Exaudi - The Sunday after the Ascension, 2019. John 15:23-16:4

Exaudi, The Sunday after the Ascension, 2019

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The melodies are linked in the hymn name. 

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.
• TLH Lyrics site is linked here unless copyrighted.

The Hymn # 9            O Day of Rest                       

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #629      Let Children Hear the Mighty Deeds

The Spoken Word to Children

            

The Communion Hymn #625          Oh, Blest the House

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 #261                    Lord Keep Us Steadfast                   

In Our Prayers

• Our country's leaders.
• Glen Kotten, in the hospital, Minnesota.
• Baby Andrea, awaiting surgery in California.
• Our Philippine mission, finishing their church.
• Elizabeth Mior, young mother with cancer, friend of the parish.
• Those in therapy and those looking for better jobs.

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.  2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.  3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.  4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee, that through Thy Holy Spirit Thou hast appointed us to bear witness of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: We beseech Thee, inasmuch as the world cannot endure such testimony, and persecutes us in every way, grant us courage and comfort, that we may not be offended because of the cross, but continue steadfastly in Thy testimony, and be found always among those who know Thee and Thy Son, until we 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.

Luther’s Two Sermons for Exaudi

Background for Sermon

The series of texts from the Fourth Gospel are important because Jesus taught so much on this singular topic - the Spirit at work in the Word.

When I began studying the efficacy of the Word, I already knew that Luther taught this Biblical concept consistently, from the beginning. Also - I knew that Calvin taught against the Word always connected with the Spirit. Calvin declared that any given worship service could be entirely without a visit from the Spirit and therefore accomplishing nothing. When I tested the concept that the Spirit always works with the Word and never apart from the Word, I found the Biblical concept throughout the Old and New Testaments. 

In fact, the concept has its own word in Greek, which transliterates as en-ergy (in-working). That word-group in the New Testament is used quite extensively, but the concept is taught apart from that word group. That is is the same as saying the Trinity is taught all through the Bible, even though the actual term was used as a shortcut about 500 years after the ministry of Christ.

The big shock for me was discovering that no academic was very interested in the New Testament word group. I imagined finding long articles on the word-group, but the material was sparse. But of course - those who broke with Luther were those who denied the Spirit-Word connection. Sadly, the Lutherans have been heavily influenced by Pietism and Calvinism in the last few centuries.

As Luther said so clearly - breaking the Spirit/Word connection is the root of all false doctrine, all paganism, all heresies. If the teaching cannot be derived from the Scriptures, it is Enthusiasm. Luther also compared the Enthusiasts to bees circling and stinging. Therefore, no doctrinal claims are valid apart from the Scriptures being used to define them and to show errors exposed by the clear teaching of the Scriptures.

That is why I call the Book of Concord (1580) a special one-volume commentary on the Scriptures. That is the style of the entire book, which includes the early Creeds, the Reformation confessions, and the Formula of Concord to establish ongoing harmony (concordia) among Biblical Christians.

If someone has a question about Justification, he can look up the Augsburg Confession, the Apology, and the Third Article of the Formula of Concord. Article III points the readers back to Luther's Galatians Lectures for all the Biblical support for Justification by Faith.

Also, if someone has a question about what works in the Christian Church, the Spirit/Word connection is always valid. Gimmicks, entertainment, hooks to grab attention, watering down, sugar-coating - all are invalid. Those who rely on them may get results, but they are not spiritual (Spiritual) results but carnal or fleshly results.  

The Scriptures are always the work of the Spirit, and the Spirit teaches us better than any man-made book.

Faith Brings Opposition, Persecution

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

In the Nicene Creed, we say, I believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. However, in the Bible, the Spirit is necessarily less emphasized than the Father and Son because He witnesses to the Father and Son.

Every so often there is a reaction where the Spirit is taught to the exclusion of the Father and Son - nothing is too bizarre when it comes to error. We even have a prosperous church like that within walking distance.

The other reaction is to ignore the Spirit's work, which ends up in glorifying man, man's cleverness, man's schemes, man's human reason.

These Promises of the Spirit's work are to build the faith of the disciples and us, knowing that God's work continues in the absence of the visible presence of the Savior. First of all, He governs His Church from His throne in heaven, though He is not locked up there (as the Calvinists imagine). Secondly, the Spirit is at work in us (sealed in our baptism) and in the Word and Sacraments. Thus everything good that happens comes from the divine power of the Spirit, which should humble us.

