Category: Peace

To You a Savior is Born! Luke 2:9-11

12/25/2017

This is it; this is what my kids are looking for: [this present]. And yes, in case you are wondering, there is something special about this gift. Now, I did wrap it in colorful paper (and did not bundle it up in a used grocery bag), but that’s not what makes it so special.

I did put a shiny bow on top, marking this package as something different from the packages I receive in the mail, but the bow is not what makes this gift special. I did put something new inside, something they do not yet own, something that I know will put smiles on their faces and bring delight to their hearts. You could say what lies inside is important, but there is something else that makes this gift special. Do you see what it is? It’s this [the nametag] right here. On the nametag are two simple words: To you.
     That’s it; that is what makes this gift so special. After all, there are other presents under the tree. They are not all for my kids. Some have my name written on them. They belong to me; I will enjoy those gifts, not my kids. Others have my wife’s name on them. Those presents belong to her; she will own and control them. Still others are for family members we will see later this week. Yet, on this particular gift, those two little words: “To you,” tell my kids: “You alone get to benefit from whatever joys this present will give you.”
     This Christmas morning you gather to praise God for keeping his promise to send his one and only Son. Yet, do not overlook what makes Jesus so special. Hear God’s special words meant to fill you with true lasting joy: To You a Savior is Born! Do not be afraid because This is good news for life!

     You heard some very good news just last night. After centuries of promises repeated, after years of waiting for God’s promised Son, after years of standing alert for the Savior, God sends him! He wraps up Jesus, this very important Gift, and places him under a stable roof and into a manger. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:6-7).
     Jesus has entered the world. That is God’s Christmas gift. Yet, what would happen if I took this gift and removed nametag? How would you feel? If you saw it lying under the tree without a nametag, how would you react? What emotions would you experience? Would you feel uncertain? …timid? …hesitant? Not too sure if this gift is meant for you?

     Our reading introduces you to some shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Remember, Jesus is born; the Prince of Peace has arrived!
     Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. What happens? What is the immediate reaction of shepherds on the first Christmas night? They were terrified.
     The glory of the Lord shines around them. That “glory” is the brilliantly blinding white light radiating off of a perfect God! Heaven’s door cracks open just a smidgen. The shepherds can peer just into the entryway of heaven— and they know God dwells somewhere deeper in there. If those shepherds were to see God face-to-face, they could never live. Imperfect, faulty creatures cannot stand in the presence of the One who demands perfection. If God saw them, he would instantly cast them from him forever. How terrifying!
     Now, an angel stands in front of them— I mean, an angel! This is God’s messenger! Meaning, God has sent this angel out with a specific message to this specific shepherd-audience. What is that message? Punishment? Anger? Judgment?
     How could they not be terrified? They have no assurance that God comes to them in patient, forgiving love. At that moment, those shepherds feel the great divide between their status and the status of the all-powerful, all-perfect God.

      Do you know what that feels like? I think you do. You also know Jesus is present in the world. After all, that is why you are here this morning; you have come to worship him. And you openly admit: “I believe in Jesus Christ, my Savior.” You know this— but is it always easy to remember?
      A loved one lies in the hospital. Tubes run into his arms. Heart monitors beep. Oxygen hisses. You sit in a chair opposite the bed paralyzed in fear. You pray— but why isn’t he better? Why isn’t he healed? Is it because of you? Is God refusing health because of the ways you abuse your body? Has God turned away from you— because you are faulty?
     Your life was going to so well, so easy, and then— horrible news rears its ugly head. Your child struggles. Your daughter drifts away. Your siblings are fighting. Is this trouble in your life because of you? Is God letting bad things happen because you chose to ignore God’s clear commands? Is God letting you, a sinner, taste his anger?
     Your life goals fall off track. You wanted the vacation, but now cannot afford it. You wanted to travel, but your health will not let you. You want people to rejoice in a Savior, but they are not here today. You grow frustrated. You get sad. You feel depressed. This is not the kind of life you imagined. Are these things happening because you know too little of the Bible? …Because you are not a “good-enough” Christian for God?
     If you remove the nametag from the present, then you will never know if the present belongs to you. If you are unsure if the present belongs to you, then you will not experience the joys, the bliss, the comfort that gift brings. And if you choose to ignore the nametag so clearly written on the gift, then you will forfeit the joy freely given.
     You see, when troubles rise up, when fear grips your life, it is so tempting to fixate on you— how good you are, what you have done, how you think God should respond to your behavior. A little part of us wants to make God’s love conditional. If you do good, then God will act good towards you. If you do bad, then God will act bad to you. If that is the God we have, then you (and I) have every reason to be terrified— because you (and I) can never be the good God expects.

     That’s why God sends his angel with a special message: “Do not be afraid.” Just think about that for a minute. God knows how often you (and I) are tempted to believe that you must earn his love in order for him to treat with you in love. And so God explicitly says: “Do not be afraid.” Stop thinking that God will help you only when you are nice first. Do not believe that your current struggles have come because you made God mad.
     This is why. The angel said to them… I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. Do not be afraid because God does not deliver bad news on Christmas Day. Do not be afraid because God gives a gift to you: a “Savior.”
      A Savior! Someone who rescues you! Someone who does what you cannot! Someone who chooses to come and save you! Jesus is proof that God’s love is not conditional. It is one-sided. In love, God sends a Savior—regardless of how you (or I) behave. In love, that Savior wipes away your guilt, and declares it: “Gone.” That means, God sees you as innocent and without fault.
     Can you be sure of this? Yes. Because that Christmas-Day-Gift marches into the world, marches through life, and up Calvary’s mountain all in order to rescue you. God punishes Jesus for your (and my) wrongs. With your sins punished, there is no punishment remaining. If no punishment remains, it means you are without a need to be punished. Put another way, you are forgiven! This is the reason you do not need to be afraid.

     Look into the manger and see God’s Son lying there. Do not be afraid! Because To You a Savior is Born! This is good news for life!

