The Congregation at Prayer

For the Week of Lent 5 (April 7-12, 2025)

Invocation: In the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Speak the Apostles’ Creed. 

Verse: Deuteronomy 32:36a – “The Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.”

Hymn of the Week:  Lutheran Service Book #442 “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

Hymns for Sunday: 442, 422, 438, 454 (vs. 1-4 ONLY), 619, 444, 441, 440

Readings for the Week: [The readings for Thursday-Saturday are the Scriptures for this coming Sunday.]

Monday: Psalm 118:19–29

Jesus is our salvation, cornerstone, light, sacrifice – what else? How is He all these things? What is our response to this?

Tuesday: Zechariah 9:9-12

What kind of king is Jesus – a king or war or a king of peace? Does Jesus demand or give? How? Why? How much?!

Wednesday: Luke 19:28-40

The colt knew, the people knew, even the stones would know (!) who Jesus is. Who didn’t know? (Or refused to know!) Why?

Thursday: Deuteronomy 32:36–39

What does it mean that the Lord will “vindicate” His people? What does God wants us and all the world to know? Why?

Friday: Philippians 2:5–11

What kind of mind do you usually have? Why is having the mind of Christ better? What is the mind of Christ? How do you get it?

Saturday: Luke 22:1—23:56

The Passion according to Saint Luke. Read this with “fresh” eyes. What details do you notice that you maybe didn’t see before?

The Catechism - The Creed: The First Article [Part 1]: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. What does this mean? I believe that God has made me and all creatures; the He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.  . . .

Collect for the Week: Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

The Prayers:  Please pray for . . .

+ yourself and for all in need (remembering especially those on our prayer list).

+ God’s blessing, wisdom, and guidance for our congregation’s Commission on Mercy.

+ the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession (Czech Republic), for God’s wisdom, 

   blessing, guidance, and provision.

+ God’s blessing, guidance, and provision for our Synod’s Board for International Mission.

Conclude with the Lord’s Prayer and Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer from the Catechism.

Now joyfully go about your day (or to bed) in good cheer, child of God!

Collect for the Week © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.

Lutheran Service Book Hymn License: 110019268

Sermon for Lent 4 Midweek Vespers

LISTEN

Jesu Juva

“Angels of the Passion: A Mission of Mercy, Part 2”

Text: Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Hebrews 1:1-14; Luke 22:39-46

 

I’ve seen some of the pictures your artists have created showing Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Everything looks so calm and peaceful. Jesus looks so calm and peaceful, hands folded, gazing up into heaven. But I’m here to tell you - it wasn’t like that at all! Those were hours of agony! But I’m getting ahead of myself . . .

Things were moving pretty fast now. Satan had entered into Judas and he was out making the arrangements for the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. He knew where Jesus and the other disciples would be, for they had often met together there. It was the perfect place for the betrayal - away from the people so they wouldn’t cause a commotion. So Judas got the band of soldiers and officers that the chief priests and the Pharisees had arranged for him, and they gathered all their lanterns and torches and weapons, and headed out (John 13:2-3).

Jesus, meanwhile, was busy teaching His disciples. This was the last chance He had with them! His last few hours on earth. He had given them His Supper, and now was teaching them many things, about preparing a place for them in heaven, promising them the Holy Spirit, that He wasn’t leaving them alone, as orphans, that He is the vine and they are the branches, that the world will hate them and persecute them - but they’re going to be alright, because He has overcome the world (John 14-16). He spoke so lovingly! Caring for them. Wonderful words! 

And boy, did the disciples need to hear all that! The next 24 hours - not even 24 hours! - would shake them to their very core. But not just them . . .

So Jesus and His eleven faithful disciples get to the Mount of Olives and enter into the Garden of Gethsemane. Then He takes His three closest disciples - Peter, James, and John - with Him a little farther. And He told them, pray that you may not enter into temptation. I’m not sure they knew why He said that, or exactly what to pray for. Oh, they were sorrowful. They knew something was up. They had images of Jesus entering into Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna, and of the betrayal Jesus talked about, and of Jesus going to His Father, all swirling around their heads. But they couldn’t imagine what was going to happen next. How could they? If they could, they probably wouldn’t have fallen asleep!