The Spirit bears witness through the Word of God, and guides us in what express about the Christian Faith.  It is this Spirit-breathed Word that moves people to faith and strengthens their faith through the Means of Grace.

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

And so it is God's will, that fragile and frail human beings bear witness to the Holy Trinity, the disciples first because they were carefully trained for three years with Christ Jesus. As we can read in these extensive Promises, the Spirit brings to mind what took place and inspired the Word when it was written down, an extension of the Old Testament Gospel.

First we have the Promise of the Savior, given to the orchard thieves of Eden, Genesis 3:15. Then the books of the Old Testament renewing that Promise and adding details until the  knowledge of the coming Messiah was written, read, and believed on.

Then we have the books of the New Testament, the Gospel accounts filled with sermons and miracles, warnings and blessings. And we have the history book - Acts - and the teaching letters, the Epistles of Paul, John, Peter, etc.

Because the disciples were with Jesus at the fulcrum of time, the pressures were greater upon them and thus they paid the price, because they witnessed to the truth.

16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended [GJ - not fall into the trap].

The disciples were warned, unlike today, so that they would not be shocked and bewildered by opposition to the Gospel.  Today they even print brochures claiming that joining a church will mean more friends, more time, and other "felt needs." In other words, upon taking a survey and asking people what they needed in a church, some clever people decided they would attract people to that church by appealing to their "felt needs."  Woe unto anyone who made fun of this approach.

That is where faith meets opposition, the most opposition coming from the religious. The scandal of the Gospel is not disgrace and embarrassment, but the trigger of the trap that sends people into disbelief and despair. Oddly enough, the current fad is to warn people about being triggered, which is what this verb suggests. The opposition from the great and wise, from the works-saints and works-salesmen, could trigger unbelief and shock if the warnings were not given.

The warnings are clear. Jesus - "They hated Me, so they will hate you, too." Hatred from the pillars does not mean error, necessarily, but comes from teaching the Word as it is. Even more so, distinguishing truth from error will fire up the rage in their hearts as the Spirit acts upon them.

One New Testament professor said glibly to a room full of LCA ministers, "More were converted by the sword in early Christianity than by the Gospel."

I said to him in front of the group, "You are completely wrong. The Gospel spread throughout the known world in the first generation, through the preaching of the Word."

He, a ThD from Harvard, said, "How did I get it wrong."

I said, "You went to Harvard. That is why you got it wrong." Pastors laughed nervously. This seminary professor went to me afterwards and wanted help for his disbelief. My response triggered remorse rather than hatred. Later he told me about how his most liberal church members were shocked at what the LCA was doing.  I said, "It is just beginning."

Luther:

1. Beloved, you have heretofore heard much about faith. Today you hear also of the witness of faith and of the cross that follows. Paul says to the Romans, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” Romans 10:10. If one be pious, he must begin in his heart and believe. That serves only unto godliness; it is not enough for salvation. Therefore, one must also do what the Christian life requires, and continually abide in that life.

Hence, Paul adds: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, thou shalt be saved,” It is these two things that constitute our salvation, faith and the confession of faith. Faith rescues from sin, hell, Satan, death and all misfortunes. Now, when we have this we have enough. We then let God live here that we may reach a hand to our neighbor and help him.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Opposition is good because it causes people to think about the truth. The Steadfast Lutherans blog (managed by Matt Harrison and Paul McCain) erased comments teaching Justification by Faith. The senior editor said of those faithful to the Reformation, "I have had enough of you morons." Much of that was hidden later, because the opponents realized how ridiculous they looked, attacking Lutherans for teaching the doctrine of the Reformation. It is better, the false teachers think, to blend truth and falsehood, leaving everyone a bit bewildered but content.

When the French Protestants (my kin) were slaughtered on St. Bartholomew's Day, the Pope hosted a celebration mass in Rome. They were indeed doing God a great favor, so they thought. That slaughter strengthened the faith of Protestants all over the world and weakened France for good.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 

Believing God and knowing God go together, because a false concept shows a lack of knowledge and also acting on ignorance. The disciples of Walther never stop sharing their word about God, but they are afraid of God's Word, which condemns their unbelief.