     Sometimes our hearts can still doubt that God could be this loving. So, God makes sure to wipe away any doubt that his love for you is too good to be true. Did you notice how many times the angels repeat the nametag on Jesus? The angelic-messenger appears to shepherds (to them). The angel said to them, “I bring good news to you… to you a Savior is born!” To you is repeated over and over again as if to say: “Yes, this is all really for you! Believe it!” This repetition pounds away any doubt that God is distant from you.
     And this news not just meant for the best shepherd or for powerful kings and queens or your pastor— but for all the people. All people, including a virgin no one knows. Including shepherds forgotten in the fields. Including you and me who sometimes make a mess of life. To You a Savior Is Born. To you, yes, you—even when you struggle to get by each day—a Savior is born. This is good news for your life.
     So, when the devil shows up in your life and awakens past shame, point to the cross and say, “Go away! Jesus killed that shame for me. It defines me no more!” When your loved one lies in the hospital and you are afraid that God is choosing not to answer your prayers, point to the manger and say: “Jesus came to open communication between me and God.” When your hopes and dreams are put on hold, point to the manger and say: “Even as life changes, my Savior’s love to meet my every need will never change.” To You a Savior is Born! This is good news for life!
     Even when you stand beside the casket of a loved one, remember, To You a Savior is Born! Jesus has reversed death. Those who believe he removed their sins will live with him in heaven. Not in hell. Not in the ground. But in heaven’s pure perfect bliss. The Savior comforts a weary heart with his good news of eternal life.

     You can be sure of that. That’s the point of a nametag. This nametag tells my kids that this present belongs to them. They will play with it, keep, hold, and have it. There is no doubt, no uncertain about it.
     So, God puts a nametag of Jesus so that there is no mistake as to who he is for: To You a Savior is Born! Not just for the best Christians. Not for the lifelong Christian. But for you. He has wiped away sin. Live confidently knowing that all is well between you and God! Live confidently even in the face of trouble, knowing that God has not come afflict. Rather, you know God stands with you. Do not be afraid because To You a Savior is Born! This is good news for life!

Rely on Grace Ephesians 2:4-9

10/15/2017

“Win $5,000 a week for life –OR— take $2,600,000 at once!” (Publisher’s Clearing House advertisement; http://www.pch.com/) Which one did you select? After all, you did get the letter, right? If you didn’t, then maybe you caught the television commercials. It’s good news! The Publisher’s Clearing House wants you to win lots of money!

     Didn’t fill it out? Didn’t scratch off your sweepstakes ticket, reveal the matching magic numbers, tuck it into the self-addressed envelope, and send it back? To be honest, I think I received the letter, and filed it away in the paper shredder. Maybe you shrugged off the news too.
     That’s an interesting thing, isn’t it? Junk mail and television ads use big, bright red print: “FREE!”— and that magnificent word is almost automatically tossed aside. In America we have this saying: “Nothing is free.” You expect some catch, some condition that you must meet in order to get something— which then, in reality, no longer makes something truly “free.” Even television infomercials offer to double your purchase for “free.” Yet, you still have to pay an additional $10.00 for shipping and handling— hardly what I would call “free.”
     So, when you hear: [I]t is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, there may be a part of you that leans forward, intently waiting: “and… what’s the catch? What do you expect me to do?”
     God’s gift of complete forgiveness, wiping away every single guilty stain, may sound too good to be true. Standing on Scripture teaches you to Rely on Grace! Because grace is God’s saving gift and grace unleashes life to the fullest.

     Look at our reading from Ephesians, chapter 2. Verses 4-5 define what “grace” means and how it looks. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
     So, what does “grace” mean? God says it: his great love for us. In English we have only one word for love. You can say you “love” a hamburger, “love” your friend, and “love” your spouse. The way you are using the word “love” in each of those statements is a little different. So, you have to understand the context in order to know what type of “love” is being shown to a hamburger, your friend, and your spouse. The Greek language uses three different words for “love”— and this part of the Bible in written in Greek. One word for “love” is (1) eros [ἔρως]— a romantic love between husband and wife. Another word is (2) phileo [φιλέω]— a friendship love. The other word is (3) agape [ἀγάπη]— which describes loving someone even when they do not deserve it. So, when God says: “[I have] great love for you,” he is not describing a physical romantic attraction to you. He does not merely call himself your “friend.” He says: “You did not— and never did— deserve my affection. It was I who chose to love you first.” (1 John 4:19). That is grace. God chooses to love you, even when you (and I) gave him absolutely no reason to do so.

     Sound too good be true? In America, nothing is “free;” you always expect some condition to good news. In our lives, love is never “free;” you always expect some condition for love. If you are nice to me, then I will be nice to you. If you give me some money, then I will consider you generous. If you are not nice to me, then I will be rude to you. If you are not generous, then I consider you stingy and greedy. So often we expect this condition for love: If you give me a reason, then I will love you.
     How easily we can act as though God deals with us in this very same way! That God is looking for something from you in order for him to love you. Your mind cannot shake off the shame from years ago when you made yourself a fool in front of friends. Your secret was so well hidden, but then someone found out what you really daydream about— and you feel so horrible. Regret fills your heart— you could have been a father who was there for his kids, or a mother who showed more love, or a child who could have been more respectful. That guilt can absolutely crush you, and it can spontaneously haunt you— and, boy, how you want to make it go away.
     So, you try to find a reason God should want to love you; you make love conditional. If you change your habits, then God will remove the rest of your guilt. If you convince yourself that you are not really all that shamefully bad, then God must think of you as good too! If you are an absent father or a overbearing mother, then make it up— be there for your adult children, love your grandchildren— and that must undo your past. If you give God a reason to love you, then he must love you!
     A part of you may feel that grace is too good to be true— that God must love you because of something you have done. But that’s not true. God says: “You were dead in transgressions.” All people are born spiritually dead. Dead people cannot move. Spiritually dead people cannot earn or choose God’s love. They are lifeless. You and I are born without the ability or power to earn or choose God’s love.

     And so, God chooses to deal with you in grace— love which you (and I) do not deserve! Verses 8-9 make that explicitly clear: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. God chooses to have mercy on you. God has compassion and chooses to send his one and only Son into the world. God chooses to hang his perfect Son on the cross. God chooses to heap on Jesus the punishment for your shame, your foolish past, your failure to live up to your calling as father, mother, or child. Jesus is the One is not loved. He is the One forsaken by God. He is the One seized with physical pain— aching joints, nails piercing his hands, blood gushing out, lightheadedness, life draining out. Jesus is the proof of God’s undeserved love for you. Jesus takes what you (and I) deserve and removes your guilt from the sight of God.

