During this season of Lent, we focus on all that our Lord Jesus has done for us. In our Gospel lesson we see that Jesus was tempted by Satan, but despite Satan’s best efforts Jesus resisted each temptation, not just for Himself, but also for you.

First, “Tell this stone to become bread.” In other words, “Jesus focus on yourself.” Such temptations of the flesh come to us as well. How often in our lives do we have legitimate needs, perhaps we need just a few more dollars to pay the gas bill, or some relief from this nagging pain, or a decent night’s sleep, or peace within the family. We ask for nothing extravagant, Lord, but can You really help us with the daily, physical necessities of life? It often seems like, in this area, we are on our own. And we too are sometimes tempted from our own fleshly needs to question the love of God. Referring to such temptations of the flesh, Dr. Luther once wrote, “My own worst enemy is closest to me, I am carrying him in my breast. Therefore, if God does not help me with His Holy Spirit, I am lost. I cannot govern myself for a solitary hour.”

And so the words of Jesus to Satan are also a good reminder for us. “Man does not live by bread alone” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Or, as Jesus would later explain further in His Sermon on the Mount, “Therefore, I tell you do not worry about what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? … And why do you worry about clothes? See the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows you that you need them” (Matthew 6:25-34).

Then, “The devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to Him, “I will give You all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it anyone I want to. So if You worship me, it will be Yours” (Luke 4: 5-7).

Oh, the world had so much to offer. Of course it had gold and riches beyond measure. But there was something more here as well—something that spoke to the compassionate heart of Jesus. For when He looked out over the nations, He saw more than glory and power. He also saw the suffering, the anguish and the despair that filled the lives of so many people. For that is why He had come into the world—to give hope to those who despair—to ease the pain of those who suffer—and to bring forgiveness and peace where there is sin and guilt. And now He could do it. There need be no crucifixion, no humiliation, no thorny crown, no death—here was a tremendous shortcut to accomplish His mission—He could bring peace on earth, free the world of evil, and bypass the agony of the cross. What a temptation that was! Would Jesus go for it? No, because that was not His Father’s plan. And Jesus knows that when you try to do things outside the Father’s plan—when you try to accomplish things your own way (regardless of how good your intentions might be) when you try to accomplish things your own way, with no regard for God and His will—the result is always disaster.

What was Jesus’ response to Satan? “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:13).

We do not worship on Sundays apart from Christ and His cross. We do not live the other 6 ½ days of the week apart from Christ and His cross. Because Christ and what He did for us through His suffering and death is the foundation of who we are and what we do.

Finally, “The devil lead Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If You are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: He will command His angels concerning You to guard You carefully; they will lift You up in their hands so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone” (Luke 4:9-11).

Here we see the temptation to test God, which is actually an invitation to doubt God. The only reason we would test Him—to see if He were really there—or to see if He really cared—would be if we doubted Him or His love. For that is the reason and purpose of Satan’s entire existence. He wants to do nothing else than to plant seeds of doubt in each believer’s heart, to pull us away from our gracious God, and to rob us of our salvation.

But Jesus would not fall for this temptation. Rather, “Jesus answered again, very clearly from Scripture, ‘It says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16).

Satan wants you to doubt God, he wants you to doubt your salvation, he wants you to doubt that Jesus cares for you and loves you and provides for you each and every day. Why? Because Christians are people who live by grace through faith (Romans 1:17). And every doubt we have works to undermine that faith by which we are saved. That is why it is so important that we hold onto the certainty of our salvation.

So Satan failed in all his attempts to get Jesus to sin. Jesus remained the spotless Lamb of God. He conquered temptation for us so that we could apply His strength, His perseverance and His victory, when we fight those same battles against the devil, the world and our flesh each and every day. Amen.

Pastor John Tape

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What amazes you? The audacity of politicians – what they say and how they say it? The more than $70 million spent on the campaign ads in Iowa alone? X-treme sports? Downhill skiing? Jump and catch in the end-zone to win the football game? The miracle of conception, growth and birth?  Sunrise / sunset…

Where would you put “Jesus” on a list of things that “amaze” you? Or would He even make the list?

