“Think…Thank” Deuteronomy 8.1-10 Thanksgiving Day Sermon, Nov. ’25

 

1.                Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The message from God’s for us today as we prepare to observe the National Day of Thanksgiving is taken from Deuteronomy 8:1-10.  It’s entitled, “Think, Thank,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                In the cathedral in Cambridge, England, the cushion of a kneeler has embroidered on it two words: “Think…Thank.” The two words are said to originate from the same root word, which comes as no surprise. It’s just what we do. When something causes us stop to think, we also stop to thank, often in unlikely circumstances.  In 2025, both Wisconsin and the U.S. faced severe storms and flooding, yet moments of gratitude and heroism shone through. Central Texas saw devastating flash floods in July, but hundreds were rescued, including 165 by a heroic Coast Guard swimmer, while communities rallied to help one another. In Wisconsin, Milwaukee endured historic rainfall in August, displacing thousands, yet neighbors, churches, and volunteers provided shelter, meals, and support, and no lives were lost. Tornadoes in July touched parts of the state, causing damage but few injuries, prompting neighbors to help clear debris and rebuild. In the midst of catastrophe, people’s courage, compassion, and care revealed reasons to give thanks and reminders of God’s sustaining grace. It’s what we do, especially as Christians.  Maybe the greatest example of that kind of thanksgiving was Noah from the Old Testament book of Genesis.  After surviving the most horrific storm imaginable, Noah built an altar and gave thanks to God that he and his family were spared. He couldn’t help but “Think…Thank.”  Tragedy isn’t the only time we do this. A family gathering with turkey and all the trimmings can also serve as an opportunity to think about the wisdom of Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7). “Think…Thank.”

3.                Another example of Think…Thank, remembering and thanking God for the blessings God has given to us, is the story of Squanto and the First Thanksgiving observed here in America.  It’s a story of tragedy, but out of the tragedy something good took place.  It’s a reminder of Romans 8:28, “all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.”  Historians believe that around 1608, more than 10 years before the Pilgrims arrived, a group of English traders sailed to what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. When the trusting Wampanoag Indians came out to trade, the traders took them prisoner, transported them to Spain, and sold them into slavery. But God had an amazing plan for one of the Indians, a boy named Squanto.  Squanto was bought by a Spanish monk, who treated him well and taught him the Christian faith. Squanto eventually made his way to England and worked in the stables of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto's desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first ship bound for America.  It wasn't until 1619, 10 years after Squanto was first kidnapped, that a ship was found. Finally, after 10 years of exile, Squanto was on his way home.  But when he arrived in Massachusetts, more heartbreak awaited him. An epidemic had wiped out Squanto's entire village.

4.                We can only imagine what must have gone through Squanto's mind. Why had God allowed him to return home only to find his loved ones dead?  A year later, the answer came. A ship of English families arrived and settled on the land once occupied by Squanto's people. Squanto went to meet them, greeting the startled Pilgrims in English.  According to the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto "became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . He showed [us] how to plant [our] corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died."  When Squanto lay dying of fever, Bradford wrote that their Indian friend "desir[ed] the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen's God in heaven." Squanto gave his possessions to the Pilgrims "as remembrances of his love."  Who but God could convert a lonely Indian and then use him to save a struggling band of Englishmen? Squanto’s story is another example of, “Think…Thank,” seeing God’s providing care in our lives as his people.

5.                A final example of Think…Thank is in our Old Testament lesson today from Deuteronomy 8:1-10.  Here Moses says, “¹“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. ²And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. ³And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ⁴Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. ⁵Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. ⁶So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ⁷For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, ⁸a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, ⁹a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

6.                Think…Thank.  Moses calls the Israelites to remember the Lord their God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Remember that it was He who called His servant Abram out of the land of the Chaldeans to be the father of a great nation.  Remember that the Lord has been faithful in the covenant He swore to their fathers.  Remember that He has been faithful to them.  Remember that it was He who led them for 40 years, testing and trying, so that the Israelites might be prepared to live by the words that come from the mouth of the Lord.  Remember and don’t forget, for God is ready to lead them into their promised land.  Think…Thank.

7.                The danger of the land the Israelites were going to possess wasn’t that of hunger and want. Instead, it’s the danger of plenty and abundance. When bellies are full and dwellings are secure, when flocks are numerous and wealth is multiplied, then people forget.  They forget the One who delivered them and deposited them in this Promised Land.  They forget dire needs and gnawing hungers.  They forget the bread of heaven and the waters of life.  They forget the hand of the Lord and they claim responsibility for all the good that has been given to them.  They forget to Think…Thank.