     Sound too good to be true? Yes, it does— but that’s why God calls it “grace.” He does not give you (and me) what we expect. In fact, God calls grace a gift! And you know what a gift is, right? After all, why do you receive presents for your birthday? Because you didn’t really do anything to deserve presents, right? You did not get a new dirt bike because you chose to be conceived (as though your family celebrates your decision to enter their life). A friend did not give you a new tablet because you picked the day you would enter this world. You did not receive a new Barbie doll because you behaved so well over the past year. So then, why do you get presents for your birthday? Because, in reality, you didn’t do anything to earn them.
     That’s the point, right?! For something to truly be a “gift” it means you receive something without conditions attached. God hands you the perfect life of Jesus as a gift— no conditions, no strings attached!

     When you worry about how you stand before God, Rely on Grace! God deals with you in love which you (and I) do not deserve. That is called “grace,” and It is God’s gift to you. And It unleashes life to the fullest.

     Look at verses 6 and 7; see your past, your present, and your future. God raised [you] up with Christ. In the past— God raised Jesus from the dead, and Jesus lives anew— exalted above any earthly leader and any devilish enemy (Ephesians 1:20-21).
     In the past— God raised you up out the waters of baptism— creating spiritual life in your heart, creating a new way of life for you. When you came to faith, God applies the saving work of Jesus to you specifically. You own it, you possess it, and you keep holding onto it. It’s similar to a high school diploma. You received it once. You still have it. You will always carry the title: “High-School-Graduate.” You came to faith. You still have faith. With faith in your heart, you will carry the title: “Believer.” What was started so long ago has given you this new life as a child belonging to God.

     And as if that’s not enough, God seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Notice that verb: He seated you. Past tense, the action’s already done. Isn’t that amazing? In God’s eyes you living with him in heaven is already a completed fact; it’s as good as done. God already looks to the future and sees you seated around banquet table in heaven! You have this privilege because of God’s grace.
     And as if that’s enough, verse 7 says: in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. In the coming ages-- that can refer to two different time-eras, but the understanding remains the same. (1) It can refer to the very moment Jesus burst out of the Easter-day-tomb. Everyone from Easter day to the end of time are able to see how high and deep and wide and long God’s love is. Isn’t that true?
     You and I living in 2017 still recognize just how powerful God’s grace is. Even though Jesus rose from the dead 2,000 years ago, he still wipes clean your slate against him. Nowhere does he say: “I’m done with you. You have sinned too much. Stop coming to church. Stop bringing your confession to me. I don’t want it.” He does not treat you in this way. God says: “My grace hasn’t worn out over the past 2,000 years.” God continually puts a hand on your shoulder and says, “I can do more than you have ever done against me.” No matter how horrific your act, no matter how shameful your secret, no matter what pet sin you keep stumbling into, God still showers you with the incomparable riches of forgiveness.
     Those coming ages (2) could refer to the moment you come to faith— from that point to the ages to come, to the years ahead in your life— you still see God’s grace. God does not treat you and me as our sins deserve. If you and I received what we deserved, then life would literally be hell on earth. Yet, God still forgives you— every single day. You do not have to fear that your hospital stay came as a result of something you did. Your car did not break down because God is angry at you. He does not seek revenge for your foolishness. God allows you to sit and stand in his presence today and hear of his love for you. He is not an adversary, he’s not a mean foe, he’s your heavenly Father. Grace unleashes a new way of life—a life without fear or distress, a life confident of how God sees you!

     Being “Lutheran” means you Rely on Grace. Nowhere does God teach that you must earn his love. Nowhere does God teach that you must choose to bring his love in your heart. You and I contribute nothing because Jesus has done all of it.
     God chooses to give you Jesus. God chooses to use Jesus to wipe your heart clean from guilt. God chooses to give you eternal life as a free gift— no conditions attached! The more you recognize that you cannot save yourself, the more you treasure just how much God has loved you.
     Sound too good to be true? Yes! Yes, it does! …But that is why God calls it “grace.” God deals with you in undeserved love. Rely on Grace! Because grace is God’s saving gift and grace unleashes life to the fullest.

Stand on Scripture Romans 1:16-17

10/8/2017

Ray Bradbury authored the now-infamous book, Fahrenheit 451. The story describes life under a government which limits certain ideas and freedoms of speech. If the government does not approve of a certain concept in a book, then it simply censors

those pages or that book entirely. In some cases, nothing is left in a book but footnotes— footnotes that no one really reads. Eventually books are tossed out altogether, thrown into piles and left for firemen to arrive and burn.
     You can’t read a book like that and not find a hidden message. For many the book serves as a warning against government censorship. Many fear the government may begin limiting freedom of speech until society can no longer freely address so-called controversial topics. Eventually, the government controls not only your words, but also your thoughts on certain issues. Except that’s not what Fahrenheit 451 is about.
     The author, Ray Bradbury, went on record to say that his book is “a story about how television destroys interest in reading literature.” (http://www.laweekly.com/news/ray-bradbury-fahrenheit-451-misinterpreted-2149125) Already in 1953, Bradbury feared people would grow so addicted to television that they would stop reading books. When Bradbury shared this interpretation at a lecture at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), students protested. They insisted that he was wrong. They told him, the author, that his book only references government censorship.
     Can you imagine what it must feel like when someone tells you, the author of your own book, that you have it all wrong? More than that, if you reject the author’s interpretation, it means that you have injected a new message into that book—a message never there to begin with. You are believing a message that does not come from the author. You are believing a message that you created. And if you believe a message you created, then you will receive an entirely different outcome than what the author ever intended.
     When it comes to what you believe about your status before God, look to what God, the divine Author, so clearly reveals. Stand on Scripture. Find God’s heart revealed. Gain certain confidence.