This is now the fourth weekend in Epiphany – the season of the church year where we see Jesus “revealed” / “epiphanied” in special ways – 1) His baptism; 2) water into wine at Cana; 3) last week – “not just another Sabbath” as Jesus “revealed” that He is the fulfillment of the Isaiah 61 promise of the Messiah (Luke 4:18-19). The hometown folks at first were AMAZED (v.22) but then became “furious” and tried to throw Him off a cliff, but (amazingly!) Jesus walked right through the crowd and went on His way. – and as we read in today’s Scripture – Jesus came to Capernaum where the people were AMAZED at 1)  Jesus’ preaching with authority;  2)  His driving out demons by the authority of His Word and  3) rebuking the high fever of Peter’s mother-in-law!  THAT’S AMAZING – THAT’S QUITE THE AUTHORITY that JESUS revealed!

There’s a humorous story about “authority” – especially with all the political debates going on. Back in the ‘50s a man by the name of Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts. He was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes and no lunch he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was really hungry! As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.

“Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?”

“Sorry,” the woman said. “Only one to a customer.”

Governor Herter decided that he would throw a little weight around. “Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state.”

“Do you know who I am?” the woman said. “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Now move along, mister.”

We smile, but do we try to get our way with God, feeling entitled or privileged rather than recognizing Jesus’ Word has AUTHORITY over all things?

Don’t we often wish for some of these same miracles today? If we could, we would be among those who we read in Luke 4: “when the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them…  At daybreak… the people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was they tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” They wanted the physical healing – Jesus wanted to give them so much more!

Miracles are to point to belief in Jesus and His Word, not just the curing of the sick – we read in John 20:30-31, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

Tony Campolo tells a story about being in a church in Oregon where he was asked to pray for a man who had cancer. Campolo prayed boldly for the man’s healing.  That next week he got a telephone call from the man’s wife.  She said, “You prayed for my husband. He had cancer.”  Campolo thought when he heard her use the past tense verb (“had cancer”) that he had been cured!  But before he could think much about it she said, “He died.” Campolo felt terrible.

But she continued, “Don’t feel bad. When we came into that church last week, he was filled with anger. He knew he was going to be dead in a short period of time, and he hated God. He was angry that this all-powerful God didn’t take away his sickness and heal him. The more his anger grew towards God, the more miserable he was to everybody around him.

But, the lady told Campolo, “After you prayed for him, God’s peace came over him. His last three days have been the best days of our lives. We’ve sung, we’ve laughed, we’ve read Scripture, we prayed. Oh, they’ve been wonderful days! And I called to thank you for praying for healing.”

And then she said something incredibly profound: she said, “He wasn’t cured, but he was healed.”

Jesus’ authority – the “amazing” thing about Jesus – is not about cures for physical diseases – but the ULTIMATE healing of body and soul – salvation through Jesus for eternity!

This is the amazing “good news” that Jesus also speaks to us today; the eternal healing – the forgiveness of sins through Confession and Absolution / the reminder that we are living “under Him in His Kingdom” already right now through our Baptism – the true body and blood of Jesus in Holy Communion for the strengthening of our faith and a “foretaste of the feast to come!”

Amazing Grace – is it just a song? Or is it truly Amazing Grace – how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! (Or do I foolishly think that I still have the authority?)  In another hymn we sing:  Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all!

In the amazing name, authority and grace of Jesus. Amen.

Don’t miss the amazing gifts of God through our worship this next weekend, as we celebrate the Transfiguration of Jesus! God’s blessings also this week as we read, hear and study His amazing Word in our daily devotions and prayers!

Pastor Myers

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In our Gospel reading, it began as “just another Sabbath.” When the people saw that Jesus was present, they were anxious to hear from this “home town boy made good.” They handed Jesus the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling it to “the place” (v.17) Jesus read: “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) These were familiar words; they were the promise of the long-awaited Messiah regularly read in their Synagogue. So far, it was “just another Sabbath.”

