An Eternal Founding - Celebrating God's Mission and Ministry

Fifth Sunday after Trinity
July 5^th, Year of Our + Lord 2026
Our Redeemer and Our Savior’s Lutheran Churches
Custer and Hill City, SD
1 Kings 19:9-21, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 and Luke 5:1-11

Audio of the Sermon can be found HERE.

   Yesterday we observed the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by the United States of America, celebrating our founding principles.  We both pray and commit ourselves to the perennial task of re-establishing and re-invigorating our republic, not to create heaven on earth, but yes, to create a more-perfect union.  We should do this for the good of each other, our posterity, and because America with her freedoms has been a place where the Christian Church could thrive, for which we give thanks. 

   Today, we are blessed to celebrate an even better foundation, the Mission and Ministry of God, by which the Lord builds His Church, in every place and time.  This work too requires constant vigilance and renewal, and the stakes are eternal.

  The LORD God Almighty, YHWH El Shaddai in Hebrew, has always and will always care for His People on earth, His Church militant, as it is called, and He does this in the same way.  The LORD works through His Word, no matter the language, be it Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, Spanish, or English.  God calls all His people to proclaim His Name and His Truth, the Truth that sets sinners free.  At the same time, the LORD especially calls particular men to be His public preachers, servants of the word, ministers who authoritatively deliver the Holy Spirit’s surprising and life-giving message to men, women, and children, sinners who may like it, or like it not.  It’s been this way for a very long time.   

   At the burning bush, the LORD called Moses to go back to Egypt and deliver His people from slavery to Pharaoh.  Little Samuel, given by his mother to serve at the Tabernacle of the LORD God Almighty, was called to be God’s prophet, and Israel’s judge.  Years later, through Samuel, the LORD called young David away from tending his father Jesse’s flocks, in order to eventually shepherd Israel as their king.  Indeed, the LORD promised David that His throne would last forever. 

   The prophet Isaiah was sent to preach centuries later.  At the time, it appeared that, because of Israel’s sin and idolatry, David’s throne would fall.  Isaiah was caught up in a heavenly vision, during which he hears the LORD wonder aloud, “Who will go and speak for us, and whom shall we send?”  The newly forgiven, ready to serve, Isaiah cried out, “Here I am, LORD, send me!”  And the LORD did.   

   The Pharisee Saul, on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus to seek out Jews who had become Christians and throw them in jail, was confronted by the risen Christ on the road.  “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”  In a flash, the Lord converted Saul, who was also called Paul, and then sent him as His preacher to the Gentiles, to the nations, for the salvation of many.  Paul would go, and preach, and also learn how much he would be privileged to suffer for God’s Name.  This same Paul would later instruct his pupil Titus, Bishop of Crete, to appoint elders, we would call them pastors, in every city, reliable men who will preach Christ and His truth faithfully. 

   And of course, from our Gospel this morning, we enjoyed Peter’s call into the ministry.  The
miraculous catch of fish made Peter realize that this wandering preacher Jesus was from heaven.  Our rough and ready fisherman cried out: “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.”  Which was just the honesty Jesus wanted to hear: “Fear not, Peter, from now on, you will be fishing for men!”  So, Peter, along with his brother Andrew and his partners James and John, left their nets and boats and followed Jesus into Gospel ministry.  God always cares for His Church in this way, calling fallible men into His special public office of the ministry, sending them to preach and teach and care for the Lord’s flock. 

   Time fails us to name any but a few of the faithful preachers the Lord appointed through the centuries: Polycarp, Irenaeus, Cyprian, and Athanasius we know; hundreds of their faithful contemporaries we know not.  Ambrose and Augustine were favorites of a German priest and monk named Martin, who was just trying to clear up the preaching of God’s Law and Gospel, but ended up turning the world inside out.  Martin Chemnitz, the 2^nd Martin, tightened up some of the unfinished details in Luther’s teaching, and on it went.  Thankfully for yours truly, when he came to America, C.F.W. Walther, the primary founding father of the Missouri Synod, proved that a pleasing outward appearance is not a requirement in a faithful preacher.

   The line goes on through the decades, including R.J. Uecker, and Bob Anderson, and, least and last of all so far, down to me.  We are nothing but tiny men, standing on the shoulders of giants, to be sure.  But, and this is the important part, we are all involved in the same saving and preserving work of God, who has never swerved from His Mission once.  God has always been working to save you, and all sinners, ever since that dark day in the Garden, when our sin made His rescue necessary.

   We recited from the Augsburg Confession earlier, the AC, for short, presented in 1530 to the Emperor Charles as the confession of faith of the German princes and magistrates who believed Luther had rediscovered the Truth.  The AC holds primacy of place as a statement of Biblical teaching, because it succinctly and clearly declares the teaching of Christ, in general, and also in the light of the particular questions that were roiling the Church in the 16^th Century.  We read articles IV, V and XIV, which specifically treat God’s Mission and Ministry.  Before we talk about those, I should say that Article I speaks of the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Article II describes the problem that God must overcome, which is our human original sin.  And Article III then speaks of the solution, of Christ, who He is, and what He has done to achieve the forgiveness of sinners for the salvation of the world.  After Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension to God the Father’s right hand, the key question is this: How is the salvation which Jesus achieved on Golgotha now delivered to and preserved for sinners in this world? 

   Article IV, on justification, lays out the central reality of salvation: that God in His grace freely, as a gift, counts sinners as forgiven and righteous in His sight, when they believe in the work of Christ on the Cross to win the forgiveness of their sins.  Salvation by faith, given by God’s grace, for the sake of Christ, this is the main thing, the thing God seeks to do in and through His Church. 