     You have heard me say it before: You and I live in a postmodern society. That means society teaches there is no absolute truth; there is no set standard of what is universally “right” and what is universally “wrong.” So, if I choose to wear a dress today, you cannot tell me that my clothing style is wrong. By you insisting that I change, you have now created a fixed truth that there is certain clothing reserved only for men and certain clothing reserved only for women. Yet, to me and my thinking, I may feel that dresses are not exclusive only to women or men. If I believe one thing about dresses, then that becomes a truth by which I will live. If you believe dresses do not belong on men, then that is a truth by which you live. We have two differing truths, but two differing truths that are both valid and equal because we feel strongly about our beliefs.
     Your society feels truth is constantly changing and truth changes based on a person’s individual beliefs. If you feel something is true, then it must be true— and no one can tell you that you are wrong.
     So, if you feel God will let you into heaven because you are a good, moral person, then this must be true. God must let you into heaven because you think this is correct. Or you may feel that God will give you eternal life because you are sincere in your beliefs— you sit in a church building, you listen to the Pastor, you are dedicated to behaving like a churchy-person. If you feel this is what God looks for in a person, then you must be right; sincerity in religious practice will give you eternal life. Or, you may cling to a tightly-held belief— even if it contradicts what God says. If you do not want to be judged for your lifestyle, then simply say, “I do not think God would judge me.” Therefore, you would believe that God accepts the way you live. If you want God to bring all people to heaven, then say: “I feel God will save everyone.” Your feeling, then, is considered true. If you want to skip worship, then simply state: “I think God knows why I’m sleeping in and he doesn’t care.” You can feel better about your life because you just said God doesn’t care. This is how postmodern thinking not only shapes your civilian life, but also how it can affect our views towards Scripture. We begin telling God, the divine Author, that he has it all wrong!

     Yet, here’s the question: How do you know if your personal beliefs are right? A roomful of students told Ray Bradbury that his interpretation of his own book was wrong! Yet, Bradbury revealed an undeniable truth: He is the author. As the author, he put down his intentions in writing. Students may believe what they want, but their beliefs cannot change the purpose of his book.
     When it comes to Scripture, and to its teachings, God reveals an undeniable: He is the Author. You may want God to condone your lifestyle, but God has still said: “Be perfect like me” (Matthew 5:48). You may feel that God loves you because you are a good person and because you are here today, but God still says: “All have sinned and all fall short of reaching heaven with me” (Romans 3:23). If you try to make up reasons as to why God forgives you, you may feel they are right, but God will still call them “wrong.” Clinging to your own personal belief— no matter how much you want to believe it is true— can still leave you standing apart from God forever.

     A monk named Martin Luther dreaded that. He was terrified that God hated him— because he knew the Bible clearly teaches: God punishes sin— and he was a sinner. Luther never knew how to remove that guilt. His priest told him to confess his sins, to pray, to beat himself, to stare at bones of dead church leaders, to pay money, to do good things, to give up money— do all these things and his guilt would diminish. It did not.
     Luther never knew how to remove that guilt. Making up solutions never fills you with peace. Trying to do more good than bad does not erase the bad you did do. How do you remove guilt? How can you be sure you can go to heaven? Stand on Scripture and find God’s heart revealed.

     Our reading says: For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. How do you remove feelings of guilt? How can you fill your heart with peace? How can you know for sure that you will enter heaven? God says, “Look in the gospel.” The word “gospel” means “good news.” The “good news” is that Jesus rescues you from the consequences of your actions. You will never discover this truth by digging into your emotions. You will never recognize this truth by trying to live as a perfect person. You will only find this truth in Scripture because only in the Bible is a righteousness from God revealed.
     God reveals to you this one chief truth: Jesus lives a “right” life. Jesus never calls the Bible a book of lies. Every time someone asks him to “prove” his teachings, he points to Scripture. When he needs comfort or guidance, he embraces what God clearly says. Jesus lives a “right” life. Even though Jesus lives the “right” life God demands, Jesus still dies on the cross. He steps into your place, is treated harshly by God, and suffers so that you never will. When it comes to understanding why God forgives you, Stand on Scripture and you find God say: “I forgive you because Jesus paid your punishment.

     Stand on Scripture and you will find God’s heart revealed. As you see what God so clearly says, you will gain certain confidence.

     Look again to our verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes… This gospel, this good news that Jesus rescued you from the hellish effects of sin, is not just a happy message that you read in a newspaper and then throw away. This news is powerfully life-changing— literally. In the Greek, the word for “power” (δύναμις) is where we get our word “dynamite. That little phrase: “it is the power of God” says Scripture works like dynamite. You read and hear Scripture, and Scripture blasts open your heart to trust that only Jesus makes you “right” before God.
     When it comes to understanding what you believe, Stand on Scripture. Point to what God, the divine Author, has so clearly said. Point to his clear words which tell that Jesus lived, died, and rose for you! When you Stand on Scripture you will always be certain of how God sees you. You will always know that Jesus has done enough to bring you into heaven.

     For a man like Martin Luther, he Stood on Scripture for his confidence of eternal life. He did not try to do things to earn God’s forgiveness. He did not try to feel forgiven. He pointed at God’s unbreakable truth.
      This is what it means to be a Lutheran. Like Luther, when wonder how you stand before God, you Stand on Scripture.

     Stand on Scripture when you are crushed by guilt and gain certain confidence. In Scripture God says: “I forgive you” (1 John 4:19). He does not say that you must “feel” forgiven— as though your emotions must convince you that all is well between you and God. He does not say that you must earn his forgiveness— that you must do more good than bad. Rather, God points you to the cross and asks: What happened there? Jesus died. That’s a fact, a historical event. Why did Jesus die? Scripture says that he dies as you Substitute, stepping into the punishment you deserved (Isaiah 53). Since Jesus died in your place, it means you do not die forever. You are forgiven— not because you feel this to be true, but because God says it is true (2 Corinthians 5:21) Scripture has that dynamite power to blast away doubts and fears about eternity.
     Stand on Scripture and gain certain confidence when you confront various ideas about God. Human beings always have and always will create new thoughts about how God should act. Someone may think all religions lead to the same God. Yet, those beliefs, as sincere as they are, are not capable of making people right with God. Someone may feel good works are enough to enter heaven, but that person cannot force God to agree with him. Only Scripture has the ability to free your soul from the pits of despair and to fill you with peace. Scripture has that dynamite power to blast away lies about God.
     Stand on Scripture and gain certain confidence forever. As you get older, you may ask yourself: “Will God really forgive me?” You may feel that God is lying to you. You may think God wants something more from you. Point to Scripture, stand on what God has so clearly said. God made a specific promise to you— and God will never break that promise. Scripture has that dynamite power to blast away fears that God has hidden something from you.