The opponents only know the pain of having their errors refuted, so they feel obligated to give that pain to the ones who triggered their anger.

4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

This is not easy, but the lessons add up. Many people shirk dealing with the truth because of feared opposition.  Later, that becomes a badge of honor, though it is not offered that way. What follows is shunning, banning, vengeance, and all kinds of opposition. They play the crazy card, and so forth. I read one giant historical book which stated, "I will not even deal with Luther because he was too emotional." That is some great history there! 

People bemoan the way things are, but that comes from at least a century of retreat. This is ironic, because our era has taken the easy way while praising (faintly) the Reformation, when people were burned at the stake and driven away for their faith.

Luther:

2. Thus, faith must be exercised, worked and polished; be purified by fire, like gold. Faith, the great gift and treasure from God, must express itself and triumph in the certainty that it is right before God and man, and before angels, devils and the whole world. Just as a jewel is not to be concealed, but to be worn in sight, so also, will and must faith be worn and exhibited, as it is written in 1 Peter 1:7: “That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire,” etc.

3. Now, by confession I must take upon myself the load of Satan, hell, death and the whole world — kings and princes, pope and bishops, priests and monks. By faith, everything falls that reason can or ever has devised for the salvation of the soul. It must chastise the apish tricks of the whole world, and its jewel alone must be praised. The world cannot endure this, therefore it rushes in, destroys, kills, and says: “It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not,” as Caiaphas says in John 11:50. Thus, the confession must break forth, that God alone is the Savior; and the same confession brings us into danger of losing our lives. As the Lord says later to the disciples: “They shall put you out of the synagogues.”

We have to see these days as an opportunity for darkness to turn into light. So many have abandoned the old institutions because those institutions chose to honor their Father Below rather than their Father Above. 

The first things I heard in WELS were - "Don't criticize ELCA and isn't Fuller Seminary a font of wisdom!"

What happens is not our concern, because God's will is the result of God's Word. If we plant and scatter the living seed of the Word, God will bring the harvest.

Luther's Sermon for the Sunday after the Ascension

SUNDAY AFTER CHRIST’S ASCENSION. (EXAUDI). 


Text: John 15:26-16:4. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: and ye shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be caused to stumble. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I spoken unto you, that when their hour is come, ye may remember them, how that I told you. And these things I said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you.

A Sermon of Comfort and Admonition

1. Beloved, you have heretofore heard much about faith. Today you hear also of the witness of faith and of the cross that follows. Paul says to the Romans, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” Romans 10:10. If one be pious, he must begin in his heart and believe. That serves only unto godliness; it is not enough for salvation. Therefore, one must also do what the Christian life requires, and continually abide in that life.

Hence, Paul adds: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, thou shalt be saved,” It is these two things that constitute our salvation, faith and the confession of faith. Faith rescues from sin, hell, Satan, death and all misfortunes. Now, when we have this we have enough. We then let God live here that we may reach a hand to our neighbor and help him.

Besides, God desires to have his name praised and his kingdom developed and extended. Therefore, we must praise his name, confess our faith and win others to do the same, so that God’s kingdom may be extended and his name praised.

2. Thus, faith must be exercised, worked and polished; be purified by fire, like gold. Faith, the great gift and treasure from God, must express itself and triumph in the certainty that it is right before God and man, and before angels, devils and the whole world. Just as a jewel is not to be concealed, but to be worn in sight, so also, will and must faith be worn and exhibited, as it is written in 1 Peter 1:7: “That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire,” etc.

3. Now, by confession I must take upon myself the load of Satan, hell, death and the whole world — kings and princes, pope and bishops, priests and monks. By faith, everything falls that reason can or ever has devised for the salvation of the soul. It must chastise the apish tricks of the whole world, and its jewel alone must be praised. The world cannot endure this, therefore it rushes in, destroys, kills, and says: “It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not,” as Caiaphas says in John 11:50. Thus, the confession must break forth, that God alone is the Savior; and the same confession brings us into danger of losing our lives. As the Lord says later to the disciples: “They shall put you out of the synagogues.”