   Article V then describes the means, or the instruments, the process through which God justifies, that is forgives and saves sinners.  “That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted.”  Through the Gospel in Word and Sacraments, (that is, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper), “the Holy Ghost is given,” who alone works saving faith.  God does this not because of our merit, not because of our good works and holiness, but rather solely for the sake of Christ and His self-sacrifice on the Cross. 

   Finally, Article XIV gives some guidelines for this ministry, namely that God has limited the Public Ministry of Word and Sacraments to men who have been rightly called, that is identified, taught, called and ordained, by the Church, to serve in Christ’s public ministry.    

   The public preaching office, which is foreshadowed in the Old Testament, was established by Jesus through His Apostles.  Of course, every baptized believer in Christ has a call to speak the truth of Christ and to proclaim His Name in their daily lives. 

   Privately, individual Christians are often called to preach, to children, family, friends, neighbors.  But to preach publicly, to be an official spokesman for God and His Church, is not something one takes up to do by oneself.  For a man to be a public deliverer of the teaching of God and the forgiveness of Christ, he must be called into this office, either directly by God, or indirectly by His Church.  

   Now, the value of the Augsburg Confession depends on its faithfulness to God’s Word, which the Holy Spirit has preserved for us in the Bible.  A quick tour of Scripture will help us see how articles IV, V and XIV are drawn from Scripture.  Moses, for example, was called directly by God to go with a specific Word, to go proclaim God’s Law and Gospel, to captive Israel, and to Pharaoh, so that God’s people would be freed.  Through Moses’ ministry, His service with the Word of God, the nation of Israel was given birth, set free from slavery and rescued from destruction through the water of the Red Sea.  God through Moses fed His People bread from heaven, and taught them all that the LORD would have them do, and not do. 

   Our Old Testament reading today is set about 600 years after the Exodus.  Serving as the LORD’s minister has proven to be a tough gig for Elijah.  The prophet is distressed, under threat of death, and no longer wants to continue in the service of the LORD.  But God finds His prophet, hiding in a cave, and lifts him up.  God reveals that His way is not like we expect, that He does not usually work through the spectacular, through earthquakes or fires or great winds.  No, rather, the LORD is present to work and to save in a still, small voice, including the voice of truth that Elijah preached. 

   Then the LORD set up Elijah’s relief.  New kings are anointed by Elijah, to defeat the kings that seek to kill him, and a new prophet is appointed, Elisha, who is called to follow, and then replace Elijah, when the Almighty should call him home to heaven.  As Joshua for Moses, now Elisha for Elijah: a succession of servants, ministers, this is part of God’s plan. 

   Preachers come and go.  By the Holy Spirit’s grace, they are faithful in their calling.  They may see better days, or worse, but in time, their service will end.  But, the Word of the LORD endures forever.  God’s Word endures because the Holy Spirit is the power behind it, and He will always guarantee there is someone to speak the message of life.  This is why say we extend a “Divine Call” to a pastor – not because the man called nor the Church calling is perfectly holy and divine, but rather because God the Holy Spirit is in the midst of the process, including the very earthly and imperfect parts, like making hundreds of copies, pouring over information sheets for prospective pastors, and participating in congregational call meetings.

   Because the call process is divine, or Godly, it is a blessing for those involved, because God always blesses His Church.  The Circuit Visitor who guides the process may think he has better things to do.  The District President who pulls together names of candidates to consider may get weary, because he has so many congregations who need a pastor.  And the Call Committee may not have done this much reading in a long time.  I rejoice that Divine Shepherd in Black Hawk now has a new Senior Pastor on the way, and I pray that Peace in Rapid City, along with First in Wall and Emmanuel in Creighton, will find their new shepherds soon.  But I also thank God for including all of us in His work of establishing and sustaining His ministry.  Because it is good. 

   We need a Biblically faithful system to administer the office of the ministry, (and we have one).  Then, we need to understand and work that system, because the sad truth is that we sinners have always and will always tend to buck God’s system.  The two-year-old’s attitude “You’re not the boss of me!” is still present in us sinners. 

   But of course, God is the Boss of us, the eternal Father who loves us and knows what is best for us.  God is in charge, He is sovereign, and He gets to set the pattern for His Mission and His Church.  But who is willing to accept it? 

   People, inside and outside the Church, have always tried to pervert God’s plan for providing faithful preachers.  The problem of self-appointed prophets and preachers is ancient.  God’s way is to place a call upon a man, very often against his desire.  But for unbelievers and even for some believers who lack sufficient Biblical understanding, the authority and central role that a pastor plays in a given church can be a tempting way to seek power, or popularity, or wealth.  False prophets typically abuse whatever power they acquire, and people Christ died for get hurt.  Such abuse leads some to reject the idea of a public ministry, to reject the Biblical teaching that particular men be given authority to lead and teach and preach. 

   This is understandable, but not o.k.   We must not throw the baby out with the bathwater.  That is, while illegitimate and abusive ministers should be removed, and will be held accountable by God, this is no reason for the Church to deny or ignore the correct way that the Lord has established for the ministry.    

   The authority of the public ministry is to serve God’s truth, and to serve God’s people with that truth, for God’s glory and the people’s blessing.  The New Testament established that a congregation is, in its essence, pastor and people together, the shepherd and the flock of God in that place.  The minister’s charge is simple, and is well described in our Epistle: Preach the Word of the Cross. 

   This Word of the Cross is of course another reason some resist God’s way of caring for His Church.  The central act of salvation, the deathly work of Christ for sinners, is offensive to anyone who thinks they can be right with God on their own.  The death of the sinless Son of God on the Cross destroys the notion that men can save themselves.  The Word of the Cross is an insult to the self-righteous, and so they may reject it, to their own destruction.  This is a tendency we must all watch out for, in ourselves, and in our churches.  For the self-righteous tendency remains within all of us, the pride of the sinful nature that we still bear. 

