March Newsletter
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First Wednesday in Lent
First Wednesday in Lent
Invocabit Wednesday
February 21, 2018
John 18:1-11
The Arrest
Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
It is written: When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. Thus far the text.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, who gives us our joys as well as are sorrows, grant us Your Holy Spirit so that we may remain abide with You through Your Word; in the name of Jesus. Amen.
This Lent we will work our way through the Passion of Jesus according to John’s Gospel. Tonight we hear the events in the Garden of Gesthemane.
Jesus crossed over the Brook Kidron.
Jesus did this often. It was part of His normal routine. He would would teach in Jerusalem but did not sleep there. He would leave the city. Gesthemane was His normal place to pray. This is His routine.
Jesus doesn’t change His routine. He knows what is coming. He knows by this time He will be betrayed and crucified. But Jesus does not change His routine.
This is important because there are two kinds of suffering. One is the kind we bring upon ourselves from the disciplines of fasting, prayer, and charity to those in need. The other kind of suffering is the kind God brings to us. Sickness tragedy, hardship that we never asked for yet we receive from the hand of God.
The Passion of Jesus is the kind of suffering His Father brings upon Him. Jesus does not alter His routine even though He knows what is coming. Jesus trusts His Father. Let us learn to trust the same Father who brings us our joys as well as our sorrows.
2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
Judas is a smart little cookie. He has the backing of Rome (detachment of troops) and the backing of Jerusalem (officers from the chief priests and Pharisees). This amount of power will quiet the people who might complaint and fight against the authorities. It is overwhelming power.
Round one of this entanglement between Jesus and Judas:
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I AM (He).” And Judas, who betrayed Jesus, also stood with them. 6 Now when Jesus said to them, “I AM (He),” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Those of you studying the Gospel of John on Sunday mornings know the name: I AM. This is the name Jesus revealed to Moses at the burning bush which did not burn (Exodus). Jesus told Moses to go to Pharaoh with authority to bring plagues upon Egypt, to strike down Egypt, until Israel is let go from slavery.
In the Garden of Gesthemane, Jesus says, I AM. Judas, the troops, and the officers are struck down to the ground. With that name, Jesus’ enemies are struck down. Jesus has this power even in His weakened state. He is God in the flesh. He knows the suffering His Father is bringing upon Him. And yet, Jesus speaks and knocks His enemies to the ground with a spoken word. This is a warning to all the enemies of Jesus.
Round two between Jesus and Judas:
7 Then Jesus asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I AM (He). Therefore, if you seek Me, (let My people go) let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which Jesus spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”
Jesus let’s Judas stand up and then remain standing. Jesus asks the question again but He does it not to demonstrate His power against His enemies. Rather, Jesus demonstrates that He fulfills His promises.
Jesus says, Let My people go. Jesus put this request to Pharaoh through the mouth of Moses (actually his brother Aaron). After striking Egypt ten times, what did Pharaoh do? Pharaoh let Israel go.
After lightly striking Judas and his buddies, Jesus lets His people go. Not one disciple of Jesus is harmed even while our Father is bringing upon Jesus a devastating blow at the hands of both state and church.
At the beginning of this Lenten season, let us consider this:
Jesus does not flee the suffering God brings upon Him. So also, do not flee the little sufferings God brings upon you. The suffering you bring upon you does not save you. It is ok to keep you in God’s Word but don’t abuse yourselves.
Jesus fights His enemies with His name - I AM. So also, Jesus fights His enemies with His Word. Government officials may take away your freedom of religion. Church officials may refuse to teach God’s Word. Yet, Jesus always lets His Word remain.
Finally, Jesus sets people free with His name - I AM. So also, Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Satan, the world, and your own flesh may strive to enslave you to your fallen nature again and again. Yet, Jesus has let you go to be a people of God both this evening and forevermore.
So much for a brief look at the arrest of Jesus according to St. John 18:1-11.
Next week, we continue with Jesus’ trial before the religious authorities according to St. John 18:12-27; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes understanding, guard and protect your body and soul through Jesus Christ our Arrested Savior. Amen.