     When you Stand on Scripture you will never be wrong. Yes, a postmodern world may disagree with God’s truth. Yet, the fact remains: God is the divine Author. He has revealed his intentions about sin and forgiveness, heaven and hell in Scripture.
     Scripture reveals God’s heart— the heart which moved him to send a Savior from sin. Scripture reveals the completed action: Jesus died for your benefit. Scripture reveals God’s feelings towards you so that you may have certain confidence in an ever-changing world.
     When it comes to matters of what you believe about your status before God, look to what God, the divine Author, so clearly reveals. Stand on Scripture. Find God’s heart revealed. Gain certain confidence.

God Is with You! 2 Corinthians 13:14

6/11/2017

Our reading comes from 2 Corinthians 13:14: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

     Sound familiar? We begin each worship service “In the name of the Father, Son, and (+) Holy Spirit.” After you confess your sins, the Pastor assures you: “You are forgiven in the name of the Father, Son, and (+) Holy Spirit.” You sing (in more than one hymn): “Holy [is Jesus]! Holy [is the Father]! Holy [is the Holy Spirit]!” Every single prayer may address God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit, or all three at once! Even at the end of service God triply assures you that (1) he fills your life with blessings, (2) that he deals kindly with you, and (3) that you have peace with him.
     Our entire worship service constantly reminds you of one central truth: you have a Triune God. That’s right: “Tri-une.” Two Latin words put together with “tri” meaning three and “une” meaning one. This one word [Triune] expresses the truth that your God is three individual, distinct persons, each with a different set of responsibilities, but at the same time, God remains one united God with one same set of responsibilities!
     Understand that? How can one individual being be, at the same time, three separate persons? That doesn’t make sense to our minds! That is alright. God does not reveal himself as Triune so that you can somehow figure it out. That’s not the purpose behind this truth. The purpose is to reveal and remind you how your Triune God blesses you.
     This makes the teaching of the “Trinity” something more than just a classroom exercise. I’m not preparing you to answer a jeopardy question. God reveals himself as Triune for the simple assurance: God Is with You! You are Joined through grace, Bound to him by love and United in fellowship.

     Did you notice how this Bible verse is laid out? Paul the missionary (who wrote 2 Corinthians) could very well have ended this letter with: “God be with you, good bye.” But he doesn’t, does he? Instead, Paul breaks apart how each person of the Triune God fills your life.
     He brings you to the very foundation of your faith. “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ[…] be with you.” So, how can you be sure God Is with You? How do you know God still cares for you even when your recovery from surgery is taking longer than you thought? How do you know God listens to your prayers for guidance when you have to make a major life decision? How do you know God is not livid-mad with you for failing him again? Well, God Is with You because you are Joined to him through grace.

     The word “grace” means: “undeserved love.” This kind of love is entirely dependent on your decision to do selflessly love and does not come as a reaction to how someone treats you.
     Imagine that your neighbor grabs his chainsaw, trots into your backyard, fires up the saw, and cuts down your favorite flower tree. Then he splits the wood in plain sight, hauls it over to his yard, and tosses it into his wood burner. You would be pretty upset, right? He walked onto property not his, cut something down he did not own, and then used your possessions for his personal benefit! He (1) trespassed, he (2) vandalized, and he (3) stole! He wronged you! His behavior does not deserve you observing his health. His character has not earned your friendship. You would probably never talk to him again, never help him again, never look at him again. His actions rightly earn your wrath!
     Yet, you demonstrate grace when you still love your neighbor, still treat him with full respect, and offer him all your help in spite of the fact that he did hurt you. “Grace” is “undeserved love.” “Grace” joins you to God.

     Our Old Testament reading says it pretty clearly: God creates an absolutely perfect world and sets Adam and Eve to fill it with children! (Genesis 1:1-2:4) God did not create the universe because you are a pretty good person or because you are so cute and cuddly. God chose to create all things. God chose to make the universe perfect. God chose to put people in the world. With one rebellious act life in paradise became a shattered dream.
     God gives a crystal clear command: “You shall not have no other gods” (Exodus 20:3). Yet, how often the heart scrounges for a reason of entering heaven: “I’m going to heaven because I’m in church and my neighbor is not!” Giving an offering can feel like you are losing your entire wealth: “Well, that money is for me to go to Michigan’s Adventure!… or buy the five-burner, infrared grill!… or upgrade my car!”
     That heart within the chest pounds: “Me! Me! Me!” No wonder guilt flares up when selfishness is unmasked! No wonder fear creeps in when recovery takes a little time! No wonder anxiety washes over when you wait for God’s answer! When comparing our thoughts, words, and actions to God’s high demand of love, we realize it falls far short of his standards! And if we would grow furious at a neighbor cutting down our tree, we know God could seize his Bible from life, ignore our prayers, and never ever look at us again. He could whip into heaven, slam the door shut, stop looking down, and just leave such rebels alone! Yet, he does not, does he?

     God deals with you in grace. “Grace” is “undeserved love.” And you experience the undeserved love of Jesus.
     Jesus chooses to endure the punishment selfishness deserves. His body is nailed to the cross. He suffers God’s wrath so that you will never endure God’s wrath in hell. God ignores Jesus so that you will not be forgotten from God’s mind forever. When Jesus cries out: “It is finished!” (John 19:30), he means just that. Guilt erased, forgiven, removed. Not: “It is finished on my end, now you need to behave.” Not: “It is finished, but you need to pay me back for my efforts. Grace means Jesus is not waiting for you to earn his love. Grace means Jesus loves you so much that he takes the steps necessary to erase your guilt.

     Jesus makes grace a part of your life. Because he chooses to save you, you are joined to God. Being joined to God means God Is with You! He is bound to you by love.

     That is why this verse continues: “And the love of God[…] be with you.” This “love” runs deeper than just emotional love (like joy or happiness). This “love” is more than just a friendship. When you hear God the Father “loves” you, it means he loves you in spite of your actions. He loves you because Jesus has made you pleasing in his sight. God Is with You! The Father is bound to you by love. Bound. Tied. Joined together.
     Do you always remember that? Our world seems to view God as some Supreme Being who lives out in the universe and sits idly by as the globe spins in front of him. We can easily think God only steps in for life’s so-called “big” problems.
     We can think God the Father is merely relegated to some helper role— that he pays attention only when things get really bad. “Oh, he has cancer; now I’m paying attention.” “Oh, she’s struggling with her friends, I’ll help.” “Oh, they are a couple hundred short this month. Ah, they’ll figure it out. It’s no big deal.” This is not true!
     If Jesus joins you to God, then God the Father is bound to you! The entire reason Jesus spends his life on earth is to bring peace to your life! That means God the Father treats you in the same way you treat your own children. He listens to you, just as you direct your attention to the child tugging your leg. He provides food and clothing and house and home just as you automatically provide these things for your children. He protects you, keeping your body and soul safe just as you protect your daughter in the car or at home or watch over her right now! The love of God the Father constantly remains in your life!

