Jubilate Sunday, 2024

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

Holy Communion 10 AM

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Note - the hymn lyrics are linked to the Bethany Lutheran Hymn Blog for the hymn number; the tune is linked on the hymn's name. 

The Hymn #345     Jesus Lover of My Soul

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Make a joyful noise (Jubilate) unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honor of His name; make His praise glorious.

Psalm. Say unto God, How terrible art Thou in Thy works: through the greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies submit themselves unto Thee.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Almighty God, who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness, grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual  

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The Lord hath sent redemption unto His people. Hallelujah!

V. It behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead: and thus to enter into His glory. Hallelujah!

     

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Sermon Hymn #651      Be Still My Soul

A Little While - Micron

Communion Hymn #250      Holy God We Praise Thy Name

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #514        God Moves in a Mysterious Way

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Lord God, heavenly Father, who of Thy fatherly goodness dost suffer Thy children to come under Thy chastening rod here on earth, that we may be like unto Thine only-begotten Son in suffering and hereafter in glory: We beseech Thee, comfort us in temptations and afflictions by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not fall into despair, but that we may continually trust in Thy Son's promise, that our trials will endure but a little while, and will then be followed by eternal joy; that we thus, in patient hope, may overcome all evil, and at last obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

 

KJV 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

 

KJV John 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

  

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical treatment - Randy Anderson, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Lori Howell, Sarah Buck, Kermit Way.
• Tuesday 11 AM - Reformation Seminary, Faith Forgiveness, Grace
• Wednesday 11 AM - Greek New Testament, Just Starting Greek
• Thursday 11 AM - Reformation Seminary, Parable Matthew 13, Mark 4
• New posts will be Zoom linked, then turned in YouTube on the masthead, and also posted on the worship and Reformation Seminary pages. Every new YouTube will be linked on the masthead of Ichabod.

A Little While - Micron

KJV John 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

    This passage can be perplexing. First of all, it is  from the Fourth Gospel, which has many passages not found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Unique passages are very important, adding to previous Gospels. Otherwise, the seven examples of "a little while" seem odd. There is no other reason for the little word - micron - to be repeated so often, seven times, between Jesus and the disciples.

    When something is repeated for emphasis so often, that must be especially important. The context must be one of great importance. It is also easily remembered because of the repetition, so this is a very important passage to digest.

    This back-and-forth must be important for the disciples and also for us. We can see that in the calendar of events offered by the Savior and the confusion of the Twelve. Jesus is stating clearly, for our benefit - "Very soon I will be taken away by the soldiers, insulted, slapped in the face, whipped, and forced to carry the cross." 

    "Very soon you will see me again, risen from the grave, ascending to the Father." Ascension Day is not far away for us, May 9th.

    So Jesus is warning the Twelve about the terrible events coming and also indicating His rise from the dead. The disciples were bewildered about Jesus' saying and kept responding to it. A mother's frequent statement/question is "How many times have I told you?..." Fill in the  statement - to clean up the dishes, to mow the yard, to clean the room, to do what I said so many times I can't count it."

    "Because I go to the Father" - that seems very clear. But even now, we look at the immediate future and do not think about what is ahead. 

19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 

    This fills in the little while announcement for the disciples, because they wanted answers and Jesus could not make it plain enough. Luther demonstrates this by pointing out how they had great experiences with Jesus, so much that they could hardly believe what would happen, although He predicted it. 

    Events like this hit people so hard that they cannot imagine that the obvious is becoming true. A recent example is the growth of online universities. At first, no one could believe it. A national university built up their numbers from zero to 500,000 students. The university managers said, "We can do the same thing!" so they all had some version of online as an instrument of the devil that must be stopped. "No choice, we had to implement online!" So they created the same thing, and the wild boar (Luther image, the pope called him a wild boar) was cut up into little pieces, leaving most of the universities in deep trouble. 

    So Jesus was warning them ahead of time - you will not see Me. And He was comforting them - you will see Me again. The disciples could not comprehend this because they had such a beautiful time with their Lord and could not see anything ahead. Although the confusion was true, Jesus also reminded them of His predictions by saying they would get over the loss and see Him again.

21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

    This has not changed in 2,000 years. Child birth calls up all kinds of images and there are many stories today, even with all the medicines and electronic devices. Just as the anxieties are built up, so is the joy that comes with childbirth. That is a very clear comparison for that age and for ours, because the anxieties are great and so is the joy, which everyone shares. Jesus used this plain image to remind the disciples that this would be true for them, too. 

    People are likely to respond to the disciples being anxious, fearful, and locked up in a room. But that is only part of the picture. They were surrounded by enemies and locked in a room for safety. There were early appearances of the empty grave and the Emmaus walk. In the midst of this turmoil, they were still together. They did not scatter and run away. They were together (minus Thomas the first time) and they got to hear the Good News together. Thomas made his great confession upon being shown the Master's wounds. He became the Apostle to Kerala, India.