Then Jesus made a startling announcement: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21) Jesus boldly proclaimed that He was the long-awaited Messiah; an extraordinary claim to be made on “just another Sabbath!”

At first, “All spoke well of Jesus and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips.” (v.22)  This would delight any politician or public speaker.  Speeches are carefully written so as not to offend the listeners. (Isn’t that why it’s often so hard to know the true message of a politician?) And the temptation for Jesus, that day, was certainly to impress His “hometown folks” with “what they wanted to hear.” But God’s Word never changes itself to go along with our sinful, selfish nature – rather it boldly exposes sin for what it really is! God’s Word of Law always “nails” us!

When the truth began to “sink in” – that THEY were “the poor… the prisoners … the blind… the oppressed” that Jesus had come to save – the people asked in disbelief: “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” (v.22) Implying, of course, that because He was so familiar to them, He couldn’t be the Messiah they were looking for! (This is the same “familiarity” often used by Satan to “block the message from God’s Word” that a local pastor speaks after he’s served a congregation for a number of years.)

Jesus, knowing that unbelief always demands proof, did what was (and continues to be) “politically incorrect” – He told them not what they wanted to hear, but what they needed to hear.  Unbelief always demands proof.  But Jesus never gave “proof” when it was demanded.  Just as He did not come to tell people what they wanted to hear, but to speak God’s Word and to draw people away from their unbelief to His “saving words;” so Jesus spoke hard words to these skeptics: “Truly I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” (v.24)

This continues to be true today. The preacher’s (and the Church’s) constant temptation continues to be – come to church, sing the hymns, have the Bible read, sit through the sermon and prayers, and go home satisfied that we have “made it through another Sunday” – No one upset, nothing changed. The worldly part of us doesn’t want to be “bothered” with “the hard truth” from God’s Word – that by nature we are all living in the darkness of sin and need to turn away from sin through the working of our Savior.  We especially do not like it when a certain lifestyle caused by our sinful, selfish behavior is exposed as wrong and we are told we must no longer live in the world’s ways.  We would much rather just allow a person’s personal lifestyle and “mind our own business.”  But the purpose of God’s Word is to “disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.”

Just as that day in Nazareth, as Jesus visited His hometown with His presence and His “gracious words”, He is also present here with us today – in the hymns, the Scriptures, the sermon and prayers, the liturgy, the Lord’s Supper, etc.; making this “more than just another Sunday.”

Notice that the skepticism and unbelief of the people that day did not stop Jesus from His blessed work of carrying out His Heavenly Father’s plan. When the “hometown folks” “drove Jesus out of the town, and took Him to the brow of the hill … in order to throw Him down the cliff… Jesus walked right through the crowd and went on His way.  [Isn’t it IRONIC that the people wanted to see a miracle, and the miracle that was done was that they were unable to carry out their evil plan!]… (v.29-31)

There did come a time when Jesus allowed a sinful mob to take Him up a hill, called Calvary. They did not try to throw Him off the hill, but cruelly nailed Him to a cross and left Him there to die! But He did NOT STAY THERE – on the third day He rose again from the dead (as we confess in our Creed – “walking right through death and the grave!”) And as a result of this, every Sabbath / every Sunday / every day and especially every Christian funeral has been changed forever!

As we gather, it is More Than Just Another Sunday – Jesus is TRULY present in His Word to forgive and strengthen us in our relationship with Him / in, with and under the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. With renewed “amazement” like those who benefited from Jesus “gracious words” we too are being changed and live this week renewed – turning away from our sinful, selfish nature, strengthened and growing by His authority and will in our lives! What an extra-ordinary, SUPER Sunday God gives us whenever we gather for His Word and Sacraments!

See you in worship this weekend! Don’t miss the “amazing” gifts Jesus has to give you!