But Jesus knew. So He started praying. That’s a good example for you! When you’re troubled or in trouble. But now’s not the time to get into that . . .

Jesus started praying. Oh, He was in agony! Like so many times before, I wanted to swoop down, right then and there, and help Him! But I couldn’t. You know why. I didn’t have a command from our Father. So I just watched. But it wasn’t easy! As you heard tonight, this is the one I worship! The almighty God in human flesh. I and my brother angels are ministering spirits. We minister, we serve, we help - it’s what we do! And I wanted to! Oh, how I wanted to! Just like when Jesus was in the wilderness, fasting and being tempted. But He had to go through that. And He had to go through this, too.

I was in awe. That God would do this. That the Father would send His Son, and the Son would come, become a man just like you, and then lay down His life for you. It almost leaves me without words . . . incredible.

And such agony! This was no calm prayer! He said, Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. Now, you gotta understand - it’s not that He didn’t want to die for you. It’s not that He didn’t want to save you. That’s why He came! But the cross . . . that’s no ordinary death. That’s not even just a hard death. That’s one of the the worst deaths you could die! The nailing. The pain. The long hours of exposure. The humiliation. The suffocation. The cross was designed to strike fear in people, and remember, Jesus was the Son of God, yes - but He was also a man just like you. So yeah, faced with the cross and all that meant . . .

But actually, that wasn’t even the worst part . . . It wasn’t just the physical agony He was facing, but the spiritual. He wasn’t just one man dying for his sin - He was one man dying for ALL the sins of ALL the world! All the guilt, all the shame, all the CURSE of the whole world upon Him! A hanged man is cursed by God. You heard those words tonight. And that’s Jesus. Hung on the cross under the curse of God. So I think you can kinda understand when He prayed, Father, is there any other way? Any other way to save them? 

But there wasn’t. Jesus had to drink this cup. I hope you got what Jesus was referring to there. Often times in the Old Testament, when talking through His prophets to the wicked and unbelieving nations around Israel, our Father says they have to drink the cup of His wrath. He put up with them long enough. They wouldn’t repent, so now they would drink this cup all the way to the dregs. That’s the cup Jesus was now about to drink! The cup of God’s wrath against ALL the sin of ALL the world. He would drink it down to the dregs, for He was going to endure it all. But FOR YOU! He drank it all, so you wouldn’t have to. So you’d never have to worry about that. 

But there IS a cup for you to drink, too. But not a cup of wrath, but a cup of blessing! The cup of blessing which Jesus gave to His disciples in the Upper Room, right before going out to Gethsemane. He drank your cup of wrath, and gave you His cup of blessing, the cup filled with His blood poured out for you for the forgiveness of your sins. That’s a pretty good trade, don’t you think?

But right now, agony. And not a little! Faced with this cup of wrath. What He was facing physically, and even more what He was facing spiritually . . . 

And then . . . well, I couldn’t believe it! Our Father said GO! And I didn’t hesitate! I went right down to help Him, strengthen Him, minister to Him! Again, I know you’d love to know exactly what I did, but our Father didn’t record that for you, so my lips are sealed! Well, if I had lips! I’m an angel, you know. We don’t have bodies like you, though sometimes we appear in them. 

But that wasn’t the end of it. He prayed more. More agony. Even worse now! Not that I didn’t do a good job! I most certainly did! But what Jesus was facing . . . well, I know you are all so impressed with the story of David and Goliath and how David defeated the giant. But this is so much more than that! That was just a little foreshadowing of the giant Jesus was now slaying! The giant of sin, death, and hell.

So as you heard, His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. That’s how hard He was praying! When you exercise really hard, maybe you sweat like that. But that’s how hard Jesus was praying! I think it probably safe to say you’ve never prayed like that - that hard! But that’s okay. Don’t feel bad. Remember, Jesus was enduring this all FOR YOU, so you wouldn’t have to. That’s how much He loves you!

And then it was over. Not that it was quick - Jesus was there for over an hour, praying like that. I’m not sure exactly how long - I lost track of time. But when He was finished praying, He was ready. Ready to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

The disciples? Well, yeah, they were sleeping. So He told them again, Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation. Because they were about to be tempted in all sorts of ways! Tempted to doubt, tempted to despair, tempted to turn tail and run, tempted to deny . . . The same temptations all of you face, too. And they would face them right away, because even as Jesus was saying those words . . . Well, that’s for next week!