4. One cannot paint the cross differently than it is here painted; that is its true color. But the cross of illness — to lie in bed at home ill — is nothing compared with the cross of persecution. The first is indeed suffering: but the suffering is golden when we are persecuted and put to death with ignominy; when our persecutors have the praise; when right and honor apparently are on their side, while shame, disgrace and injustice are on our side, compared with the world that wishes them thereby to have God’s honor defended, so that all the world says we are served right and that God, the Scriptures and all the angels witness against us. There can be no right in our cause, and without trial we must be banished and isolated in shame and disgrace. So it also was the lot of Christ — they put him to death in the most scornful and disgraceful way, and crucified him between two thieves or murderers; he was regarded as chief of sinners, and they said, with blasphemous words: Aye, he called himself God’s Son; let God help him now, if he wills it differently. Since he does not, God and all the angels must be against him. So Christ says in our Gospel, “They will kill you,” and not in an ordinary way, but in an infamous manner, and all the world will say that they thereby offer God a service. It is, indeed, hard to hold and confess that God is gracious to us and that we have a Savior who opposes all the world, all its glitter and shine. But, let the struggle be as hard and sharp as it will, faith must express itself, even though we would like to have it otherwise.

5. Faith must expect all this, and nothing follows its confession more surely than the cross. For it is certain to come to us, either in life or at death, that all our doings will appear to be opposed to God and the Scriptures. It is better that it be learned during life, from the people, than from the devil at death; for the people cannot force it further than into the ears, but Satan has a pointed tongue that pierces the heart and makes the heart tremble.

Satan torments you until you conclude that you are lost and ruined, that heaven and earth, God and all the angels, are your enemies. This is what the prophet means in Psalm 6:7-8, when he says: “I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye wasteth away because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine adversaries.” It is hard to endure this. Now you see how weak you are who are permitted to bear witness of this faith. One fears his wife, another his children and riches, and a third fears himself.

6. Faith is in vain where it does not continue steadfast to the end. Christ says in Matthew 10:22, and 24:13: “But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. Hence it is better to experience persecution here than punishment at the end. If one flees persecution, there is no faith in his heart — only a dead knowledge or erroneous belief, without sap and strength, marrow and bone; but where there is a true, living faith, it presses forward through sword and fire. Let us now notice how the Lord comforts his disciples. He says: “But when the Comforter is come.”

I. CHRIST’S SERMON OF COMFORT.

7. That we may, under no circumstances, despair, Christ says, I will send you a Comforter, even one who is almighty. And he calls the Holy Spirit here a Comforter; for although both my sins and the fear of death make me weak and timid, he comes and stirs up the courage in my heart, and says:

He, cheer up! Thus he trumpets courage into us; he encourages us in a friendly and comforting manner not to despair before death but’ to cheerfully go forward, even though we had ten necks for the executioner, and says: Aye, although I have sinned, yet I am rid of my sins; and if I had still more, so that they overwhelmed me, I would hope, that they should do me no harm. Not that one should not feel his sins, for the flesh must experience them; but the Spirit overcomes and suppresses diffidence and timidity, and conducts us through them. He is powerful enough to do that.

Therefore. Christ says further: “Whom I will send unto you from the Father.”

8. For he, the Father, is the person that takes the initiative: I am the Son; and from us the Holy Spirit proceeds. And the three persons are one, and one essence, with equal power and authority, as he better expresses it when he says: “The Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father.”

9. That is as much as to say: He who will comfort you is almighty and Lord over all things. How can the creatures now harm us, if the Creator stands by us? Notice how great the comfort of the Holy Spirit is. Now let all the Turks attack us. As long as he is our guard and rearguard, there is no danger. John also says in his first Epistle,1 John 3:19-20: “Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him; because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” Likewise, in the following chapter, verse 4, he says: “Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” So the Lord now says, Him will I send unto you, so that nothing can harm you. Is not that liberal comfort? Who would not be fearless and cheerful in view of this?

And Christ calls him “The Spirit of truth;” that is, where he is and comes there is a rock foundation through and through, the real truth. Neither falsehood nor hypocrisy is there, for the Spirit is not hypocritical. But wherever he is not, there is nothing but hypocrisy and falsehood.

Therefore, we fall when the test comes, because the Spirit of truth is not present. Christ now further says: “He shall bear witness of me.”