Pastor Myers

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This weekend’s Gospel reading records the miracle of water being changed into wine. “This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.” (John 2:11) So that we and the whole world can see and believe in Jesus, our Heavenly Father graciously revealed Him through “Five Highlights” we celebrate during the season of “Epiphany.” God manifests (shows or reveals) Himself in the person and work of Jesus 1) through the appearance of the star over the place where Jesus was, 2) by revealing Himself to the Gentiles (the “non-Jewish” magi or wise men), 3) as we see Jesus baptized, 4) at the Transfiguration (see Luke 9:28ff) and here 5) through His first great public miracle of changing water into wine.

Jesus called Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael to follow Him as disciples (John 1:40-51). After this, He and his disciples began to travel from Bethany to Cana, and on the third day they arrived there as a wedding feast was taking place. Mary, “Jesus’ mother, was there and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.” (John 2:2)

Wedding celebrations, in their culture, were often seven-day-long affairs with the bride and groom being expected to provide hospitality, food and drink – all week – for all their guests! Is it any wonder, then, that when the wine was gone Mary came to Jesus with the wedding couple’s embarrassing problem saying, “They have no more wine.” (John 2:3) She didn’t beg or try to coerce Him; she simply and trustingly placed the need before Him and “said to the servants, ‘Do whatever He tells you.’” (John 2:5)

“Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing (see Mark 7: 3-4), each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. Then He told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’” (John 2:6) When they did so, Jesus, miraculously, had changed this huge quantity of water (120-180 gallons) into the highest quality of superb wine! The wedding host even complimented the groom on waiting until this time to serve the best of wines!

We can learn from this miraculous event, that Mary boldly placed the need before Jesus; that she believed completely whatever He decided would be the very best answer; and that she patiently waited for Him to accomplish His divine will and plan.

May we follow Mary’s example as we boldly, faithfully and trustingly bring our needs and the needs of others to Jesus; may we also believe completely that He will graciously do whatever He knows is good, right and best; and may we wait patiently for Him to accomplish His divine will and plan in our lives and in the lives of others around us.

After all, He mercifully met our greatest need by taking our place on the cross, suffering and dying for us in order to forgive our sins and assure us a place with Him in everlasting life! If He has done all of this for us, will He not also miraculously “take care of all the small stuff” we face every day? He will and He does! So, we too, see His glory and put our faith in Him!

See you in church this next weekend!           

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Snow

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Today’s Gospel reading introduces us, once again, to the “larger-than-life character” of John the Baptist. He was accustomed to “wilderness living” – eating locust and wild honey; dressing in scratchy camel-hair clothing; living in the desert, away from the “hustle and bustle of big city living” in the nearby capital of Jerusalem. Large crowds from Jerusalem, Judea and the region of the Jordan came to listen and to be baptized by him. (Luke 3:1-14. See also all of Matthew, Chapter 3 and Mark 1:1-13)

As the crowds were watching and listening to John, “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.” (Luke 3: 15) Somehow, John knew what they were thinking (perhaps being prompted by the Holy Spirit) and he told them clearly that he was not the Christ, the promised Messiah, whose coming they were anticipating and eagerly awaiting. He explained to them that while he baptized with water, Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Holy Spirit would bring many to faith in Christ who would take them safely to heaven; while the rest of those who did not believe in Him, would be cast into unquenchable fire. John said, “One more powerful than I will come… His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Luke 3:16-17)

John had an “eschatological view;” that is, a view to the future, and especially to the end of the world. He knew and clearly testified that Jesus, the Christ, would finally and ultimately be recognized by ALL people on Judgment Day. But so that we, and the whole world, too, could see and believe in Jesus before the Last Day, God the Father has also graciously revealed Him to us through “Five Highlights” we celebrate during the Church Season which we call “Epiphany.” God manifests Himself in the person and work of Jesus 1) through the appearance of the star over the place where Jesus was, 2) by revealing Himself to the Gentiles (the “non-Jewish” magi or wise men), 3) through His first great miracle of changing water into wine, 4) at the Transfiguration (see Luke 9:28ff) and here 5) as we see Jesus baptized.