22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

KJV Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

This statement is important and uplifting. Jesus warned them of their sorrow, already with this prediction. They were anxious and fearful, but the Good Shepherd told them their hearts would rejoice - a joy no one could ever take from them. They had to go through the anguish to reach the joy that would follow, just as Christian in the Pilgrim's Progress rested from place to place and put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6) to face the rest of his journey. He had to endure many terrors on the way, but he was helped by Interpreter (representing the Scriptures) and by resting places where he could relax with others along the way.

    I was blessed with an adventurous wife, who found a lot of happiness in moving around. That was our slow motion exploration of the US and Canada, adorned with many exotic doctor visits and hospitals, various localities and challenges. I woke up a few physicians with "iatrogenic" - a method or medicine making the patient worse, from the Greek word for physician. That is similar to an alarm going off unexpectedly.

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

     The disciples were not being shut off from their Lord. Jesus tutored them and displayed His miracles before them. He was central figure, but He promised them that the Holy Spirit would serve as the Advocate and teach them more about the Father and the Son, and protect the Word so that it would always be available.

    One of the great shames of modern Christianity is the bogus claim -> "The original manuscripts of the Bible were inerrant but they are all lost." The two big book-sized codices praised the most are obvious forgeries: Sinaiticus (hahaha) and Vaticanus (not the best place to store the true Gospel but handy in making changes and deletions in the New Testament).  LCMS Concordia Publishing House brags about using Vaticanus for the Gospel of Mark.

    Whether they were made of leather or paper, Bibles cannot last, but they were copied with extreme care far more perfect that what we have with scanners, AI, copy and paste. Judaism has always kept the Old Testament perfect, counting every word and letter perfectly - or - that copy is burned. In the Christian Era, the faithful Christians burned copies after the copes were worn out, making fresh new ones in many forms and styles (lectionaries, translations, brief copies, etc). Some heretics tried to make their own fake copies, in the early centuries, but that effort was overwhelmed with the true copies in many languages and forms. There is no other book that is so carefully copied and translated, so ancient and widespread, as the Bible. 

    We have joy in knowing the source of the Promises of God. As Lenski wrote for this Jubilate lesson, there is nothing stopping us from praying for help from Jesus Christ. Nothing is too small or too great. The Holy Spirit helps us through the Scriptures themselves and worship, teaching us from the Father and Son.

    The end.

Shepherd Sunday 2024

 

The Second Sunday after Easter, 2024

Bethany Lutheran Church

Shepherd Sunday, 10 AM

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

The Hymn #436         The Lord's My Shepherd

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord: by the word of the Lord were the heavens made. Psalm. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect 

God, who by the humiliation of Thy Son didst raise up the fallen world, grant unto Thy faithful ones perpetual gladness, and those whom Thou hast delivered from the danger of everlasting death do Thou make partakers of eternal joys; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Then was the Lord Jesus known of the disciples: in the breaking of bread. Hallelujah!

V. I am the Good Shepherd: and know My sheep and am known of Mine. Hallelujah!

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #269    O Lord Our Father Shall We Be Confounded

The Unique Shepherd

The Communion Hymn #409   Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus             

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #50              Lord Dismiss Us    

 

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical Care - Randy Anderson, Pastor James Shrader and his wife Chris, Kermit Way, Sarah Buck.
• Greek New Testament lessons will start soon.

 

 Second Sunday After Easter

Lord God, heavenly Father, who of Thy fatherly goodness hast been mindful of us poor, miserable sinners, and hast given Thy beloved Son to be our shepherd, not only to nourish us by His word, but also to defend us from sin, death, and the devil: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that, even as this Shepherd doth know us and succor us in every affliction, we also may know Him, and, trusting in Him, seek help and comfort in Him, from our hearts obey His voice, and obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

 

KJV 1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

KJV John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

The Unique Shepherd

KJV John 10:11 I AM the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

This section of John 10 begins with the theme of the message, then repeats the same words to explain the meaning of Good Shepherd. Repetition is often used for emphasis. Simple words and phrases reveal two things at once - the Good Shepherd title and what that title means. First of all, I AM is the name of God, a word so powerful that Jesus used it when being arrested and again during the trial.

Mark 14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

62 And Jesus said, I AM: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Just as there are many miracles, to show the power and compassion of Jesus, so there are many titles describing what this means. In this age of watering down everything while repeating the same things again and again, people use the name of God and the titles of Christ as expletives. These titles and descriptions are repeated endlessly as blasphemy, but no one seems to mind. That shows not only a lack of faith but also a lack of intelligence. 