10. That is, if he is in the heart he speaks through you, and assures and confirms you in the belief that the Gospel is true. Then, as a result, the confession of the Gospel springs forth. What, then, is the Gospel? It is a witness concerning Christ, that he is God’s Son, the Savior, and beside him there is none other. This is what Peter means when he says: “Ye are a royal priesthood, that we are elected thereto, that we preach and show forth the excellencies of Christ.” 1 Peter 2:9: Hence, there must always be witnessing. Witnessing loads upon itself the wrath of the whole world.

Then the cross follows, then rebellions rise, then the lords and princes and all who are great become angry; for the world cannot hear, nor will it tolerate, this kind of preaching. Therefore, the Gospel is hated and spoken against.

11. Reason thinks: Aye, one can, nevertheless, easily preach the Gospel in a beautifully simple and plain way, without a revolution in the world, and then it will be heartily welcomed. This is the utterance of Satan; for if I believe and say that faith in Christ alone does and accomplishes all, I overthrow the monkey play of the whole world; and that they cannot allow. Therefore, Christ’s teachings and man’s teachings cannot stand together; one must fall. Priests and monks, as they are at present, are dependent in name, character and works upon human institutions, which the Gospel thrusts to the ground. Hence, they dare not accept the Gospel, and they continue as they are.

12. Thus, I say that the Christian faith is founded upon Christ alone, without anything additional. The priests will not permit their affairs and institutions to fall; in consequence, seditions and rebellions follow.

Therefore, there must be dissension where the Gospel and the confession of Christ are; for the Gospel opposes everything that is not of its own spirit. If the teachings of Christ and the priests were not antagonistic, they could easily stand together. They are now pitted against one another. As impossible as it is for Christ not to be Christ, so impossible is it for a monk or priest to be a Christian. Therefore, a fire must be kindled. The Lord himself, in Matthew 10:34 and Luke 12:51 says: “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Then follows in our text: “And ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”

13. Yes; then, first, when you become certain of your faith through the Holy Spirit, who is your witness, you must also bear witness of me, for to that end I chose you to be apostles. You have heard my words and teachings and have seen my works and life and all things that you are to preach. But the Holy Spirit must first be present; otherwise you can do nothing, for the conscience is too weak. Yes, there is no sin so small that the conscience could vanquish it, even if it were so trifling a one as laughing in church, Again, in the presence of death the conscience is far too weak to offer resistance. Therefore another must come and give to the timid, despairing conscience, courage to go through everything, although all sins be upon it. And it must, at the same time, be an almighty courage, like he alone can give who ministers strength in such a way that the courage, which before a rustling leaf could cause to fear, is now not afraid of all the devils, and the conscience that before could not restrain laughing, now restrains all sins.

14. The benefit and fruit of the Holy Spirit is, that sin will be changed to the highest and best use. Thus Paul boasts to Timothy, when he was converted, that whereas he had lived such a wicked life before, he now held his sin to be so contemptible that he composed a hymn and sang about it thus, in 1 Timothy 1:12-17: “I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service; though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his long-suffering, for an example of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.

Amen.”

II. CHRIST’S SERMON OF WARNING.

“These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be caused to stumble.”

15. Now that Christ had comforted and strengthened his disciples, he warns them of their future sufferings, in order that they might be able to bear them valiantly. He is an especially good friend who warns one; and the evil visitation is much easier borne when one is prepared beforehand for it.

Christ says: “They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the hour cometh that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God.”

16. You will certainly experience this; therefore, arm yourself and be prepared. The most of all will be that, when they have treated you in the most shameless manner, they will think they did a good work in doing so, and it will appear to them as if your God had taken stand against you, and they will sing over it a Te Deum laudamus (Lord God, we praise thee), as if they had done God’s will and offered unto him a service. Hence, he arms them here, that they may be of good courage when it comes to pass; and he concludes with the thought that they shall have God’s favor, although at the time there shall be no signs of it; for God does stand on the side of his disciples. He adds: “And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me.”

17. Therefore, be patient, be prepared, be firm. See to it that ye, by no means, take offense at me. Remember that I told you before that they have known neither the Father nor me; and therefore they will heap upon you dishonor, shame and persecution. You should never forget this, for it will give you great comfort and make you bold, cheerful and undismayed.

Therefore, Christ concludes the admonition by saying: “But these things have I spoken unto you, that when their hour is come, ye may remember them, how that I told you. And these things I said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you.”