When Jesus was baptized and was praying, “Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:21-22)

The Heavenly Father was pleased with Jesus’ Obedience to the Father’s will and Law; with Jesus’ Sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins; and for His divine Substitution which guarantees us life everlasting with Him in Heaven. Because the Father is pleased with Jesus, He is also pleased with us – when Jesus lives within us by faith. Wonder of wonders – Jesus places upon us the robe of His righteousness!

We, too, are baptized with “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Luke 3:3) And in the waters of our baptism, “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7)

Baptism does not save us “by itself!” Rather, it connects us to Jesus who forgives our sins and safely delivers us to heaven! In our baptism, we are connected to Jesus and to one another, as brothers and sisters in Christ with whom He is “well pleased!”

See you in church this next weekend!           

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Snow

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Have you ever heard this announcement over the Public Address system at a crowded, holiday shopping mall… “Your Attention Please! We have two lost parents. Would the parents of Bobby and Susie please come to the store office so that your children may find you?” We may chuckle a little, and perhaps nervously, because most of us recognize just how easily it can happen! Has it ever happened to you? It certainly happened to Mary and Joseph! But, how could they be so careless as to lose Jesus? And for several days, at that!

They were a good and faithful Jewish family so it had been their habit for years, along with many other faithful believers, to make the 65-mile, four-day journey up to Jerusalem to worship and to celebrate the Passover. (See Exodus, Chapter 12 and Exodus 23: 14-17)

There was safety, conversation and fellowship among the travelers of such large caravans. Finally, when it was time to leave for home, the Holy Family was a part of this large group so, it wasn’t until the end of the first day’s travel when Mary and Joseph stopped to put up their tent for the evening, that they finally discovered Jesus wasn’t among their relatives and friends. He was nowhere to be found!

They must have been terribly worried! Wouldn’t you have been? A twelve-year-old boy without money, food or a place to stay – lost and alone in “the big city!” “When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him.” (Luke 2:45)

Twelve years earlier (Luke 1:48) Mary sang “all generations will call me blessed,” but now she must have thought that “all generations will call me irresponsible!” The “first Eve” brought sin into the world and now Mary, “the second Eve,” had lost the Child who would take away the sins of the world and would deliver the world from sin, death and the power of the devil! Mary who had once considered it a great privilege to be the mother of our Lord must have wished God had given that job to someone else!

“After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers.” (Luke 2:46-47)

Not only did Mary and Joseph lose Jesus, but we have too! Remember that God’s Word tells us, “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given.” (Isaiah 9:6)  God has given Jesus to you, but have you ever lost Him? Sometimes it happens suddenly when a crisis or a tragedy strikes. We thought that He was by our side, but then we ask, “Where was He when I needed Him the most?” He never left us. We left Him. Or, sometimes it happens gradually. Jesus drifts away “unnoticed” when we are distracted by our own needs or the pressures of life until something makes us realize that He is missing and we stop to say, “Where is He?” If Mary and Joseph can lose Jesus, so can we!

Jesus has never been lost. We have! He was exactly where He was supposed to be – in the temple doing His Father’s work. Twenty-plus years later, His disciples thought that He was lost when He died on Calvary. But He wasn’t lost. He was exactly where He needed to be on the cross dying for the sins of the world; and in the tomb sanctifying the graves of believers; then raised from the dead to bring life to all those who believe in Him! Our Heavenly Father agonizes when His children go missing. When we were lost in sin and death, it was Jesus who came to find, rescue and save us!

As He sent the angels to guide the shepherds and the star to guide the Wise Men, so our Father guides us back to Himself through the Church “where He is found” in the preaching of His Word; in the waters of Holy Baptism; and in the Bread and Wine which deliver His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

Thanks be to God who sent our Savior as the Good Shepherd in order to “Seek and save the Lost” (Luke 19:10) – you and me!

See you in church this next weekend!           

