The Jews did not understand when Jesus said that the truth would set them free, for they said, "We have never been in bondage to anyone." How little they knew their own history. Did they not know of the severe servitude of their fathers in the land of Egypt under harsh taskmasters, until Moses delivered them? Had they forgotten the Babylonian Captivity of 70 years until allowed to return home under King Cyrus? And these things happened for their, and our, learning. For they betoken the more severe and serious bondage wall have under sin. Have we forgotten? We were born children of Adam, and thus by nature sinful. But to know Jesus is to be freed from this bondage, for he declared that he always did those things that please his Father. Since this is so, therefore when he was lifted up on the cross, it was for us, for our redemption and salvation. And we in him gain righteousness: now it may be said of us, in spite of what we are by nature, that we always please the Father. This is the gift of being clothed in Christ's righteousness. And so in him we gain eternal freedom and life. Sermon for Midweek of Cantate.

God works out all things for the good of his people. All things: whether pain or loss or plague or sickness or even death. Even the death of Jesus; especially the death of Jesus, for it was the necessary thing for our reconciliation and salvation. So Jesus commits himself into his Father's hands and gave up the ghost, or rather, gave out the Spirit, as it says in this evangelist's passion account. And so also, he rose from the dead, and then went away in his ascension; but then, he sent the spirit to his apostles, and from then, through them to thousands of preachers throughout the world. See what a good thing it was! And so also, he works out all things for our good. Sermon for Cantate Sunday.

Philip is chided because his knowledge of Jesus is still deficient. And our knowledge of him is also deficient; it is always deficient until we know him as we are known in the Great Day of the Lord. For we still have sin; thus we must make it our life's effort to press on, to learn of him, to embrace our Savior and his embrace of us. Sermon for Midweek of Jubilate.

In Christ, sorrow is always followed by joy. This is because he has conquered death for us, and he went to the Father. Sermon for Jubilate, the Third Sunday after Easter.

All judgment has been given to the Son, because he gave his life into death and is risen from the grave (Alleluia!). Do you fear an earthly judge? How much more ought you fear the Judge of heaven and earth; yet the judgment of him upon his people is this: he that hears his word and believes on him that sent him has eternal life and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life. Sermon for Midweek of Misericordias Domini.

The risen Christ tells Peter to feed his sheep, and so he fulfills his own promise, "I will feed my sheep." In the sending forth of the apostles and  their called and ordained successors, Jesus continues his own work, his own shepherding.  This is the meaning embedded in his Great Commission: when he says "I am with you always," he means that he is with the apostolic messengers as the active one in their ministry to  the flock of God. The mystery of the Office of the Holy Ministry is this, that in it Christ is actively washing, comforting, and feeding his sheep. He thus tends his flock today, and in no other way. The 23rd Psalm is everyone's favorite, but it must be understood that the only way the Lord is my shepherd is through the ministry of his pastors. The entire Misericordias Domini Mass may be viewed on YouTube, here, and  the audio of the sermon is also available here.

The incredulity of Thomas was really no different from that of all the others. They needed proof; and the Thomas narrative demonstrates clearly that Thomas, with all of them, got the very proof  they needed. Our faith is rooted in established historical facts, and first of all of the resurrection of our Lord. This is why we believe every word of the Sacred Scriptures, and why we believe that as Christ is risen from the dead, even so all who trust in him shall likewise be raised. The entire Mass is available on YouTube, and you may also listen to the sermon here.

Jesus met the disciples on the Emmaus Road to fetch them, for they had gone astray. They were no longer hoping; they were despondent. So he came to them, revived  their faith, and restored them. Sermon for Easter Midweek, and here's also the entire Easter midweek Vespers service.

Which is better? The Word or the Sacrament? Dear flock, I wish to teach you this glad Easter morning why this question has an answer. I was once accused of the "heresy" of believing the Sacrament is better  than the Word; I will gladly own it. But the Word of God is a wonderful gift. It is, as the Psalmist declares, sweeter than honey to my mouth; it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The Word of God is a rock of refuge, a sure and certain promise from heaven, something over which to rejoice greatly, and so we do. But the Sacrament is better. For, as the ancients used to say, the Sacrament is the Visible Word. The Word makes the Sacrament what it is; without the Word there is no Sacrament, but with the Sacrament we get something tangible, an even greater thing. 

A similar question: which is better, the Easter Gospel in which the angel tells the women, Christ is not here! He is risen, even as he said, come see the place where he lay? Or the Easter Gospel in which Christ himself appears to the eleven in the upper room? The latter is the better; though certainly we rejoice on hearing the blessed Gospel, of the angel's message to the women, for we know the whole story. But those women who first witnessed the empty tomb did not. They were terrified; they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid, as it says. It was not until they met him on the way, until Mary Magdalene beheld Jesus in the garden and embraced his feet that they became overjoyed. And so too, the disciples did not believe the glad tidings, though they should have; and Jesus himself rebuked them for not believing it, and for their hardness of heart. But when he stood before  them and said, Peace be unto you! - then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. The Gospel of the empty tomb and the message of the angel is a marvelous thing, a reason to rejoice, certainly. But the Gospel of Jesus himself, inviting them to inspect him and see, that is a more marvelous thing.

Another similar question: which is better, this live streaming of the Sunday service and this hearing of the Gospel, or actually being here, to get it in person, and to receive Christ's true Body and Blood by mouth, and personally thus to receive your crucified and risen Savior? The answer is obvious.

Which is better? The Word is a wonderful and precious Gift from heaven. But the Sacrament is Christ, whom the Word proclaims.  Sermon for Easter Sunrise.

Why did the earth quake at the resurrection? This seems like a small detail. But let us ponder this word of God. The earth also quaked at the crucifixion. And why should it not? The Creator of the world here dies, and then rises from the dead. And his resurrection was not a mere resuscitation. When Jesus raised Lazarus, and Jairus' daughter, and the son of the widow of Nain, those were the bringing back to life of the dead too, but they were brought back to life still as mortals. They would yet die. There is even a place, some believe, where Lazarus' grave is and may be found. But the resurrection of Jesus is different. Those miracles were but foretastes of this, which is a greater resurrection. For this is a change. And in his mortal body put on immortality, and his corruptible flesh put on incorruption. For he rose never again to die. And he is the first fruits of them that sleep. His bodily resurrection is just the beginning. We too, who are in him, shall likewise be raised from death. Behold, says John, I saw new heavens and a new earth. No wonder there was an earthquake. The earth is in the birth pangs of a woman, who in hard labor struggles and sorrows, but when the child is born she remembers it no more because a child is born into the world. No wonder there are earthquakes still, and hurricanes, and disasters, and pandemics sweeping around the globe. The earth is in birth pangs, and Christ is already risen from the dead, the first fruits. In him is resurrection, life, and salvation. Sermon for Easter Vigil.