   Likewise, the Cross is ridiculous to men blinded by human wisdom, who will not believe in a God who would give life through His own sacrificial death.  We humans like to think we have discovered how just about everything works, without reference to God.  So, a faith which shatters our assumptions is easier to mock than to consider.  Because to consider God’s Truth is to risk shattering our impressive self-image. 

    But we preach Christ crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God, and the only way of salvation.  This biblical truth, declared in Articles II, III an IV of the Augsburg Confession, is the content and reason for the public ministry.  We preach the Word of the Cross, because by it, sinners like you and me have hope, hope and a future, won by the suffering of Jesus.  This hope is revealed and guaranteed by His victorious Resurrection, and by His Ascension to reign over all things, for us.   

   The Word of the Cross is the Truth of God’s love, hidden under opposites, hidden under shame and suffering and death.  But it is this hidden truth, it is the victory of Jesus’ death, that lifts us from guilt, shame, defeat and death, and enables us to live humble lives of peace, integrity and joy, today in the Church on earth, and one day soon, with all the saints, gathered around God and the Lamb, forever and ever, Amen. 

Praying for God's Governance

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity. 
Preached at Our Redeemer and Our Savior's Lutheran Churches
Custer and Hill City, South Dakota
June 28^th, Year of Our + Lord 2026
Based on Genesis 50:15-21, Romans 12:14-21, Luke 6:36-42

The audio of the sermon can be accessed HERE.

Let us pray: O Sovereign and Merciful Lord, grant that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Your governance that Your Church may joyfully serve You in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.

   That prayer is today’s Collect of the Day.  A Collect is a traditional form of Christian prayer, which collects, or gathers together the prayer of a congregation, presenting it to God as a united request.  A Collect asks the Lord to work in our midst, in keeping with His Word, often focusing on some particular truth from the readings for a given service.  The Collect of the Day for the Sunday Divine Service intends to offer a theme that summarizes a main teaching present in the readings.  It cannot be exhaustive, that would require a very long prayer.  Still, the Collect is often helpful as we seek to understand what the Holy Spirit is telling us in His Word.   

   A Collect follows, more or less closely, a particular form which helps it identify and proclaim a theme.  You have this form before you in the half sheet.  There is even an acronym for it, CARRD.  (Actually, there are many possible acronyms, but this is the one I like, so…)  CARRD stands for Call, Attribute, Request, Result and Doxology. 

Call means to call on the Name of the Lord, to invoke one of His many Biblical Names: Father, God, Lord, Savior, King, etc.

Attribute is to describe God according to one or more of His characteristics, the various things He has done, or traits that God has taught us about Himself, especially in light of the day’s readings and the request of the Collect.

Request is to make the particular petition, or several, the specific things we ask of God.

Result is the blessed state of affairs that God’s action will achieve for us, and/or for others. 

Doxology literally means “words of glory,” a shorter or longer praise of the One to whom we present our requests, which is concluded with an ‘Amen.’ 

So, to break down this morning’s Collect of the Day:

Call: O … Lord,

Attribute: Sovereign and Merciful.  I know, this Collect is a bit out of sequence.  The attributes come in the middle of the Call. I said Collects more or less follow this form, didn’t I? 

Request: grant that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Your governance

Result: that Your Church may joyfully serve You in all godly quietness;

Doxology:  through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.

 

   Now, why am I regaling you with all this detail about Collects?  Well, I was in my 30s, and had attended thousands of Lutheran services, before I began to understand the form and function of the Divine Service, the liturgy of Word and Sacrament.  And the Collect of the Day serves a central function in this liturgy.  When I learned a bit about what the Church has put together for her liturgy over the last 2,000 years, I began to understand and get more out of worship. 

   (Now, be warned, this learning was an important part of the Lord convincing me to pursue becoming a minister.  You may not think you want to become a Church Worker, but as you understand better all the good that the Lord is doing for you in worship, you never know what the Holy Spirit might work in you.  Maybe within the sound of my voice there is a future missionary, or pastor, or deaconess.) 

   Certainly, helping you understand better and receive more of what God is offering us this morning is a central part of my call to be your pastor.  Drawing on ancient Israel’s synagogue service, as well as the worship of God’s people in the Temple, the Divine Service has been developed in the Church through the centuries as a wonderful and reliable way of delivering God’s gifts, to you and to visitors.  We gather to receive God’s Truth, His Wisdom, His Law and Gospel, strength for Christian living, encouragement, comfort, and, most fundamentally, to be renewed in the forgiveness Christ Jesus won for all people on His Cross.  It is forgiveness which makes us right with God, and remakes our hearts, so that we seek to do His will. 

   The truth of God’s Word, fully revealed in the man Jesus, has always been the heart of Christian worship.  The Collect of the Day, along with being a good prayer, a heartfelt request to our loving God, also helps us grasp and understand what God is teaching us.  More on this in a bit. 

   Knowing the form of a Collect, using the CARRD acronym, can also help us as we pray throughout the week.  Now, Christian prayer can take many forms.  Praying the Psalms for yourself and others is an ancient and godly practice.  And just crying out “Lord, help me!” is also a good prayer.  But sometimes, at least for me, I have felt a need to pray, for specific concerns, for myself or others, but the words do not come.  “Please help us, Lord,” is a fine prayer, but a richer prayer might offer more comfort.  Let me give an example. 