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Snow

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Did you also pray the bedtime prayer: “Now I lay me, down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take; and this I ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.?” I must admit that growing up, and using it every night with my two sisters and brother, they were just “words to say” – VERY FAMILIAR words – (like the Lord’s Prayer!)  I really didn’t think much about what the words meant, especially not, “if I should die before I wake” – I just said the words.

The very same thing happened with Simeon’s song – the Nunc Dimittis. As I was growing up, we always sang it at the end of Communion.  I knew the words and music by heart, and I remember liking it – not because I thought about the words, but because this indicated that the distribution of communion was finished and the service would soon be done!  Can any of you relate to this with me?

As we read this “Song of Simeon,” I pray that these beautiful words might have renewed meaning for our lives so that from now on, it will not only be Simeon’s Song but it will also be our song as well!

The Gospel writer, Luke, tells us three important things about Simeon; important because they MUST also be true of us if the words of this song are to be our song as well.

1. God’s Word specifically mentions the working of the Holy Spirit in Simeon’s life (three times!): “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts (as) the parents brought in the Child Jesus…” (v.25-27b)

At Christmas, we celebrate the Gift of God the Father – sending His only-begotten Son, Jesus (God the Son) to be born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. And at Christmas, we are also reminded that it is God the Holy Spirit who also gives the GIFT of “seeing Jesus” with the “eyes of faith.” We confess in the Small Catechism: “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 has called me by the Gospel…”

And the way it was with Simeon is the same for you and me today – there was no big fanfare. God’s Word doesn’t tell us HOW it was revealed to Simeon “that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ,” nor how he was “moved by the Spirit” to go to the Temple that day. Still today the Holy Spirit works through common means:

• the water and Word of Holy Baptism,
• the spoken, written and sung Word of God; spoken by parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, friends, family, etc.
• the common bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper.

Also, note that Simeon was in the place where Jesus was present – “moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.” (v.27)  Jesus’ presence is with us in our devotional times and in our prayer times; as well as our times of public worship and Bible Study.  WHAT IF Simeon had decided NOT to come to the Temple that day? Oh, what blessings we miss when we spend no time in God’s Word or miss out on the public gathering of believers in worship!

“Bulletin bloopers” – unintentional misprints – are humorous and at times instructive. A number of years ago a church’s bulletin read: “Worship Service at 9 AM – Prayer and Silent Medication” (they meant “meditation”).

Maybe not such a bad announcement: God, the Holy Spirit works in many ways throughout our worship service to give us the “medication” for “sin-sick and battered lives.” Maybe it’s already in the opening hymn – a special phrase or verse that speaks to our pressing need. Maybe it’s in the “healing words” of the Absolution (especially for special sins that particularly trouble us.) Or in the Scripture readings, the sermon, another hymn, or some other part of the liturgy or service. And certainly, the Lord’s Supper – WHAT A PRIVILEGE to receive this GIFT of Jesus’ true body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins EACH TIME IT’S OFFERED!

And thirdly, note that Simeon “took Jesus in his arms.” When Simeon did it, Jesus was a baby, 40 days old. We TAKE Jesus who is “The Word become flesh” (John 1) – when we take His Word, the Bible and read, study, listen and learn from it; when we sing the liturgy that comes directly from Holy Scripture, and when Jesus invites: “Take eat, this IS My Body… Take drink, this IS My blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

After Simeon had seen and held Jesus, he broke out in the song we still sing: “Lord, now You let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word.  For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel.” (v.29-32) Depart in peace” is the dismissal at the Lord’s Supper: “may this strengthen and preserve you in the true faith until life everlasting. Depart in peace.”  It is also the closing words of the Benediction that sends us back out into the world after “holding Jesus” – receiving His life-strengthening Word and Sacrament: “…the Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you, and give you peace.”

“Peace” with God, “peace” in whatever circumstances comes our way, as long as we live them with Jesus. “Peace” during the “easy times” of life / “peace” during the “hard times” of life / and especially “peace” at the time of death.  For, “it had been revealed to (Simeon) by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” (v.26)  What blessed comfort to know that we (and our loved ones) are “at peace” with God – both in life and in death!

