It all makes more sense when simply put. They are three distinct persons while all being one God. We can then see how one Father, plus one Son, plus one Holy Spirit, does in fact equal one God. As St Bonaventure discovered in his famous work on the Holy Trinity, when you try to grasp God using an analogy or an illustration you not only limit His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, as the Modelist view does when God is described like water that changes form into a gas or a liquid, simply taking on three different forms, but you also run the risk of heresy.
It is these very pitfalls that the Athanasian Creed helps us avoid, as it affirms the Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ. It states that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all distinct persons all found within one God, co-equal and co-eternal. The creed states: “We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.” In addition, it also declares: “The Father is God, the son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God. The Father almighty, the son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty; and yet there are not three Almighties, but One Almighty.” This teaching safeguards against both Arianism, where the Son and the Holy Spirit are created and subordinate to the Father and tritheism, the belief that there are three separate gods. It is vitally important to know that all three persons are co-equal, co-eternal, and all fully one God.
In addition, it also asserts that, “The Son is from the Father alone, not made nor created, but begotten,” a biblical truth also proclaimed in the Nicene Creed. Demonstrating the distinction of each person of the trinity without division. This allows us to comprehend that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine, a condition necessary for Jesus’s atoning work of the cross. You may be asking yourself, why is this all so important? We look no further than this. This underscores that a correct understanding of the Trinity is necessary for our salvation.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you anything different. It is a revelation and a relationship some believers are being persecuted for, it is not so much that we are being excommunicated from our churches (a fate the disciples faced in our Gospel text), we might remember when Jesus warned them, 16 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”
Instead, we are being excommunicated by society. As Christians in many parts of the world today, we are told that we “can believe what we want, that is our right; just don’t speak about it in public.” What is even worse is that in other parts of the world, there are those who are being killed and martyred for their beliefs. No matter the fate the world offers, we will experience the ultimate eternal victory God provides for those that stick to their faith and proclaim the power of the Triune God as demonstrated through Christ and Him crucified. The One True God creates us in His Own Image for a temporal and eternal relationship of love and trust, and when we fail, He reaches down and even comes down to restore that relationship as only the One True God can.
And if He is willing to put in so much effort to know us and love us, then we must be willing to take the time to get to know Him. In many parts of our Church service, we hear or speak the words, “In the Name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit.” It is so holy that we celebrate this day. In his Large Catechism, Luther explains the Trinity by unfolding the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Creed. God the Father is our Creator, who daily provides and sustains our lives and in doing so, reveals His loving and fatherly care. God the Son is our Redeemer, who gave His life to save us from sin and death, making us righteous before God through faith. God the Holy Spirit is the one who sanctifies us, calling us by the Gospel, enlightening us with His gifts, and keeping us in the true faith. For Luther, each person of the Trinity is active in our lives, not as a theological puzzle to be solved, but as the living God who graciously interacts with us in love and mercy.
Luther also emphasized that the Trinity is not only foundational to our salvation but also to our daily Christian life. In prayer, we come before the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit, which reflects the relational nature of the triune God. Our baptism is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, marking us as God’s own and uniting us with the divine life. The Trinity thus shapes our identity, our worship, and our trust in God. Luther taught that understanding the Trinity rightly leads to comfort and assurance. We belong to a God who is not unknowable or indifferent, but one who has revealed Himself in three persons so that we may live in a relationship of faith, hope, and love with Him.
Even though Luther never tried to philosophically explain the doctrine of the Trinity, he felt it was important to build our understanding through God’s actions toward us, especially those in Christ and the Gospel. Luther once said, “This article of faith (the Trinity) is beyond all reason and understanding… It must be believed and confessed on the basis of Scripture… If you want to know the true God, do not climb into heaven, but look into the manger and behold the baby Jesus.” This shows how insistent Luther was about how the Trinity must be believed as revealed in God’s Word.
The first commandment teaches the importance of placing God first in all aspects of our lives. Even so, people commonly create their own gods when they turn from God in a condition of spiritual blindness and look to the things of this world as their source of security and happiness. They let themselves become consumed by blind ambition as they refuse to make time for God. “We need to make hay while the sun is shining” is a common expression, one referring to how everything else in life must be put on hold so that we can “save for that rainy day” or so we can work to obtain something we thought might bring us joy. A thing that we later discover is “it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be.” What is even worse is when we make a god of ourselves. We do this when we think we can do things on our own, instead of regularly praying and trusting in the Lord to rightly guide us and empower us. These things are straight out of the devil’s playbook, as Satan was able to convince Adam and Eve that they didn’t need to trust what God had told them about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is when we hold fast to our faith and lean on God that we honor Him most and welcome Him into our lives. He gave birth to us and all of creation as the Father, saved us from sin and ourselves as the Son, and walks beside us daily as the Holy Spirit.
Christ Himself proclaimed the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit in all of our lives. Jesus promised His followers, 26 “… when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” We might also remember in last week’s text, from the Acts of the Apostles, we saw The Holy Spirit arrive and empower The Holy Christian Church. That sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind with which The Holy Spirit came cannot be heard here this morning — but the power The Holy Spirit gives us, to be the Church, is here; and in every Christian church and gathering place throughout the world. Still The Holy Spirit fills the whole Christian Church — cleaning out the debris of faithlessness, sin, and death — making room for new life in Christ. As all Christians confess, we know that we “cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, or come to Him; but The Holy Spirit has called us by The Gospel, enlightened us with His Gifts, sanctified and kept us in The True Faith. In the same way, He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in The One True Faith.”
Our one true God is so magnificent and beyond the abilities of our human understanding that on our own we cannot hope to definitively define or describe God. We only know God through what God has chosen to reveal to us. We can in no way define God in terms we choose to apply to God – but one thing that sets the one true God apart from all the world’s pretenders is that God is so far beyond our understanding that The One True God comes to us in three persons – The Holy Trinity – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The piece of God which passes all human understanding. Keep your hearts and minds in our crucified lord and savior Jesus the Christ. One of the three distinct beings of our One True God.
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