   Say you are hiking in the mountains with a group of friends, and you get caught in a strong thunderstorm.  You would prefer to find a sheltered place to wait it out, but one of your friends needs to take medicine, and it is back at your car.  So, you head back through the rain.  Then, just short of your destination, you find that what was a small trickling stream on your way out is now a rushing torrent, 15 feet wide, and you’re not sure how deep.  Because the one friend is becoming increasingly ill, and another in your group has a rope and knows how to use it to help you cross safely, the group reluctantly decides to make the crossing.  After you get set up, someone suggests somebody should say a prayer, and everybody looks at you.  Are you ready to pray?  Would you like to say more than “God, please help us!”? 

   How about something like this: Almighty Father, (Call) you created the wind and the rain, and the stream that now threatens us. (Attribute) As you rescued Your people, Israel, through the Red Sea, (another Attribute), so also send your angels to us now, and grant us a safe crossing of this torrent, (Request), so that our friend can take her medicine. (Result) (Finally, a Doxological conclusion) We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior and Lord, Amen. 

   Do you see how a good Collect connects the needs of our moment to the actions and promises God has made and kept through the centuries?  And, such a prayer can do more than simply offer comfort in the moment.  If any one in your hiking group has drifted from the faith, or perhaps has never trusted in Christ Jesus, such a substantial prayer focused on God’s care and promises might lead to eternally fruitful conversations, on the other side of the stream crossing.  The CARRD form of a Collect is certainly not the only way to pray, but it can be a real blessing.  And you can do it.   

   O.k., enough Catechism instruction on prayer, for now.  Another benefit when a Collect connects well with the Scripture we have heard is that it helps us understand God’s Word and apply it to our daily Christian walk.  Let’s take another look at today’s Collect, in light of the three readings. 

   In today’s Collect, we asked the Sovereign and Merciful Lord to peaceably govern the course of this world so that the Church can serve Him in all godly quietness.  Do you see how this explains the readings?  Let us take a look.    

   From Genesis 50, we heard the made-up story that Joseph’s father Jacob had requested on his deathbed for Joseph to forgive his brothers.  The brothers told this lie because they did not believe Joseph had really forgiven them for selling him into slavery in Egypt.  Their doubts are easy to understand, since true forgiveness from the heart is a rare thing.

   But Joseph, by the Lord’s hand, had risen from slavery and jail to become the Pharoah’s #2 man, ruling over all of Egypt, for the king.  Joseph is immensely powerful, in human terms.  But, he understands that he is not governing the really important things.  That governance of heavenly and eternal things belongs to God.  Joseph knows and trusts in the forgiveness and mercy of the Lord, and from that trust he has peace.  So, he is truly at peace with his brothers.  “What you meant for evil,” he tells them, “God meant for good, so that many people should be kept alive.  So do not fear, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus [Joseph] comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”   

   Do you suppose Joseph was tempted to take some vengeance on his brothers?  Maybe, maybe not.  The important thing, for the harmony that God wants to see between His people on earth, is that Joseph did not assume the place of God. 

   We could say that Joseph preserved a godly quietness, which I do not think literally means being quiet all the time.  No, godly quietness has more to do with holding our tongues and unclenching our fists when we want to exact revenge, when we want to take control of divine justice.  The prayer of the Christian for every soul is not that they be eternally condemned, but that God would save them, even our worst enemies.  The forgiveness Joseph had declared to his brothers years earlier came from the Lord, not from Joseph on his own.  Forgiveness comes from God, and vengeance is Mine, says the Lord.  And so, faithful Joseph did not presume to deny God’s word or will. 

   Joseph’s forgiving heart and his reconciliation with his brothers is a great example of living out our Christian faith, as Paul exhorts us this morning: Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  

   Jesus continues the theme:  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.  ³⁷ “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven, ³⁸ give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” 

   The Lord wants Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ, to live in harmony, and there will be great earthly and heavenly joys whenever harmony rules.  God also desires that this love of Christians should spill over to unbelievers.  And so we come to the strangest line in our readings:  Paul warns against Christians taking vengeance for themselves, and then he says.  “To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Maybe this sounds a bit twisted, that sinners like us might take pleasure in driving our enemies crazy.  But even this strange instruction has an evangelical, salvation-for-sinners goal.  For Paul concludes, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Extending the goodness of God’s mercy is the goal. 

   In a nutshell, Paul teaches us that doing good to your enemies will often make them even angrier with you.  But do it anyway, and sometimes, the Word will break through that anger.  Sometimes, the Holy Spirit will work through your kind acts to convert another undeserving sinner, bringing them to repent of their sins, and trust in Christ’s forgiving sacrifice.

   The connection between today’s Collect and Scripture readings is this:  The goal of God’s governance in this fallen world is harmony among His children, and the salvation of more sinners, the growth of the Church.  And so mercy and peace are to define the Church, and individual Christians. 

   We do not live in peaceful times.  Internationally, hot wars abound, and our country is involved in several.  Domestically, the polarization between political extremes seems to become more bitter by the day, and political violence is growing in our land. 

   But do not fear.  In Christ Jesus, crucified for all human sin and resurrected from the dead, perfect peace has been won, for us, and for all, peace with God that is received by faith in Jesus.  And marvel of marvels, we have access to this peace of Christ, in His Word, and in the mystery of His Holy Supper. 

   In the Collect of the Day we asked for the opportunity to joyfully serve the Lord, and we have that opportunity.  So we ask the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with faith, confidence and love, so that we go forth to serve with joy, and humility, today, tomorrow, and every day, until the Lord calls us home.  We pray this in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.   

The Character of God

Third Sunday after Trinity
June 21^st, Year of Our + Lord 2026
Our Savior’s and Our Redeemer Lutheran Churches
Hill City and Custer, South Dakota
Based on Luke 15:1-10

Audio of the sermon is available HERE.

The one lost sheep is not innocent.

