Proper 9A Sermon: Because of the Blood

Preached on Zechariah 9:9–12
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
5 July AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Because of the Blood.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Because of the Blood to hear the MP3.

Summary: When God cut His covenant with Abraham, He alone passed among the sacrificed animals. In so doing, the Lord pledged Himself not only to keeping His side of the promises but ultimately also to upholding the obligations of Abraham and his heirs. We hear this through Zechariah, when the Lord speaks not of “our covenant” but “My covenant.”

The blood of the covenant with Abraham points to the blood of the covenant He would make to all people through Christ. He also made a covenant in which He pledged Himself to faithfully uphold the obligations of both parties.

In His life, suffering, and death, Jesus poured out the blood of the New Covenant. Fully divine, He established and keeps God’s promise of salvation to mankind. Fully human, He faithfully kept mankind’s obligations unto His death and continues in His resurrection to uphold humanity’s responsibilities.

Because His Son kept God’s Law on our behalf, the Father accepted the sacrifice of the blood of the covenant that Christ shed on Golgotha. God then honors His covenant obligations and credits Jesus’ faithfulness to all of us who believe in Him.

Text: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. Zechariah 9:9–12

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Because of the Blood.

Audio: Click Because of the Blood to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 145:1–14; Romans 7:14–25a; Matthew 11:25–30

Trinity Sunday Sermon: Recreation

Preached on Genesis 1:1–2:4a
The Feast of the Holy Trinity
7 June AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Recreation.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Recreation to hear the MP3.

Summary: In normal recreation, we’re only treating symptoms while missing the cause and the cure. We mispronounce it and look for it in the wrong places. We need what the word clearly says: re-creation. We need to be remade in God’s image, not to merely clean and polish our fallen sinful images.

Text: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights — the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night — and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds — livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Genesis 1:1–2:4a

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Recreation.

Audio: Click Recreation to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 8; Acts 2:14a, 22–36; Matthew 28:16–28

Trinity Sunday Sermon: To the End

Preached on Matthew 28:16–28
The Feast of the Holy Trinity
7 June AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of To the End.

Audio: Alternatively, choose To the End to hear the MP3.

Summary: Just as with His apostles, so Jesus continues to remain with all believers "to the end of the age." By the power of the Holy Spirit, He comes through Word and Sacrament. He protects and provisions us, leading us through earthly life into life everlasting.

Text: In normal recreation, we’re only treating symptoms while missing the cure. We mispronounce it and look for it in the wrong places. We need what the word clearly says: re-creation. We need to be remade in God’s image, not to merely clean and polish our fallen sinful images.

Text: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16–28

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of To the End.

Audio: Click To the End to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 8; Genesis 1:1–2:4a; Acts 2:14a, 22–36

Transfiguration Sermon: Rise, and Fear Not

Preached on Matthew 17:1-9
The Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Series A
26 February AD 2017

Title: Rise, and Fear Not (MP3 Audio)

Summary: In common vernacular, a “mountain-top experience” is generally considered to be both positive and life-changing. We can scarcely imagine the fear of meeting God in His glory atop a mountain. To our sinful senses, it would probably appear more life-threatening than life-changing.

So with Peter, James, and John — after the initial thrill, the Father’s voice from the cloud struck terror in their hearts. Only after Jesus comforted them were they able to rise without fear and go on their way. Likewise, the only way that we can listen to the Son and follow in His ways is when He removes our sins and raises us up from our guilt and fears.

Text: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” Matthew 17:1-9

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Rise, and Fear Not.

NB: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 2:6-12; Exodus 24:8-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21

Illustration: Transfiguration of Christ (c. 1550) by an unknown Cretan icon painter at Web Gallery of Art.

Trinity Sunday Sermon: Divine Grammar

Preached on John 8:48-59
The First Sunday after Pentecost (Series C)
22 May AD 2016

Title: Divine Grammar (MP3 Audio)

Summary: “Before Abraham was, I am.” It doesn’t take much schooling for most people to recognize that Jesus seemed to mix up the verb tenses. Looking back hundreds of years into the past, He spoke of Himself in the present.