18. Who, now, has been considered to be worse than he who told the pope that he knew not the Father? The pope would, of course, declare the contrary and say: Aye, Satan has commissioned you to speak that. Now, they all say that they know the Father. The Turk also says that he does. In like manner, they declare they believe God and the Scriptures. But there are two kinds of knowledge. The first for example, such knowledge as one might have of the Turk from his noise and reputation; the other the knowledge one would have of the Turk through his deeds were he to capture and occupy Rome. In this latter sense we do not know the Turk.

19. It is this first kind of knowledge that some people have of God. They know very well how to say of him: I believe in God the Father, and in his only begotten Son. But it is only upon the tongue, like the foam on the water; it does not enter the heart. Figuratively a big tumor still remains there in the heart; that is, they cling somewhat to their own deeds and think they must do works in order to be saved — that Christ’s person and merit are not sufficient. Thy work is nothing, thy wisdom is foolishness, thy counsel is nothing, thy truth also amounts to nothing, neither does the mass avail anything before God. Then they reply: Aye, the devil has prompted you to speak thus. They say, Christ has truly died for us, but in a way that we, also, must accomplish something by our deeds. Notice how deeply wickedness and unbelief are rooted in the heart. The puffed-up pride of the heart is the reason why man can know neither Christ nor the Father.

20. But to know Christ in the other and true sense is to know that he died for me and transferred the load of my sin upon himself; to so know this that I realize that all my doings amount to nothing. To let go all that is mine, and value only this, that Christ is given to me as a present; his sufferings, his righteousness and all his virtues are at once mine. When I become conscious of this, I must in return love him; my affections must go out to such a being. After this I climb upon the Son higher, to the Father, and see that Christ is God, and that he placed himself in my death, in my sin, in my misery, and bestows upon me his grace. Then I know also his gracious will and the highest love of the Father, which no heart of itself can discover or experience. Thus I lay hold of God at the point where he is the tenderest, and think: Aye, that is God; that is God’s will and pleasure, that Christ did this for me. And with this experience I perceive the high, inexpressible mercy and the love in him because of which he offered his beloved child for me in ignominy, shame and death. That friendly look and lovely sight then sustain me. Thus must God become known, only in Christ. Therefore, Christ himself says to his disciples: “No one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.” Matthew 11:27.

21. On the other hand, those who parade their own works, do not know Christ. Neither do they know what the Father has done through Christ.

Nor do they know that God is not interested in their good works, but in his Son alone. Thus, they do not know the Father, neither do they know what they have received from the Father, through Christ. Therefore, they must fall and perish, and behold God in his severest aspect — as a judge. They try to silence the judgment with their good works, but they find no good work that is sufficient to do this, and then they must finally despair. When people see that they, themselves, are nothing, and establish the foundation of their hearts upon Christ, esteem him as the highest good, and know God as a Father in death and life — this is to “know God.” Enough has been said on this Gospel. We will pray to God, to give us grace to know him and his Christ aright. Amen.

Exaudi, The Sunday after the Ascension, 2017.

 Graphic by Norma Boeckler

Exaudi, The Sunday after the Ascension, 2017

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The melodies are linked in the hymn name. 

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.
• TLH Lyrics site is linked here

The Hymn # 9            O Day of Rest                       

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #259       Flung to the Heedless Winds

Faith, Memory, and Opposition

            

The Communion Hymn #625          Oh, Blest the House

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 #261                    Lord Keep Us Steadfast                   

 Graphic by Norma Boeckler

KJV 1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.  2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.  3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.  4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee, that through Thy Holy Spirit Thou hast appointed us to bear witness of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: We beseech Thee, inasmuch as the world cannot endure such testimony, and persecutes us in every way, grant us courage and comfort, that we may not be offended because of the cross, but continue steadfastly in Thy testimony, and be found always among those who know Thee and Thy Son, until we 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.

Luther’s Two Sermons for Exaudi

Faith, Memory, and Opposition

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

For all of us, the the first thing to remember about all references to the Spirit is that this also applies to the Word of God. The two are so closely related that one of the two really stands for both together. A parallel is found in the Two Natures of Christ. When we speak of Jesus, we always mean Jesus in His human nature and Jesus in His divine nature, but both are united in the One Person. 