     He has not disappeared into heaven. He does live far away from anyone and everyone else. He is not unwilling and unable to help. Rather, he remains bound by love to help you. That means God Is with You! He unites you in fellowship.
     Literally. Our verse ends: “And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.” You have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). At first, that may sound a little odd. “In?” When we say “in” we mean that God put his name on you. He puts papers into your hand, stating that you are a member of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit brings this fellowship, this close relationship between God and you. God Is with You!

     And he will remain with you always (Matthew 28:20). God knows your frustrations when your recovery from surgery is taking longer than you thought. He knows your anxiety when you have to make a major life decision. God recognizes the fear that appears when guilt creeps up in your heart. So, God the Holy Spirit unites you in fellowship with God.
     This fellowship means you have access to God! No, not just a one-way access where God will someday choose to intervene in your life. It is a two-way access! You approach God in prayer and God answers. God speaks to you through the Bible and you trust in his ability to do the things has says he can do. God uses Jesus’ body and blood to strengthen your confidence that he (and not you) has fully removed your sin and that he (and not you) are the reason you’re entering heaven. You live confident that God Is with You!

     Our entire worship service constantly reminds you of one central truth: you have a Triune God. Your God is three individual, distinct persons, each with a different set of responsibilities, and yet, at the same time, God remains one united God with one same set of responsibilities!
     Understand that? How can one individual being be, at the same time, three separate persons? That doesn’t make sense to our minds! That is alright. God does not reveal himself as Triune so that you can somehow figure him out. That’s not the purpose. The purpose is to reveal and remind you that your Triune God blesses you now and always. God the Son deals with you in grace. You are a child of God—not because you feel it or because you earned it. You are his child because Jesus makes you his child. God the Father daily fills you with his undeserved love. God the Holy Spirit unites you through faith to God.
     So, rejoice! Be glad! Live comforted now and always because God Is with You! You are Joined through grace, Bound to him by love and United in fellowship.

Follow in the Footsteps of Your Good Shepherd 1 Peter 2:19-25

5/7/2017

I have a question for you this morning. Let’s say you want to take golf lessons. (I’m not sure if golf is something you want to take up, but let’s pretend that you want to take a few lessons). Now, who would you rather have as your golf instructor: myself or Tiger Woods?

     Of course it would be Tiger, right?! He is the golf professional with almost 40 years of experience! He knows every rule of the game. He understands the technique of swinging a club and knows how to get your knees, hips, and wrists to coordinate together. Even if you do not hit the ball well you would probably be more open to receiving correction from Tiger than from me. Yes, even if you struggle you would listen to his comments. Why? Because he has had success in golf. If you have never played golf, you will gain confidence through from his knowledge, experience, and demonstration through both easy and difficult lessons.
     Have you ever considered that before? When life gets difficult and frustrating, many usually search for an easy way to dodge suffering. Even if the only way to victory is through suffering, it is tempting to surrender victory if it means you can avoid suffering. Yet, when you have a leader in life, you follow his encouragement to (1) overcome suffering and (2) grow in spite of it.
     That’s an easy truth to forget. So your God reminds you just what it means to Follow in the Footsteps of Your Good Shepherd. He heals you. He guides you. He protects you.

     Did you catch what jumps out in those three parts? (He heals you. He guides you. He protects you.) “You” are not the subject. “You” are not doing the action. “You” are the object. And “He” is Jesus and Jesus is doing the action.
     Listen again to verse 25: For you were like sheep going astray. This is how you once lived; you were like sheep going astray. Pay attention to the verb. “Were” describes a past action. At one time you behaved a certain way, but this behavior no longer happens today. You see, when Peter says: You were like sheep going astray, he is not describing your constant battle against sin. So, he is not referring to last week, when your attention drifted from the Word of God and followed the self-centered “word of me” or when you put more trust in your efforts than in God’s promises. Peter is pointing out how one time you lived like a sheep who followed no shepherd. Life was aimless. Maybe you searched for happiness in wealth. Perhaps you felt drinking could solve problems. Self-centered-serving felt good. No matter if you came to faith at an older age or through your baptism just a few days after your birth, you once lived like a wandering sheep searching for some lasting satisfaction, but you were unsure of what that satisfaction was.
     But something changed. Your life goals, your sense of purpose, your direction has all changed. You have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. This translation may be a little misleading because “you” still did not do the action. A more literal reading is: You were returned, meaning, “you” are still the object and someone else returns you. And Peter says that Jesus himself returned you.
     Like a Good Shepherd, he looked for you (John 10:16). He opens his mouth; his Word goes out. His message is clear: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. Life without Jesus would result in hell. Money could never buy lasting happiness. Alcohol cannot numb guilt before God. Selfishness could never move God to let you into heaven. It is Jesus who sheds his blood to bring you into heaven’s eternal pastures. It is Jesus who suffers your punishment and removes your guilt. Jesus died for your sins on the cross in order to mark you as his sheep. [B]y his wounds you have been healed.
     You now live in this flock of Jesus, brought into this fenced-in-pasture. How does this appear in your life? Well, you have died to sin. No longer do you search for happiness in the bottle or online or in money. You live to righteousness. Your behavior and choices, words and actions, are shaped by what God, in the Bible, says is pleasing. Put another way, you Follow in the Footsteps of Your Good Shepherd. Jesus is “Good” because He heals you from the death of sin. Jesus is a “Shepherd” because He guides you.