Yet is wasn’t a grammar error that led His Jewish antagonists to grab rocks “to throw at him.” No, they understood what Jesus was truly saying. He wasn’t merely trying to say that He’d been around longer than Abraham. Instead, He as continued speaking about His relationship to the Father, He was telling them that He thought that He was God.

When Jesus said, “I am,” He wasn’t only stating the fact of His existence. He was claiming to be the One who called to Moses from the burning bush: “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I am has sent me to you.”’ (Exodus 3:14)”

Jesus therefore identified Himself as “the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob” (see Exodus 3:16). He was — He is — the Holy One of Israel who brought His people out of bondage in Egypt and led them to the Promised land. He is the God and Lord of King David (see Acts 2:25-31).” He is “the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)” (Visit Preaching Symbols for information on the related symbolism in this accompanying picture of Christ.)

He is also your great I am, your God and Lord, your Rescuer and Redeemer. He is the source of your life and your only hope of life everlasting. He wants you to know this and believe it and through faith be saved from sin, death, and Devil.

Text: The Jews answered [Jesus], “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”

Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:48-59

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Divine Grammar.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media Player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 8; Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Acts 2:14a, 22-36

Christmas 2 Sermon: Your Father, My Father

Preached on Luke 2:40-52
The Second Sunday after Christmas
3 January AD 2016

Title: Your Father, My Father (MP3 Audio)

Summary: Mary spoke to her Son about “Your father” and Jesus mentioned “My Father” in return — yet mother and Child aren’t speaking of the same father. Although she heard God’s Word through the angel, the shepherds, the wise men, and Simeon and Anna in the Temple, Mary still looked at Jesus more with her human eyes than with the eyes of faith.

Jesus’ reply perplexed Mary and Joseph. It seemed to both agree and to disagree with Mary’s words. As He would later do in His parables, Jesus carefully crafted a response that demanded a new way of looking at things, a newer and deeper understanding. With His simple questions, Jesus gently reminded Mary why He had been born to her and Joseph why God had called him to be His earthly guardian.

We’re prone to the same error. Viewing the Christ with our preconceptions and attitudes, we attempt to form Him in our sinful image rather than the holy image of the Father who sent Him. Instead, He calls us to know Him through the eyes of faith. Jesus was constantly about the things of His Father in order to earn forgiveness for our rejection of the Father’s words and ways.

Text: And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.

And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”

And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:40-52

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of the Christmas sermon Your Father, My Father

NB: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 119:97-104; 1 Kings 3:4-15; Ephesians 1:3-14

Illustration: Line drawing from Art of the Church Year by Ed Riojas, available through Higher Things Store.

Sermon: Unclean and Holy

Preached on Isaiah 6:1-8
Trinity Sunday — 31 May AD 2015

Title: Unclean and Holy (MP3 Audio)

Summary: The sacred and the profane cannot abide each other. Isaiah found himself before the Lord of hosts and the seraphim and realized that he was a sinner, unclean and intolerable to the Holy One. Yet he didn’t flee because faith in his God held him until he could hear the fulness of the message.

Yes, God is a “consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).” However, we who trust in the Son are not consumed. Instead, we benefit from the fiery trials suffered by Jesus (cf. Luke 12:49-50).

He who was consumed by death then consumed it in His resurrection, ensuring that the fires of hell would never touch those who believe in Him. Through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit applies the blessings won by Christ. Thus the “holy, holy, holy” Lord God makes for Himself a holy people.

We confess with Scripture that we are sinful from conception and birth and remain sinners in thought, word, and deed. When not actively committing sin, we often passively sit by and refuse to do good, to love others as Christ loved us. We also confess that we are saints — redeemed by Jesus, brought to faith by the Holy Spirit, and children of our heavenly Father.

Unclean, yet holy ... sinners yet saints: We live day by day in this marvelous mystery of the Faith. Even as we remain in this fallen Creation, we also anticipate Christ’s return in glory, the complete and everlasting cleansing of our sinful natures, and an eternity in the blessed presence of the Almighty.

Text: In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:1-8

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Unclean and Holy

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media Player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 29; Acts 2:14a, 22-36; John 3:1-17

Trinity Sunday: Visit Aardvark Alley for a bit more on the Feast of the Holy Trinity.