This is similar and yet often neglected. The Holy Spirit only works through the Word and never apart from the Word. Because the Word always has divine energy and efficacy, the Word does the will of the Spirit...always, always, always.

1. The Word never returns void.
2. The Word always accomplishes God's will.
3. The Word always prospers God's will.Graphic by Norma Boeckler

So for example, we know from John 1 that the Creating Word is Jesus, so we have the Father commanding Creation in Genesis 1 and the Son of God carrying this action out - all things created by Him. So why does the Bible neglect the formal declaration of the Holy Spirit? Answer - because the Spirit hovers over Creation and witnesses to this Father-Son creation through the Word. Thus Genesis 1 as explained by John 1 reveals the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Whenever the Father-Son relationship is emphasized, the Spirit is teaching us, so once again, the Holy Trinity is taught hundreds of times without the formality of The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And besides that, many times all three are named together within two verses.

So we see that this lesson teaches us about God witnessing about Jesus through the Spirit, at first through preaching among the witnesses of the resurrection, later through the written, inspired, infallible witness of the New Testament. Rather than being left as orphans, the Apostles were to be sent the Holy Spirit to teach them, to bring to remembrance all Jesus taught, and to inspire their teaching and writing.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, so when people write in the Name of the Spirit, or speak in the Name of the Spirit, they can be tested by the witness of the Scripture. 

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

The Spirit bears witness and the Apostles will also witness about Jesus. So Jesus knew the disciples would be flattened, frightened, and in despair over the crucifixion, but rise to serve Him in the future, with His help and comfort.

The Scriptures do not simply write about believing but also about witnessing or confessing. "If you believe with your heart and witness with your mouth... Romans 10.

God's will is to have the Gospel shared, because the Word is effective in speaking its truth. However, when someone witnesses to the truth, opposition sets in, and that is the meaning of bearing the cross.

The opposition is shocking to us at first, but we think nothing about polishing gold, silver, and jewels. Opposition tests and polishes our faith, because each aspect of trust in Jesus is tested. One couple objected strongly to a sermon about infant baptism when I baptized their baby. Their Baptist relatives, who were invited, were offended, so the council president landed on me about that. 

Ever since being in school, last century, I have been treated as the village idiot for defended the historical accuracy of the Bible, the divinity of Christ, and more recently Justification by Faith. This opposition comes from within the visible church, which is what Luther wrote about, first from the monks and  bishops of Rome, then among his own followers. He said his own group did more harm to the Gospel than the pope  and Turks put together. (That was a hyperbole, an exaggeration to make a point. But now that could well be true.)

Lenski, p 1067

That is why Jesus now says that the disciples will have the Spirit with them and that he and they will both testify. The hatred of the world against the disciples will go on because they will go on with the testimony of Jesus, now having the Spirit at their side. Nothing is said in this connection about the success of this testimony; how it will win many from the world to faith in Jesus. The fact that the testimony of the Spirit and of the disciples certainly will not be in vain but will bear ''much fruit" has already.

Luther on Bearing the Cross versus Affliction

3. Now, by confession I must take upon myself the load of Satan, hell, death and the whole world — kings and princes, pope and bishops, priests and monks. By faith, everything falls that reason can or ever has devised for the salvation of the soul. It must chastise the apish tricks of the whole world, and its jewel alone must be praised. The world cannot endure this, therefore it rushes in, destroys, kills, and says: “It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not,” as Caiaphas says in John 11:50. Thus, the confession must break forth, that God alone is the Savior; and the same confession brings us into danger of losing our lives. As the Lord says later to the disciples: “They shall put you out of the synagogues.”

4. One cannot paint the cross differently than it is here painted; that is its true color. But the cross of illness — to lie in bed at home ill — is nothing compared with the cross of persecution. The first is indeed suffering: but the suffering is golden when we are persecuted and put to death with ignominy; when our persecutors have the praise; when right and honor apparently are on their side, while shame, disgrace and injustice are on our side, compared with the world that wishes them thereby to have God’s honor defended, so that all the world says we are served right and that God, the Scriptures and all the angels witness against us.

16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

The word offended is easily misunderstood, because everyone is offended about everything, no matter how trivial. But the word comes from the trigger of a trap, the kind that grabs a person or animal, with death expected. 