      The picture of a Shepherd leading his flock through life is so near and dear to our hearts. That soothing image reveals the fact you are loved— that Jesus uses his time, his power, and his ability to pluck worries and dangers from life. Yes, even if life feels more complex than it once did, you can live anxiety-free because Jesus guides you.
     Yes, even if life feels more complex than it once did, you can live anxiety-free because Jesus guides you. It may not feel like that is true. Just look at the verses that come before verse 25. Peter talks about everything that robs comfort from life! You can endure pain of unjust suffering and you suffer for doing good. That happens, right? You shape your life around what God calls “right” and “wrong.” You worship a God serious about punishing sin and forgiving sin (Exodus 34:6-7), but the world labels you “bigoted” and “hateful” and calls your God a “tyrant.” You may reach out to a child straying away Jesus, but are told to “back off.” You may stand up for what is right, but realize you stand in the minority. Suffering can happen even when you do the good God wants you to do.
     Sometimes suffering may just not feel fair. You suffer in life. Cancer comes back; it might never go away. You prayed to God for deliverance, but then it comes back— and you wonder: “Is my Shepherd listening?” You pour yourself into making relationships better, but the other party just does not seem to be returning love. Your heart grieves as you watch your cousins and siblings, children and grandchildren get sucked into the decaying morality of society. You get hurt. You know you will heal— but you are away from a normal routine, your wages are decreased, your body aches, and you wonder if you will ever feel the same. Laws are passed that you do not like; taxes increase; FoxNews and CNN and MSNBC only seem to churn out doom and gloom. You are in this flock of Jesus, but it feels like the Shepherd leaves you. You feel forgotten, abandoned, forsaken— almost as though life is this monotonous routine that offers nothing more than pain and misery until you finally reach heaven.
     Suffering is not pleasant or enjoyable or as our reading calls: a gracious thing. No, suffering hurts. It hurts your emotions. It hurts your pride. It hurts your sense of joy. To end the hurt, you may search for what is not helping remove the hurt. And that one thing is—well… it may appear as though God is doing nothing to guide you. Suffering can push you to blame the Good Shepherd of hurting you.

      Yet, do you find it interesting that Peter brings up the Good Shepherd here? Peter mentions that suffering will be present in life. He knows the devil will use suffering to pry you away from the Shepherd’s fold. So, Peter reminds you: Follow in the Footsteps of Your Good Shepherd because Christ [also] suffered for you. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. Not only is Jesus innocent, but he never shakes an angry fist at God accusing him of sending him to the slaughter. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate, even though Jesus could have damned the world to hell or cursed God. [W]hen he suffered, he made no threats. Instead Jesus suffers unjustly— and this is why: The only way to save you eternally is for him to suffer death for your sins. No suffering, no forgiveness and no heaven for you. If he suffers, then you gain heaven.
     Not only does your Good Shepherd suffer for your eternal benefit, but you may suffer because you are connected to your Good Shepherd. Why? Because your suffering does not come because people do not like you. Suffering comes because an unbelieving world cannot stand the teachings of your Jesus. So, it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because your suffering comes as result of you following Jesus ahead of society.

     Your Good Shepherd will continue guiding you through every challenge because he is leading you to the pastures of heaven. Be sure, until you reach those eternal pastures, your Good Shepherd protects you.

     He l[eft] you an example, that you should follow in his steps. Imagine you, the parent, trudging through deep snow. Behind you is your child following in those impressions. In the same way, Jesus also suffered but now lives in eternal glory. Imitate him through joys and challenges, knowing that you also are walking to heaven.
     You can follow his steps by removing false ideas. Sometimes you may be tempted to have God meet your terms. You may expect God to fill you with happiness by healing you the way you want. You want God to fill you with peace by enforcing the laws you know should be passed. You expect God to give you health and wealth. Yet, where does he promise these things? God does not promise you a life full of joys and bliss. Instead, he makes it so clear that you can expect suffering. Or, as our beloved Psalm 23 says: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death… Even this psalm tells you that you will walk through some challenging moments in life. The joy is not found in a pain-free life. The join is found in the fact Jesus is with you; his rod and staff comfort you (Psalm 23:4).
   Jesus the Good Shepherd is your overseer. An overseer is someone who protects you. You could picture sitting in the middle of an Army humvee caravan driving down enemy streets. Danger surrounds you on every side, yet the humvee, the weapons, and surrounding troops protect you.
    Your Good Shepherd, recognizes the suffering you face in life. Yet, he leads you not around them, he does not abandon you to them; he leads you through them because he has conquered every suffering. Jesus protects you from death in hell because he (1) died, but (2) rose again (reversing death forever). Jesus can promise you eternal life in heaven because when his earthly ministry was over, he entered heaven. Jesus can protect you because he still possesses the power to return and bring you to heaven. Until you reach your heavenly home, your Good Shepherd is protecting you on the way.

     He is your leader. Just like if you have never played golf, you will learn from a professional’s knowledge, experience, and demonstration. Even if you do not hit the ball well you would probably be more open to receiving correction from a professional than from me. You rely and follow someone who (1) has won success and who (2) offers you success.
     Life may have suffering. You may suffer from someone ridiculing your beliefs or you are pressured from within to give up on your beliefs. Yet, press on. Your Good Shepherd walked through suffering and now lives in heavenly glory. When you have a leader in life, you follow his encouragement to (1) overcome suffering and (2) grow in spite of it.
     Your God reminds you of this truth. Follow in the Footsteps of Your Good Shepherd. He heals you. He guides you. He protects you.

Make Every Day Easter Day! 1 Peter 1:3-9

4/23/2017

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!

     Now what? After all, Easter Sunday was last week. Last week you heard heart-pounding testimonies that Jesus is alive, but you will not hear this testimony repeated today. Last week you sang beloved Easter hymns and responded with heartwarming Bible verses, but some of those hymns you will not sing today. Last week your heart fluttered with the joy of knowing peace with God. Yet, that was all last week and six days stand between last Sunday and this Sunday. Six days that trumpeted cancer treatments and doctor appointments and school deadlines and global anxiety and stress from family and fears of nuclear war and— anything but that peace you experienced on Easter. It can leaving you feeling that Easter lasts only one day. That Easter Sunday gives you joy and peace and a reason to sing, but when Sunday ends, you pack Easter’s joy away in boxes for another year.
     Treating Easter like a one-day event can rob you of its lasting joy for today (and tomorrow and the day after). In fact, if you ever read through the entire New Testament, you will realize that every Bible writer treats Easter as more than just a one-day event. You see that today. The events of that first Easter fill every part of life, Making Every Day Easter Day! You carry joy in every situation because You are born into a living hope.