   A week or so ago I was listening to a podcast while pulling weeds, leafy spurge to be specific, out behind our house.  I came upon an interview of an author, Luke Burgis, who has written a book titled “The One and the Ninety-Nine: Forging Identity in the Age of Social Contagion.”  I thought this might be interesting; certainly in the age of the internet and the so-called “smartphone,” social contagions have become an increasing problem. 

   A social contagion includes when people, very often people who are way too on-line, fall prey to believing fictions about themselves, including that they are victims of a condition or a disease which, prior to 2010, was either unheard of or vanishingly rare.  Bad things can result, including radical interventions that hurt people, mostly young people, for the rest of their lives.  When our kids were in High School in little Sidney, MT, there was a wave of teenagers cutting themselves.  We have all run into, or perhaps we know well, souls who are convinced that they were born the wrong sex.  Or the wrong species.  Believing such a false reality can lead to tragedy, and it seems to be a growing problem.  So, I started to listen to the podcast. 

   I was also curious about the title, and wondered if it might be referring to the lost sheep portion of our Gospel reading for this morning.  And it does. 

   The author seems to have had more than a passing contact with the Christian Church, as he began by saying he had heard the parable of the one lost sheep many times in his life, and it always troubled him.  My interest in the podcast and book was increasing.  The author said the economics of Jesus’ parable never made sense to him, another good observation.  Who would leave 99 sheep unprotected in the wilderness to go find just one?  That’s a good way to go bankrupt.  So, I was thinking, this could be great, and I began listening. 

 

   But then everything went sideways.  I don’t know where the author was hearing the parable, nor what any teacher or pastor might have offered by way of explanation.  But the author decided that the value of the parable was to allow us to consider the dichotomy between being a member of a group, a tribe, but also maintaining one’s individuality.  He wondered if the one lost sheep might have wisely wandered off intentionally, looking for his identity in the wide, wide, world.   

   Oh no, no, no, that is terrible!  This is most certainly not Jesus’ point, which two minutes of reading the surrounding context would make clear very quickly.  We see that Eve’s mistake of contemplating the Serpent’s question, “Did God really say?” (Gen 3), continues to plague humanity.  Instead of looking at the plain language and context of what Luke recorded, this author goes off in a self-chosen and unrelated direction.   I stopped the podcast. 

   I’m not saying that the author’s question is not interesting, or that navigating the tension between individual identity and belonging to a group is not challenging, and worth study and reflection.  It is.  But I simply do not have any patience for those who would take up the living and active Word of God, but ignore its plain sense, thereby dressing up their human speculations in Biblical garb.  No thanks.       

    Our parables today, about the one lost sheep and the one lost coin, are not essentially about the nature of sheep and coins, or people.  No, instead, with these parables, Jesus seeks to teach us about the character of God, that is, His own character, the character of His Father and the Holy Spirit.  With these parables, Jesus is responding to the accusing grumbles of the Pharisees and Scribes, who were offended that Jesus was associating, and even sitting down to eat with tax collectors and other sinners.  Jesus’ opponents do not believe He is God made man, but they are offended that any Jewish religious teacher would hang out with obvious sinners.  

   Finally, the question Jesus answers is foundational to saving faith: “What kind of God do we find in and through the Son of Mary, who is also the Son of God?”

   While I was irritated by the author’s approach, listening to the first few minutes of that podcast was not a waste of time, far from it.  Because, as I was deleting the podcast and looking for another, the Holy Spirit put a question to me: What other distorted perceptions do we bring, do I bring, to the parable of the lost sheep? 

   How else might I mishandle God’s Word, and so miss out on, or worse, misrepresent to you the message the LORD is communicating? 

   One way to get a sense of how Christians think about a Biblical account is to survey the artwork used to illustrate it.  The Good Shepherd rescuing the one lost sheep has always been very popular throughout Christian history, certainly in Lutheran circles.  We have a wooden carving of just this image set in a niche in the front of the pulpit over at Our Redeemer. 

   Not always, but often, the lost sheep is portrayed as a little lamb, often quite cute and cuddly.  Maybe the lamb has fallen into a ravine and become stuck.  Or, it is all by itself in a dark and threatening world, covered in mud, bleating helplessly.  And, I think all of these portrayals tend to make me think that the poor, lost sheep is innocent, a pitiful victim, without any responsibility for being lost.  Now, to be sure, one sheep by itself out in the wild is pitiful.  If it is not scared, it should be.  It is clearly in need of rescue.  But, is the lost sheep an innocent little lamb? 

   I do not think the text warrants this conclusion.  Jesus does not say the sheep is a lamb, and He does not proclaim its innocence.  He simply describes the one sheep as lost.  And the comparison for the sheep in the parable is not precious little children, but rather it is tax collectors and other sinners.  Finally, I do not think we should try to draw too many conclusions about this sheep, because the parable is not about the sheep.  Rather, it is about the man, the shepherd, who goes to search for it. 

   Remember the grumbles that led Jesus to tell this parable and that of the Lost Coin; the Pharisees were upset that Jesus ate with these unsavory people.  A self-respecting Pharisee would never do this. 

   But God would.  And God did.  And God still does.  This is the heart of the Good News, the Gospel:  Jesus came not for the righteous, but for the unrighteous.  They are why the Father sent His Son to be born of Mary, and be named Jesus, a name which means “the LORD saves.” 

   There are plenty more reasons to not think the lost sheep is innocent.  The rest of Scripture speaks of sheep with passages like, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all,” that is, on the Suffering Servant, (Isaiah 63:6). 

   Through the prophet Ezekiel the LORD warns the fat, strong sheep against bullying the weaker sheep and not letting them get food and water, (Ezekiel 34).  And since the sheep represent us people, there are many explicit statements in the Bible about our nature, that all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, that no one is righteous, no, not one, (Romans 3:10 and 23), that the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth (Genesis 6:5 and 8:21).  