But, prayer. Don’t forget to pray. Jesus prayed all the time! Not just here. Before miracles He often praying. Before He chose the twelve He was praying. He went up on mountains to pray. He would go to desolate places to pray. He went out before the sun came up to pray. When you’re troubled or in trouble, when you’re tempted, when you’re discouraged, when you’re confused, pray. And Jesus promised to always hear your prayers. And He knows everything you’re going through. He went through it himself. And if He wouldn’t turn away from the cross for you, He’s certainly not going to turn away from the prayers of His children. You can count on that! 

Well, now the story get’s really serious. Times up. Time for Jesus to die. I’ll be back next week to talk about that. So until then, I’ll leave you again in His Name, the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

LISTEN

Jesu Juva

“Welcome Home!”

Text: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

 

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Don’t skip over the first couple of verses in the Holy Gospel we heard today. It’s easy to do, to rush right to the parable. But don’t. 

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Let me rephrase that, and expand it a bit . . . The Pharisees and the scribes grumbled: This man is ruining our religion! He’s ruining our church. You can’t just let those people in. You can’t treat them the same as us. I mean, look at them! They’re a mess! If you do, we’re just going to be a religion of misfits and broken and hopeless people. And then what will good people, respectable people, think? They’re not going to come. No, they have to change. They have to get better. They have to clean themselves up first. Get their act together. Then, maybe . . . But c’mon Jesus! You can’t just welcome them with open arms and sit down at table with them. They stink! They’re not worthy.

So Jesus told them this parable . . .

Actually, Jesus told them three parables, this one today being the third. The first was about a shepherd who found his lost sheep. The second about a woman who found her lost coin. And maybe those make a little sense, since a sheep and a coin have some value . . . But then Jesus tells this parable, as the climax, what He wanted to tell them all along. Of a son who was worthless. And worse than useless - who hurt his father. Hurt him emotionally, by basically spitting in his face and cutting himself off from the family. Hurt him physically by losing his inheritance, which they weren’t going to get back. And hurt his reputation and standing in the community by treating him and shaming him like this. Three strikes and you’re out, right?

So when the father welcomes him back . . . and immediately restores him to full sonship . . . and rejoices over him . . . the father is not only forgiving him, but taking his sin and shame and absorbing it himself. He’ll take the hits, if it means having his son back. That’s all that matters to him. Not his stuff, not his honor - his son.

Now, though Luke does not record it, there was probably more grumbling at this point. That’s a stupid parable, Jesus! That would never happen. 

Maybe not in this world, with earthly fathers. But it is exactly who our heavenly Father is, and what He does. So tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to [Jesus] . . . drug addled, sexually promiscuous, abusive, reckless, wasteful, and with the stink of the sin they’ve been rolling around in all over them . . . perfect! Welcome home! our Father says. I’ve been waiting for you. Let me take care of you and serve you and love you.

No! It can’t be that easy, right? (As if it was easy for the son to come home like that, with his tail between his legs!) No, there has to be a price to pay for the sin! 

[Pause, while Pastor looks at and points to the crucifix . . .] 

There was. A price. A heavy price to pay. More than you can imagine. The price Jesus came to pay. In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them . . . In Christ, God took our sin and shame upon Himself, that in Christ crucified, we be right with our Father again.

That’s why you’re here today. Because this week . . . well, you know what you did this week. The sin you rolled around in . . . how you lashed out at others or wallowed in self-pity . . . the sin you did, or how you sinned by what you didn’t do . . . how you excused your sin but criticized others for theirs . . . What if I had a nanny cam in your house, or got a look at your browser history, or if there was a Substack with all your thoughts and desires and words uttered this week? Did you make this son in the parable look good this week?

If so, welcome home! I, a called and ordained servant of the Word - which means the one God put here exactly to say these words to you - I forgive you all your sins, in His Name, in His stead, and by His command. He took your sin and shame for you. Let me serve you. There’s a meal here for you. Not a fatted calf, better - the Body and Blood of Jesus. Come, eat and drink. Your Father’s glad your here.