The description of Good Shepherd teaches us how miraculous Jesus is. A normal shepherd guards the door and deals with thieves and wolves, but does not give up His life for His flock. The wolves and thieves shatter and kill the sheep - the ongoing persecution of the Christian Church - the Christ has given up His life for those individuals.

The Gospel of John is simple in words and yet profound in meaning. The descriptions and actions of Christ are so clear that we can easily grasp His message, or we might say - His sermon. That is a reason for teaching and learning the Greek of the New Testament. Maybe no one will want to learn a language new to them, but everyone who does will strengthen the Gospel and encourage a new generation. Like Zoom technology, what seems impossible at first is much easier with repetition. 

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Shepherd Sunday, a nickname going back to the Reformation, is especially clear in these last days. Money pastors are not shepherds. (Pastor is Latin for shepherd.) Money pastors only go through the motions to have a deluxe home, a new car, and thousands of dollars in costumes liturgical garments. They have stacks of books behind them in their videos but seem to be entirely unaware of their value, except as props. A better term today might be "actors" because they know how to impress, such as wearing a pink sweater in a worship service - that sells for $2,000. That describes the Elevation Church, so maybe the pastor is an Elevator. Seriously, the list of mega-churches with mega-pastors eventually turn into mega-collapses. I have listed them - so many and I forget their names. The Internet has a long memory, so an Elevator today is likely going to be linked with a scandal from the past. Or maybe it happened and everyone denies it, like the very corrupt Milwaukee Roman Catholic archbishop, who spoke at a Lutheran college. 

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

The wolf scatters the sheep because the hired hand has run away. Today many people will say they have given up on church and worship - the Christian Faith - because of the lies and spiritual abuse. Denominations tend to worship themselves and the "right people," but that is contrary to the Scriptures. The empty and abandoned churches have a lot more to do with being contrary to the Faith. 

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

I spoke with the neighbor at the grocery store. She had her newborn in the cart, and the baby was cooing, smiling, and paying attention. A bit later the grandparents were at my door, holding the baby, who was smiling and making happy noises. She knew I was talking about her. There is a tug between parent and child: the baby of the family is loved by everyone and everyone loves the child. 

Jesus Christ is saying that there is a constant connection between Him and His sheep. Each one knows the other. It is important to trust in this verse and dwell upon it. Our emotions and attitudes vary all the time. We can be faced with dread, sorrow, anger, and many other oppressive thoughts and feelings. We can always count on the Savior to be in touch with us and to help us in every need. We access faith when we believe in Him, and that is priceless.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

These are interlocking circles, so just as Christ is with us and we are with Him, so the Father is attached to us and we are attached to Him. That is taught by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Atonement of Jesus is the primary focus of the Easter resurrection.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

This reveals, as we should know, that the Gospel will spread over all the lands, starting with Jewish believers converted, reaching out across the Western Roman Empire (Rome - Europe) and the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium, now Instanbul). There remains one true Christian Church which is made up of those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Good Shepherd.

Three of Luther’s sermons on this text:

• Misericordias Domini. Second Sunday After Easter. John 10:11-16. Christ’s Office and Kingdom; or How Christ is the True Shepherd
• Second Sermon: Preachers, Civil Authorities, and the Knowledge of Christ
• Third Sermon: The Good Shepherd and his Sheep; or Christ’s Person, Office and Rulership

The end

Doubting Thomas Sunday

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

The First Sunday after Easter

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

YouTube link ->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLkQDcTYnk here

The Hymn #206        Jesus Christ My Sure Defense

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

As newborn babes: desire the sincere milk of the Word.

Hear, O My people, and I will testify unto thee: 

O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto Me.

Psalm. Sing aloud unto God, our Strength: 

make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17

The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who have celebrated the solemnities of the Lord’s resurrection may, by the help of Thy grace, bring forth the fruits thereof in our life and conversation; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us. Hallelujah!

V. The angel of the Lord descended from heaven: 

and came and rolled back the stone from the door 

and sat upon it. Hallelujah!

The Gospel               

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22     
The Sermon Hymn #656        Behold a Host     

       

Fear, Despair, and Peace Through Faith

Communion Hymn # 200       I Know that My Redeemer      

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
Hymn #267        If God Had Not Been on Our Side

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical treatment - Randy Anderson - hospital, Lori Howell, Sarah Buck, Pastor Jim Shrader and Christine, Kermit Way.
• Pray for our country as the major trials continue. And help all those suffering from economic difficulties.
• Reformation Seminary lectures - Tuesday 11 AM - Son of God, Son of Man. Thursday 11 AM.