Bad experiences can be a trigger that serve to kill faith because they were unexpected and unwelcome. Persecution is the best example. All those highly educated clergy will make fun of me and drive me away for believing the plain language of the Bible? That is the last straw.

Jesus built up His disciples in advance, to warn them about bearing the cross. They could absorb or understand all of His final messages but the Spirit brought them to remembrance afterwards and they were written down to strengthen us.

Those who persecute the true Gospel congratulate themselves and give each other high-fives and shiny awards for being brave confessors of the Word. But when questioned, they fly into a rage when flattery will not work. They give people a chance to repent of the Scriptures, then shun them, and rejoice in the evil done to them. Thus many clergy have been disposed of, shunned by fellow clergy. So have many laity, who give up on established church bodies.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

That was true then and even more true now. Christians are being persecuted, tortured, imprisoned, and killed all over the world - because of their faith and their witness.

What makes this especially irksome is their delight in doing so. We see that in the terrorist killings, where they videotape their work and brag about it. 

One person was a member of the church we attended in St. Louis. I spoke to him often and went out to lunch with him. When I questioned forgiveness without faith, I became the enemy. He phoned to see if I had read the LCMS Theses on Justification without Faith (not the actual title). I said yes, and he slammed his old-fashioned phone down as hard as he could.

Likewise, that congregation told Herman Otten he would get no money if he ever printed anything else by me in the future. Otten obeyed St. Mammon and joined the boycott. The person who led this boycott was also a friend I talked to often and visited at his home.

This only led me to study computer science and how I could use website design to publish books, which led to blogging and almost 6 million views so far.

As Luther wrote in other places, opposition is good because it not only shows us what is good but helps us with a better understanding of the truth. Nothing makes an article of faith more interesting than the pious saints trying to destroy it for no Scriptural reason. 

Truly, the painful part of this is how they really think they are working for God in their antics, attitudes, and boycotts. Their histories are "____ Years of God's Grace", but they tear down the Means of Grace, which mean nothing to leaders who reject the efficacy of the Gospel in the Means of Grace.

Question - Was I born forgiven and saved?

Answer - Yes, isn't that great news?

Question -  But how do I know I am forgiven and saved?\

Answer - If you agree with Walther. Rambach, and us that the entire world was forgiven and saved at the cross, then you are forgiven and saved.

Question - But what about Luther?

Answer - We don't worship Luther. He didn't even want the name Lutheran to be used.

Question - Now I am confused.

Answer - Don't think too much about this. Trust me. (Synod President)

The above is a compend of ridiculous conversations others have had about Justification by Faith.

 Graphic by Norma Boeckler

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.  

This takes a long time to grasp, but the Gospel is thinly sown. Many church leaders are de facto atheists who have found a comfortable living in mouthing the words without believing them.

I would be hard put to name any modern theologian (apart from Sasse) who believed or believes anything. They are philosophers who love to play with words and dazzle the audience with their vast knowledge of trivial facts.

Notice the Luther clergy conferences where the main issues are not taught with clarity, but fussy, prissy topics are dragged around, here and there, like wayward kittens. No one learns anything worthwhile, but they say, "Oh, that was such a good talk on the furtive patha in the Old Testament. I hope you discuss vowel pointing next time." Answer - "I am working on that right now."

Unbelief is the majority opinion, which is why Luther (following John, Paul, and the Spirit) always taught faith in Christ Jesus.

4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Our memories are a great blessing that God has given us. We can fill them and renew them with bad stuff, or we can follow the Bible's advice about recalling and using the Gospel, hymns, psalm, and spiritual songs. 

One idea displaces the other when we think, so the Gospel displaces Satan's temptations, which are great and energetic, as keen as a fresh knife blade. 

Here is a simple one to defeat Satan's efforts to drag people back into despair and self-destruction - "Believing is forgiveness of sin." That is Luther's basic condensation of the Gospel. How do I know everything is forgiven and forgotten by God? Believing is forgiveness. I cannot add anything to that, no crying, no suffering, no acts to make up for what I have. Good things come from forgiveness but they do not cause or complete the requirements. The only requirement is to trust the Gospel Word, that believing in the Savior means receiving the forgiveness of sins through Gods' gentle grace and great comfort.