That’s good, right? Even if you’re not as bad as those people in the row in front of you. I mean, they’re a mess! Right pastor? Why can’t they get their act together? Why are they here anyway? Where have they been the past few weeks? And they can’t control their kids. They dress like they’re going for a hike, not coming to church! Oh, and I noticed they didn’t put anything into the offering plate! And even if they did, it probably wasn’t as much as me! And why don’t they do more? They just waltz in and waltz out and leave the work to the rest of us. We shouldn’t treat them the same, right? They need to change! Shape up! And try a little harder!

Um . . . I love you! the father says to His older son, who thought those things, who said those things. I’m so glad you’re here. I’m glad your faithful and dressed nice. You’re generous and hard working. I appreciate that. There’s just one thing . . . you’re not very joyful. Actually, you seem kind of grumpy that they’re here. Why is that? Because maybe they need more than you? Isn’t that especially why they should be here? Isn’t that why you and I both should especially welcome them? It probably wasn’t easy for them to come here today - shouldn’t we take their burden away, not add to it? I don’t love you less because I love them, too! Come, rejoice with me. That we’re all here, together, at My table.

This parable that we heard today has been dubbed the Parable of the Prodigal Son. And everyone assumes that the prodigal son was the younger son. And surely he was reckless and wasteful with his inheritance. But maybe the real prodigal son was the older son! Wasn’t he being reckless and wasteful with his father’s love and throwing away his brother? Or maybe we should rename this parable the Parable of the Prodigal Sons - plural. And which are you? Maybe both at times? 

But maybe we should realize that the focus of this parable isn’t really the sons at all, but the Father. He’s the only one consistent in this parable. The only one you can count on. The one who treats both his sons the same. The Pharisees and scribes thought Jesus was being reckless and wasteful with His forgiveness and love, welcoming sinners and eating with them. But that’s what God has always done. There’s not a page in the Bible or a day in the history of the world when God hasn’t done that. His love and forgiveness are the one thing you can count on in this world where there ain’t much you can count on. Where people act one way one day and then change the next. Where promises are routinely broken. Where we ourselves struggle and stumble, where our pride causes us to excuse our sins while judging the very same sins in others, and then maybe beat ourselves up for who we are and what we do, and wonder if things will ever change? 

And with you and I, who knows? A positive change in your life one day seem to be countered with a negative change the next. One step forward, two steps back. Old habits may die hard, but sinful natures are even more stubborn! Sinners are frustrating people, aren’t they? And chief among them are you and I. 

But what doesn’t change and will not change and you never have to worry about changing is the love and forgiveness, the kindness and grace, the care and long suffering of your heavenly Father. That’s finally what the younger son realized, and what brought him back. He didn’t get it all the way, and so just wanted to be a servant. But who can? Who can fathom the love of a God who would give His Son for us? Who would take our sin and guilt and shame and filth upon Himself and pay for it so we wouldn’t have to? It would lead Paul to finally say: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33) Unsearchable, inscrutable, and wonderful!

Now maybe there are people who don’t like that. Jesus had to deal with the Pharisees and scribes. But people today, too, who don’t want a church filled with sinners. Don’t want a messy, smelly, church. Want a church with only good and respectable people. People who have their act together. People we want to be around. People who don’t demand too much of us. 

Maybe. But a church filled with sinners, a messy, smelly, church, a church with misfits and rebels, a church with people who are struggling and suffering . . . that may not be a respectable church in the eyes of the world, but it is the only one worth having. A church where sinners are welcomed and loved and washed and fed and cared for. Where we are clothed with the best robe, the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Where God’s signet ring is given to us, that the riches and love and forgiveness we here receive we can go out and give. And with the shoes of sonship given to us, for we are not barefooted servants, but dearly loved sons of God. 

That’s the household of your heavenly Father. A consistent Father who is lavish and abundant with His love and forgiveness and gifts for you. Not for you to go out and squander them, and not for you to stay in and horde them and begrudge them to others, but to rejoice in them. And in such a Father. Who wants you - you! - as His sons and daughters. No one else may want you. No one else may even give you pig’s pods. Everyone else may leave you when you aren’t of any use to them. But not your Father. He is always here for you. Waiting for younger sons. Calling to older sons. To welcome you home with open arms. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.