   Now, just because we do not believe the sheep is innocent does not mean we should not feel bad for it.  We can still pity the sheep, pray for it, seek its good, even if every lost sheep is responsible for its own predicament.  We should pity the lost sheep, because, after all, God did.  God’s love and concern for sinners is the motivation behind the entire thrust of the Scripture story, and this should shape how we treat other sinners. 

   We should feel bad for the lost sheep.  But, for our own salvation and for the salvation of others, we must make it clear to every lost sheep that we are all accountable for the fact that we are sinners.  Because complaining that we are not responsible, even protesting with the half-truth that the Devil made me do it, only serves to make us miss the Shepherd’s rescue. 

   It is never pleasant to confess our own sinfulness.  It should never be pleasant to point out the sin of others. (To enjoy accusing others of sin either flows from self-righteousness, like the Pharisees, or it is demonic, learned from the accuser, Satan.  Lord protect us from falling into either of these categories!)  

   Returning to the parable, we should rejoice that it is not about sheep, but rather about the character of God, who seeks to save, despite how we sheep behave, which gets remarkably bad.  As we will sing in one of our communion hymns, “as wayward sheep their Shepherd kill.” 

   And, that was God’s plan!  That the Lamb of God would be slain by sinners, in order to save sinners has been God’s plan since before He created us.

   We rightly marvel at the shocking, radical, amazing nature of the Gospel, that God’s Son suffered and died, not for good people, but for sinners.  Maybe we can get numb to this stupendous fact, (Jesus died for our sins, blah, blah, blah).  But God forbid it, we should not. 

   Lord willing, we will never cease to be amazed that Holy Jesus came into this world to die, for sinners, for His enemies, for us.  Lord willing, we will daily remember that this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and gave His Son as the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice, for our sins. 

   And then, on the third day, He rose from the dead, revealing the new, indestructible life He will share with all His flock.  This is the character of the Good Shepherd.  This is the character of God. 

   God’s desire is to save sinners.  And, there is going to be a party.  The man carrying home the lost sheep calls his friends and neighbors to come rejoice with him.  The woman who dropped everything to sweep the house and find her lost coin then turns around and spends money to throw a party to celebrate.  The economics do not add up in either parable.  By hosting a celebration after finding your lost treasure, you could easily spend more on the party than the value of that recovered treasure.  And that is fine, because these parables are not about earthly, human economics.  No, Jesus is teaching us about the economy of God. 

   Now, I do not mean to say that God acts like an accountant or a businessman, carefully evaluating profit and loss.  But the word economy literally means “the Household Law.”  And in God’s house, the economy works this way: everything is oriented toward salvation, toward rescuing sinners, so they can live in God’s house, forever.  Despite what our sins and sinfulness deserve, the great prize that God is pursuing is you, and you, and me, all of us sinners. 

    And oh what a party it will be when we all get there.  Just as God’s economy works totally differently than our earthly economies, so also, the heavenly celebration will be better than we can imagine.  Think of the best party, the most joyful get-together you have ever experienced, but with no downside:  no upset stomach, no hangover, no regrets from letting your celebration slip into sin.  Think of the very best party.  God is going to give you more.  Heaven will be better.  The Bible speaks of streets of gold and doors of precious gems, a never-ending banquet, and fruit from the Tree of Life that brings healing to the nations.  And that is just the start.

   Pondering our future celebration in heaven can help us recognize and avoid earthly celebrations that are not worthy of Christians.  In ancient Corinth, some Christians were getting drunk at the Lord’s Supper, while others had nothing.  God protect us!  Because we attend earthly parties while still being sinners, we Christians today need to be wise, and careful.  Satan tries to trip us up with earthly joys, tempting us to pursue sinful pleasures, and so turn our backs on the One who is preparing heaven for us.   God help us resist such temptation. 

    We need to be careful.  But, we should also celebrate.  Christians should not be dour and gloomy, trudging our way towards the end.  Sing for joy, you have been rescued!  You were lost, you deserved it, and you had no way of getting back to God’s House.  But Jesus has come after you, and has brought you home. 

   We will not rejoice at everything in this broken world.  There are real problems, real suffering in all our lives.  The contrast between the life we live now and the life we look forward to in heaven will at times bring us to tears.  But we can and we should also rejoice, by enjoying the wonders of God’s creation, and by digging more deeply into the treasures Jesus has given us in His Word, by singing our thanks for His mercy, and by celebrating as the family of God. 

   Such Godly rejoicing is good, right and salutary.  And it also makes us more attractive to souls outside the Body of Christ.  When men and women who are beat down by life see joy in the life of Christians, this can draw them in to hear the Good News.  God grant that the holy joy of being a rescued sheep of God shines through in our lives, and that through our joy, the Spirit will find others to rescue, until all God’s flock is gathered, and our Good Shepherd returns visibly to lead us home, forever and ever, Amen.    

All About Banquets

2^nd Sunday after Trinity
June 14^th, Year of Our + Lord 2026
Our Redeemer and Our Savior’s Lutheran Churches
Custer and Hill City, SD
Based on Proverbs 9:1-18 and Luke 14:15-24

Audio of the Sermon can be accessed HERE.

   The Master of the Banquet says: 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 

   Banquets, banquets, banquets.  Yesterday I enjoyed smoked meat with a bunch of Lutheran men.  We are having a potluck today (at Our Redeemer), and this evening at youth group we have planned a special meal in honor of our two graduating youth, Logan Olson and Joy Anderson.   And, very helpfully for me, the Holy Spirit stayed on theme to make the preaching task easier, by filling our readings with banquets and meals. 