KJV 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

KJV John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

First Sunday After Easter

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, that of Thine ineffable grace, for the sake of Thy Son, Thou hast given us the holy gospel, and hast instituted the holy sacraments, that through the same we may have comfort and forgiveness of sin: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily believe Thy word; and through the holy sacraments day by day establish our faith, until we at last obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Fear, Despair, and Peace Through Faith

KJV John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Fear is the first word used in describing the disciples, locked in a room assembled because they feared the Jews. They were not rejoicing, because they were consumed by conditions leading up to the crucifixion and knowing about the death of Jesus Christ. 

The Gospel of John describes how Jesus was not confined by His human nature, many times. Those who like Latin terms call this the non-reciprocity of the second genus. His divine nature was not confined by His human nature. Children respond simply by saying "Jesus is God. He can do anything." That response shows that children often have more faith in Jesus, so we must believe as a child, as Jesus taught, not as philosophers who deal primarily with Latin (genus maiestaticum).

Fear locked them in the room, but the risen Lord did not confine himself to His human nature. He appeared before them still bearing the marks of His torture and crucifixion. Knowing what had happened, through John - who was there at the cross - and through the women at the cross, they assumed they would be next. 

Simon Greenleaf, who was a famous lawyer at Harvard, wrote an essay supporting the harmony of the Gospels. ("The Testimony of the Evangelists," reprinted from the 1903 edition as an appendix in John Warwick Montgomery's The Law Above the Law, 1975. Christina and I had lunch with him at the Chicago Inerrancy Conference.)

If we had all the details of everything, from the death of Jesus up to this moment, the Gospels would be very lengthy. And it would still not be enough to satisfy the doubters. Unless we believe as children, we will not see the Kingdom of God. 

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 

Luther:

2. Faith, as we have often said, is of the nature, that every one appropriates to himself the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, of which we have already said enough; namely, that it is not sufficient simply to believe Christ rose from the dead, for this produces neither peace nor joy, neither power nor authority; but you must believe that he rose for your sake, for your benefit, and was not glorified for his own sake; but that he might help you and all who believe in him, and that through his resurrection sin, death and hell are vanquished and the victory given to you.

Jesus showed His hands and His side to the disciples (minus Thomas) who were overjoyed.

Fear and despair are obliterated by faith in Jesus Christ, through whom we have peace and everlasting life. 

Luther's sermon is especially good in comparing the fear and despair of the disciples with the joy they found - being given peace by Christ Himself. "A pivotal role, point, or figure in something is one that is very important and affects the success of that thing." They changed from utter despair to joy in a second - their futures were horrible to imagine until Jesus proved otherwise.

Faith in Jesus Christ is the pivot in our lives. Strangely, we cannot predict what is ahead, and yet we can be completely overwhelmed by what we imagine. That can be quite a battle because faith is not within us unless the Gospel Word is in our hearts. Last week a framed photo fell off its hook on the wall and crashed in the middle of the night. (It had been hanging in the same place for 12 years.) Charlie Sue jumped and I did too - a very loud sound. I cleaned up the framed photo and the shattered picture frame. I looked around the house to convince myself that nobody did that. I kept looking and listening. The tangible fear continued to manufacture doubts even though reason said otherwise.

Pilgrim's Progress is great medicine for our fears and doubts. This world famous allegory has Christian (the Pilgrim) stuck, because he wandered into Doubting Castle where Giant Despair is eager to harm him. This is very important - he had the solution in his pocket. They are keys - the Promises of God.

Luther emphasized that we can go through difficult times where there is no peace, nothing but turmoil, inwardly and outwardly. When we confess our sins and trust in the Savior, everything can be changed from that moment and left behind, as far as the East is from the West. It is important that we offer forgiveness from the Savior and receive forgiveness through Christ.

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

How could that possibly be? That is the most powerful weapon, beyond our imagination, yet we can feel that and see the results. What seems to be so little and not worthy of respect is God's own medicine to remain with the one True Vine and bear fruit.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Thomas was not with them the first time, but he had all the witnesses to tell him exactly what they saw and experienced. Just as they had to be taught the importance of Jesus risen from death, so Thomas had to experience the same revelation, truth coming to him just as the Savior provided the week before. We might say that was the greatest miracle, to comprehend how the Son of God could be risen from the tomb and present with them, beyond all hope, yet with them. 

Thomas was the ultimate pessimist, even before. When Jesus wanted to visit Lazarus, Thomas said, "We can all die together there." Didn't they all rejoice together with Lazarus going to Jerusalem with them? the funeral party going with them? the crowds meeting them and cheering the Son of David revealed completely?

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Thomas, who had to have the proof, was given the proof. It is best to assume Thomas did what Jesus commanded, not only for him but also for us. The ultimate proof of Jesus' resurrection, both natures - divine and human - was proven for all the disciples except Judas who continued in despair and without faith.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

That is the verse for all of us. Do we believe in all of God's miracles without seeing? There are so many we do not see - but take place beyond our imagination. Could it be that so much more is there for believers? 

The end.