But some people try to live without this blessed peace of salvation through Jesus because their selfish nature has blinded them to this Blessed Hope. The Apostle Paul wrote: “I pray… that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians1:18)

The peace of Christ Jesus doesn’t simply come TO us. It is meant to go THROUGH us! Having seen and received Jesus, we are changed people!  I’m certain that Simeon was “never the same again.”  He left the Temple having “seen and held” Jesus! Think of how Simeon MUST have shared this with everyone he met!  God’s peace and presence in us moves us to be positive witnesses.  For Jesus came for “all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles; and for glory to God’s people, Israel”!  No one is left out!

May God, the Holy Spirit, so fill us; enlighten us; empower us – as He did to Simeon – that we not only receive God’s peace but that God’s peace go THROUGH us – to our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers – this week and always. Amen.

You are invited and encouraged to join us for worship this New Year’s Eve (7 PM Communion) – to “hold Jesus” and receive His precious blessings – as well as every weekend in the New Year.

Pastor Myers

Sermon Audio

Today’s sermon title brings to mind the things of legends, movies and fairy tales. The least likely, scrawny teenage boy is bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes the superhero, Spiderman. The baby traveling to earth from the Planet Krypton becomes the invincible, Superman. In “Star Wars,” unlikely space travelers save the whole universe from “the Dark Side.” And, finally, the simple peasant, Arthur, miraculously rescues Excalibur from its rocky prison and establishes a fabulous kingdom of justice and peace!

But more importantly, “the Least Likely Used for the Most Important” also describes the true, Biblical and miraculous power of God to work His divine will through the most unexpected circumstances and people. Remember how God ultimately used the young Joseph, hated by his older brothers and imprisoned in Pharaoh’s jails, to rescue all of Egypt and Israel from a severe and prolonged famine? God used little David, a simple shepherd boy, to defeat Goliath and later made him one of the great generals and the greatest Kings of Israel; “a man after God’s own heart.” In the pages of the New Testament, we read of the transformative power of God at work in Saul, one of the greatest enemies of the fledgling Christian Church, who later became Paul one of the greatest Apostles of the Gospel and the writer of much of the New Testament itself!

In the Scripture readings for today, we see God using the least likely places (Micah 5) and plans (Hebrews 10) and people (Luke 1) to accomplish His holy will and for His most important purposes.

The first reading points us to the insignificant little village of Bethlehem, rather than the capital city of Jerusalem, as the place where the Savior of the World was to be born. “You Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will be Ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2) God uses the least likely places!

The Epistle reading points us to the most incredible plan; that God would become a sinless human being who would then give Himself as a sacrifice in our place, for the complete forgiveness of all of our sins. “When Christ came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offerings You did not desire, but You prepared a body for Me… I have come to do Your will, O God.’ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10: 5, 7 and 10) God uses the least likely plans!

Finally, the Gospel lesson reveals the least likely person that God would include in His divine plan to save you, me and all of mankind, the humble servant girl, Mary. She was a poor, simple, unsophisticated teenager, probably between 13 and 15 years old (the age of our 8^th Graders). But she found favor with God and was approved by Him to fulfill His plan. By God’s grace, Mary shut her eyes to the world and to common sense, and trusted in God to bring all these things to pass. By faith she said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38) God uses the least likely people to accomplish His plans!

And, as unlikely as it may seem, God has chosen you, and me and the ministries of Holy Cross for His holy purpose today! Like Mary, we recognize our unworthiness, but we are open to the Spirit’s work in our hearts and we submit ourselves to His good and gracious will. Wichita may seem like the least likely place and we the least likely people, but God will have His way and accomplish His plan! What is His plan for you; how will He use you; how will He lead Holy Cross into the days and years ahead?

May God graciously guide us through these exciting days and give us eyes to see and ears to hear His calling; faith and courage to accept the challenges which He sets before us; the strength to carry out His plan worked through us; and then His perfect peace as we, like Mary, say “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as You have said.”

See you in church!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Snow

Sermon Audio