   The whole Bible is filled with eating, which makes sense, because God wants us to have life, and we humans have to eat to live.  This is especially encouraging to me, because I love to eat. 

   From Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, God’s Word speaks of eating: delicious, healthy fruit, hearty bread, rich meats, and many other edible blessings.  The people of Israel received their daily bread, come down from heaven, the Manna that appeared on the ground morning by morning, tasting of coriander and honey.  And Israel was headed to the Promised Land, which flowed with milk and honey.  There the Israelites reaped grain they did not plant, and harvested grapes from vines they never tended. 

   Comestible blessings can also be abused, and sadly they were abused, and still are.  From the first bite of the apple, (or whatever type the forbidden fruit was), to meat sacrificed to idols, against which Paul warns, to the overeating that nearly defines our culture today.  The Spirit in the Proverbs warns against gluttony, and against eating stolen delicacies in secret, which is really a warning against all kinds of sinful appetites.   

   Along with bread from heaven, hungry Israel received quails in the wilderness, which settled over the camp, ready to be taken and eaten.  But their meat rotted in the teeth of the grumblers who did not trust that the Lord God to provide, a grotesque banquet that calls sinners to repentance.   

   Worship and eating have been connected, at least from the time of Noah, when, after the flood, the LORD gave permission for the eight surviving people to eat meat, and they rejoiced and thanked God.  I assume they marked the occasion with a barbeque. 

   Portions of certain foods offered in sacrifice at the Tabernacle and Temple went to feed the Priests and Levites, some of it was burned as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, and some of it was returned to the family making the offering, for them to eat in joy and peace.  Banquets and feasts, everywhere we turn.      

   Eating and religion continue to go together.  The Black Hills circuit of LCMS churches held an Elder Workshop at Peace Lutheran in Rapid yesterday, and it was well attended, by 46 lay leaders and pastors.  Now, to be totally honest, I’m pretty sure the attendance was driven by the promise of brisket and pulled pork for lunch.  Still, gathered by the meats, we got to know one another and wrestled with God’s Word a bit.  Praise the LORD! 

   There are many meals and feasts and banquets in God’s Word and in the history of His Church.  Or, are there only two? 

   Proverbs chapter nine seems to point to just two banquets, two that matter eternally, at least.  How did you find this poetic proclamation?  Jesus’ straightforward declarations are much easier to grasp, such as “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life,” (John 5:24).  But even if it is hard for us to comprehend, King Solomon in Proverbs is proclaiming Christian Doctrine as much as St. John or the Apostle Paul, because the same Holy Spirit is behind all their words.  So, we do well to dig in a bit to this poetic doctrine. 

   Lady Wisdom prepares her table, in a divine hall of seven pillars, each place setting filled with the richest meat.  And, of course, she offers bread and her special mixed wine.  I wonder what that foreshadows? 

   Importantly, Wisdom does not stop with a feast, but also has a Word for her guests, calling the simple to walk in the way of insight, the way of life.  Her meal is not just about sensory pleasure and full bellies; it is tied to God’s Truth, to right and wrong, and holiness.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.  This is what Wisdom offers, in her words, and at her table. 

   Wisdom’s table offers truth and life, even life with God.  But wherever the Holy Spirit builds a Church, right next door the Devil throws up a cheap chapel, an imitation holy place, seeking to deceive and draw away the faithful.  Such is Dame Folly’s banquet.  Note that she uses the same call as Wisdom: “Let the simple come in here!”  But Folly appeals to the basest desires, seduction and thievery and secret pleasures.  Folly’s banquet is no festival of life.  She hides her dead from the new recruits, who will dine to their own demise, as they join her earlier guests in Sheol, that is, in Hell, cut off from the LORD and His Wisdom, forever.  

   What is Solomon teaching?  There are just two options.  There is Wisdom’s joyful feast, which leads to righteousness and life, eternal life.  Or there is Folly’s forbidden food that rots in your mouth and pulls you down into darkness that never ends.

   Is this poetical proclamation of doctrine clear for you?  If not, you are not alone.  But, as is so often the case with the hardest Biblical questions, the Sunday School answer is the right answer: Jesus.  That is, Wisdom represents Jesus Christ.  And Folly is Satan’s minion.  In case you are wondering about Wisdom being a woman, but Jesus being God’s Son, who took on human flesh as a man, this is because of Hebrew grammar.  Most languages give gender to nouns, male or female or neuter.  Wisdom personified is portrayed as a woman because in Hebrew the word for wisdom is a feminine word.  And so, we do well to remember that Proverbs is poetry, not history.  Proverbs is still God’s true Word, but the literary form is poetic and symbolical, which can challenge us.  But that’s good. 

   Scripture interprets Scripture, and the rest of God’s Word makes it clear that Wisdom personified is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.  Wisdom, like God’s Son, was working with God the Father at the Creation, (see Proverbs 8:12-31).  Wisdom knows and expresses the mind of God, just like Jesus does.  (see John 8:28, 12:49, 14:10)  And Paul declares in 1 Corinthians, ‘Christ Jesus has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.’  (1 Corinthians 1:30)

   John’s Gospel starts this way:  In the beginning was the Word.  ‘Word’ in Greek the ‘Logos,’ and the Logos was with God.  This ‘Logos’ also is God.  And, this Logos, this Word, became flesh. (see John 1)  Now, ‘Logos’ means a bit more than simply ‘word.’  Logos is the reason, the logic, the force behind the way everything in the Creation hangs together and functions. 

   Which is to say, Logos is a lot like Wisdom.  Jesus is the Logos, the Wisdom of God, the true and eternal Son, who was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary. 