Matins - February 21
Matins - February 21
First Sunday in Lent
First Sunday in Lent
First Sunday in Lent
Invocabit Sermon Notes
February 18, 2018
Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
It is written in 2 Corinthians chapter 6: 1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. Thus far the text.
Let us pray: Gracious Father, You instruct Your people to pray that we not be led into temptation. Grant us Your Holy Spirit so that we may love Your Word and remain in it; in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The Apostle Paul argued against his opponents, who were quite similar to Luther’s opponents of the day. The titles are different but the motivations are the same.
Lutherans commonly use “Pietist” as an insulting word today, but they fail to grasp how deep the spirit of Pietism is.
The foundational error of Pietism is to make sound doctrine secondary, in fact to make sound doctrine a barrier to cooperation and love. It is easy to express their interest in a way that sounds appealing.
For instance, Pietists would say, “Cooperation among men is more important than pure doctrine from God.” Deeds are better than Creeds. They talk about “Christian-bashing” and “the error of becoming tangled in petty doctrinal wars.”
Two toxic errors makes Pietists especially dangerous:
One is their setting aside of the Means of Grace. They do not emphasize the Word of God. They also do not emphasize Holy Baptism or Holy Communion.
The other error of Pietists is their example of doctrinal purity meaning nothing. Anything goes because the experience and the love matter most of all. Because the True Church of Pietism does not like sound doctrine, they take great pride in running down those who favor the Confessions, those who do not admire their great works of love.
Luther is the best litmus test for Pietism, not the words used. The Pietists like Calvinism too. But Calvinism is doctrine, it teaches against the Means of Grace. Not teaching the Means of Grace is by definition an anti-Biblical and anti-Lutheran act.
Therefore, Pietists rage against Luther, just as the false teachers raged against Paul.
But look at Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 6 –
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
BY THE WORD OF TRUTH –
We value the Word of God because it conveys Christ and His forgiveness to us. What is more important than justification by faith? The Promises of God energize our faith. En-ergy means to work, and the efficacy of God’s Word is taught throughout the Scripture. In the New Testament, efficacy is almost letter for letter the word “energy.”
Faith is not something that already exists, except in the generic sense. We are born with faith in our parents, especially our mothers, but not with faith in God. The Word of God creates faith in the Gospel where there was nothing before.
Many different terms show that the Gospel promises are living seed that germinate at once. We are grafted onto Christ.
The Word of Truth brings the righteousness of Christ to us. The Holy Spirit works only through the Word, so nothing else can do that, no matter what some people claim.
BY THE POWER OF GOD
The power of God is identified with the Holy Spirit, since this is how God works through the Word. The Third Person of the Trinity is named after the wind (ruach, pneuma) in Hebrew and Greek, because Jesus taught, He works in the same way. The wind has enormous power, but no one can see it. We experience the effect of the wind, even though no one sees it coming.
BY THE ARMOUR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ON THE RIGHT HAND AND ON THE LEFT,
Justification by faith is armor against the attacks of Satan. Luther has several wonderful stories about that, doubtless because he suffered from many emotional onslaughts or spiritual attacks (Anfechtungen, as he called them).
One is about a bishop who stayed at a haunted house, filled with ghosts, realizing that Satan was using people’s fears to keep them away. Faith in the Gospel makes those fears go away. The Greeks were so aware of this effect, which can cause mass hysteria, that they had a god for it – Pan. And Pan was good for causing “pan-ic.” Many military battles are lost from panic, not from actual superiority.
The other story concerns a statue who gave predictions and worked by the deceiving power of Satan. A bishop by staying at the inn made it go away in anger. The innkeeper was angry, followed the bishop, and rebuked him for ruining his business. The bishop wrote a letter: “To Satan. I give you permission to possess the statue again and predict the future.” The letter was placed at the foot of the idol, and predictions started anew. The innkeeper thought about the irony of writing a letter to a statue and began to believe in the Gospel. He eventually became a bishop himself.
Thus fear influences panic, while faith subdues fear and places trust in the power and mercy of God. Only the Word can do this.
Pietists make idols out of men, but sound doctrine points people to the Gospel promises.
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