     Look again at our reading from 1 Peter. Blessed (or Praise) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy, has caused us to be born again. See the life you live now. At one time, you lived in the darkness of uncertainty— not sure how you stand before God, not sure if you will enter heaven, not sure if you are living a truly fulfilling life as God would have it. But you have clarity now. Your way of life has changed. Not because you chose to have life with God, but because [as Peter says] God, in his mercy, chose to give you new life! He uses baptism to create faith in your heart and he strengthens you in faith through his Word and sacrament.
     So, even though the first Easter Sunday happened thousands of years ago, God’s Word continues whisking you and me back to the empty tomb. There you see a lifeless body regain life. Jesus lives again to declare the wages owed to God for sin paid in full. If a debt is fully repaid, then there is no more debt. If sin’s consequences are fully repaid, then there is no more consequence of death.
     That is why, in verse 6, Peter says: In this you rejoice… You rejoice that Jesus makes God at peace with you. When Peter says “rejoice,” he does not mean singing hymns, but rather jumping up and down and fist-pumping as though your favorite team just won a championship. You “rejoice”— not just for one day, but for every day, every moment, all the time!

     Yes, you can rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. Is that what you do? Look over last week. Did you wake up every day knowing that a risen Jesus means eternity in heaven and a risen Jesus means God-for-you? Did this deep, lasting, satisfying joy trump every trouble that entered life?
     It is not easy to jump and shout for joy when you endure various trials, is it? Your sibling gets sick— and she is a Christian. To you, it seems she did nothing to deserve this struggle. She is not a drunk or argumentative. She is kind, loving, and supportive. You wonder if she struggles because God is angry with her. Cancer enters your life. You don’t know why. You ate healthy, exercised, and watched what kind of stuff you inhaled. You even go through months of exhausting treatments. Yet, you wonder if God really cares about you enough to heal your body. You obey God’s command and you worship here, but you don’t feel any different. You still mourn the death of your spouse. Yes, you know she lives in heaven, but you still hurt inside. You still have no God-sent answer as to whether you should move or you should stay. You daily deal with the increase of evil in the world, the increase of people avoiding worship, the insults you absorb because of what you believe, the pressure to compromise your beliefs and tolerate false teaching, the battle inside between the lifestyle you want to live versus what Scripture so clearly and plainly teaches, and the thought of approaching death. All these troubles and trials suffocate any whimper of joy.
      What is it that makes it difficult to rejoice even when you are going through a challenge? Could it be that you doubt God is with you? Could it be that your focus is attached to fixing a problem yourself? Could it be that you are looking away from Easter? The more our attention drifts away from the empty tomb, the more you will doubt if God really loves you at all.

     Peter knows this can happen. He knows that you can experience grief and a debilitating illness and that you can hurt sometimes. If you notice, he never says: “Ignore your problems and put on a brave face.” No. Peter does not leave “Rejoice!” hanging by itself. Rather, he reveals the reason you and I can rejoice— even if we encounter trials.
     Listen again to our words: In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Go home and search the internet for “raw gold” and you will be amazed by what you see. Gold just mined up from the earth looks like a dull, jagged, gray rock. It is not the glistening, shiny-yellow, smooth material with which we are familiar. Someone heats a fire to 1,100 degrees, throws the chunk of gold into a pot, and everything melts. The dirt covering the gold melts off and floats on top of the golden puddle. Any bugs, twigs, or grass stuck in the gold incinerate. After burning away all the impurities, you are left with pure gold; you are left with a better, more valuable product.
     The troubles you face in life refine faith. The greater the intensity, the more you despair of yourself. By that I mean, instead of looking to your mind for deliverance, turn to the risen Lord who brings you peace.
      Let any fear that God has abandoned you melt away when you see Jesus return to his disciples (and return to you through his Word). He would have every right to leave us for questioning the sincerity of his love, but he remains to forgive you and me. Let the thoughts that God is angry with you disintegrate when you hear Jesus say: “Peace be with you. If you are forgiven, you are forgiven indeed!” Let worries about the future or griefs in the present find comfort in a Savior who says: “I am alive.” Jesus lives to prove that he is the Savior who comes to take away the sins of the world! Your life will go through this world and into eternity!

     The fact that Jesus lives now means you can Make Every Day Easter Day! Why? Because you run to the cross of Jesus again and again. There you discover a Savior who loves you so much that he removes every sinful impurity so that you can be his priceless treasure. You carry this joy in every situation. You can be confident of this because you are born into a living hope.

     Already, in this life, God promises in six different ways that you can be sure you are his child. He calls eternal life an inheritance. At your baptism, God etched your name into the book of eternal life. The sign of the cross made on your head and heart marks you as his child—not an orphan or a stranger, but his!
     In case you are still uncertain about that, then listen to him call this inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. God’s promise does not decay or rot over time. His guarantee is not untrustworthy. God is not a lawyer who changes terminology. God never forgets what he promises you. Your confidence that Jesus always stands beside you is living. It will never change, never fade, never expire. Even if your life-situations change, God’s guarantee to be with you never changes.
     Then this inheritance is kept in heaven for you. If a business owner puts money in his safe and leaves, he expects to return and find the money still there. God secures your guarantee of life in heaven. If God is protecting it, then you can be sure it remains there for you.
     Yet, you not only look forward to life with God. Rather, if God loves you so much that he prepares eternity for you, then you can be sure he stands beside you in every trouble. You, by God’s power, are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Imagine military men forming a circle to keep an official safe. God constantly guards you against all danger, delivers you from trouble, and strengthens your faith through his Word. At just the right time, heaven will be revealed (either on the Last Day or at the moment you leave this worldly life).
     Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Persevere through every struggle because you are not alone. By faith you trust God is with you always, even to the end of the age. So, the more trouble presses into you, the more you look up to God who helps you. Run to him in prayer, constantly pleading and trusting. He lives to put your heart and mind at peace. This is your living hope.

     Make Every Day Easter Day even if last week was Easter. The days and months might change, but the new life Jesus wins for you never changes. Your life situations might pose new challenges, but God constantly stands beside you. New fears and doubts may creep up. Yet, run to the Word, be assured of God’s love in baptism and communion, flee to him in prayer. Light and momentary trials stretch you to trust and rely on your God in ways you might never have done before. All this makes the testing of your faith far more valuable than the gold our world cherishes.
     Easter is more than just a one-day event. Jesus is not still dead and in his tomb. He has not re-entered his tomb a second time. He lives—and he lives now! He lives for you to Make Every Day Easter Day! You carry joy in every situation because You are born into a living hope.