   Just as Wisdom’s banquet leads to life in Proverbs 9, so also Jesus declares “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6)  Proverbs chapter 9 says the same thing as John 14, only through poetic language, using the image of banquets, instead of a journey. 

   So, are there many banquets, or just two?  Maybe the best way to wrap our minds around this is to understand that there is only one heavenly banquet, and as God’s people, we are to consider earthly meals, religious or not, through this lens.  We should choose to either participate or abstain from whatever other banquets we encounter with the truth and promise of God’s heavenly banquet in mind.  For, like the parable Jesus told us this morning, you are invited to the Master’s feast.  In fact, as non-Israelite, 21^st Century Christians, we are clearly among the unworthy guests that the servants of the master found on the byways and highways, and compelled to come into the banquet. 

   And yet, the same warning Jesus was making in the original moment to the Jews who were rejecting His invitation also applies to us.  It is frightening to consider, but the sinner in each of us is still more than capable of despising God’s banquet and prioritizing other things.  Our newly purchased oxen, or even just a new lawn tractor.  Our honeymoon with our new wife, or simply relaxing at home.  So many good things can tempt us to despise God’s banquet.  To relate back to Proverbs, whatever earthly goods tempt us to neglect God’s gracious, wonderful banquet are simply modern versions of the woman of Folly, calling men to come to her table, so she can eat them alive. 

   There is a neat moral choice taught by both our readings this morning.  Be wise, and value God’s true banquet over everything else, or face destruction.  This is a true word.  But it is not yet good news for us hungry sinners, because of the sad fact that we daily choose banquets of folly.  We need to hear the truth about the two banquets, and God is right and just to expect us to come to His Table with thanksgiving.  But we struggle to actually do this, consistently.  Distraction and busy-ness are two great threats to Christians today.  The good that we know and want to do, this we find we cannot do, again and again.  The evil banquet that we do not want to indulge, there we find ourselves seated, far too often.  

   We cannot and do not choose wisdom over folly, not consistently, certainly not perfectly, as God requires.  We are always in danger of stepping into one of Folly’s traps, because sin still stains all that we think, say and do.  We cannot do what it takes, and so on our own we are bound for Folly, and far worse.  And yet, God, who is love, does not give up on His plan to fill His heaven with people, despite our sinfulness.  And so, there is another banquet: the banquet of the Cross. 

   Jesus is Wisdom Incarnate, the Son of God made man, to fulfill God’s desire that perfect faith, wisdom, prudence and love be found in humanity.  Jesus always chose wisely, and He always served selflessly, as God requires.  Jesus never failed, and He kept that perfect record in our stead.  For us.  The perfect life of wisdom and love fulfilled by Jesus Christ is credited to you, and to all who believe in Christ.  All His good works, all God’s commandments that He kept, were for you.  His perfect fulfillment of God’s call to love is credited to all who believe in who Christ Jesus is and what He has done. 

   And then, after living the life of perfect wisdom, Jesus ate one last meal, of sorrow and woe.  The night before, He had transformed the Passover of Israel into His own miraculous Supper.  Then on Friday, Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath against all the sin of mankind.  He buried the sins of the whole world, swallowing them into His own body, nailing them and their accusation against us to the tree of His Cross.  I thirst, He groaned, as He hungered and thirsted to win righteousness for us. 

   Jesus’ glorious resurrection from the dead on the Third Day reveals the good news that forgiveness, redemption, freedom, rescue and new life are now freely fed to all who look to Christ crucified with eyes of faith.  And the banquet of the Cross goes on.  Transformed by Jesus’ death and resurrection into a victory feast, the fruit of the Cross is served up to the faithful, whenever they gather around Christ’s Word and His Holy Supper.  Invisible to physical eyes, faith sees the bread and wine, hears the Word of Jesus, and trusts that what we eat and drink here is His true Body and Blood, giving forgiveness and strength for today, and being our entrance ticket into the heavenly banquet to come, which never ends. 

   This glorious banquet of Christ is hidden under humble things, because God calls us to live by faith, not by sight.  We are still drawn toward flashy things, and forbidden delicacies, to things that seem exciting to our fallen nature.  But the true food of forgiveness is served here, in, with and under the bread and wine.  This little banquet is truly the holiest thing on earth, which God in His wisdom leaves looking so simple. 

   As you eat this bread and drink this cup, you make a common proclamation of the Wisdom of God, poured out in the Blood of Jesus.  Here sinners come into direct contact with the Holy, Holy, Holy Lord.  Only a true, repentant faith in Christ, in His identity, in His work, and in His true presence, only such faith can prepare us sinners to receive this mystery safely.  

   These hidden realities are why we practice closed communion, only giving the Supper to baptized souls from whom we have heard the good confession of the faith.  We, like God, want everyone to receive the Body and Blood of Christ for their forgiveness and eternal benefit.  But, while the Spirit knows the hearts of all, we can only teach the faith, and then hear people profess their faith.  We call this public confession ‘confirmation.’  At Our Redeemer, we have been blessed over the last three Sundays to witness five souls make this good confession.  God be praised! 

   To keep the teaching of Christ clear, out of concern for the well-being of our guests, and in reverence and faith toward the real presence of Christ, we humbly ask guests to honor our practice.  To all who are not yet part of our fellowship, we invite a conversation, a shared investigation into the Wisdom of Christ, a study of God’s Word, which the Spirit uses to make us wise unto salvation, and to bind us together in the One Body of Christ, which is His Church.  

    The Master’s guests come to His banquet humbly, confessing our sins, seeking grace and strength.  The invited also come rejoicing, knowing that this humble banquet delivers forgiveness to our mouths, the Gospel that we eat and drink, a foretaste of the feast to come, where with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven we will forever  laud and magnify our wise and gracious God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.