8.                How soon then do we forget the nourishing and nurturing hand of the Lord?  When we’re crying out from the depths of our despair, when we have slipped into the pit of misery and want, then we seek the Lord.  But, when the night of mourning is past, when the day dawns with relief from pain—relief sent from the Lord—we soon forget the saving and sustaining hand of the Lord.  This is a great danger and a sad reality. 

9.                Return to the Lord, “and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2).  Think…Thank.  Remember that it’s He who has redeemed your life from the pit with the blood of His lamb, Jesus.  It’s He who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy (Psalm 103:4).  Even in our unfaithfulness, remember the God is always faithful.  Though He disciplines us, He won’t keep His anger against us.  Remember that He who made known His ways to Moses and His acts to the people of Israel is the Lord who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 103:8).  Remember and don’t forget.  Think…Thank.

10.             When the temptation that accompanies bounty and blessing knocks at your door, don’t forget that all good things come from the Lord.  When all is right with the world and worries and cares have fallen from memory, don’t fall prey to thoughts of self-reliance, and self-sufficiency.  When concerns and anxiety have fled, don’t forget: remember that it’s Jesus who has saved us from sin, death, and the power of the devil and not ourselves.  It’s the Lord who opens His hand to us and provides us with all our needs.  On this Thanksgiving, remember and don’t forget.  Think…Thank.  Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.

 

 

“The Advent Call- Wake Up!” Romans 13.11-14 Advent 1A Dec. ‘25

 

1.       Please pray with me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer.  Amen.  Happy Advent to you all!  During the Advent season, we as the church prepare for the coming of Christ. Even as we make ready for the baby to be born in Bethlehem, the epistle reading from Romans 13, this first Sunday of Advent, takes us beyond the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to a new moment of expectancy as the Day of Christ approaches and the rule of God is made fully manifest.  Here in Romans 13 the Apostle Paul reminds us that 1). The night is nearly over 2). The day is almost here, 3). So we as Christians are preparing ourselves accordingly.  The message is entitled, “The Advent Call—Wake Up!” Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.      Because Advent proclaims that Christ is here, we as Christians are called to wake up.   Jesus is here to see whatever it is we’re wearing.  None of us could endorse the theology of the song, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” There’s that terrible sense of works-righteousness—“He knows if you’ve been bad or good, So be good for goodness sakes! Oh, you better watch out!”  Who could possibly have their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds?  We can’t save ourselves by our own works the Bible tells us in Ephesians 2.  But, especially troubling is the image of Santa seeing you when you’re sleeping, knowing when you’re awake. Scary! Do we forget that the one who really came at Christmas does see everything we do, does know everything we think?   We wouldn’t want Jesus to see us clothed in some of the rags of sin we wear.  Romans 13:11-14 says, “¹¹Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹²The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

3.      It’s no wonder that most people lie in spiritual darkness because they remain in their sins and seek their heaven on earth.   Unfortunately, this applies not only to unbelievers, but also to many baptized Christians.  They don’t understand how frightful sin is.  That the life of a baptized Christian is a life lived of repentance, daily confessing our sins before God and receiving from Jesus, forgiveness.  The Bible tells us that each sin, no matter how small earns hell and eternal damnation.  They also don’t know how blessed are those who cling to God alone, possess His grace, and stand in communion with Him.  Few of those who are surrounded by the dark night are ashamed, even if they wear the most wretched clothes, the clothes of repeated sinfulness.

4.      It’s different for us Christians in how we live.  We live as the people who are awake to the sinful world around us.  Of us Christians it is said, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand.”  In the heart of such a Christian, the natural darkness is fading and the day of the knowledge of salvation has dawned.  Jesus Himself has risen in our hearts as the bright morning star.  We as Christians know what sin is.  When we were converted to Christ, we recognized that sin is a horrible offense to God.  You experienced the torment of conscience on account of your sin and you understood that sin separated you from God, stirring up his wrath.  No man can atone for his own sins, and for that reason God’s Son had to die on the cross.

5.      We as Christians have also learned that the whole world, with all its glory, can’t make anyone happy, can’t provide peace and rest, and can’t comfort in a time of trouble.  God alone, with His grace and His Son’s body and blood given and shed for the forgiveness of our sins, is the highest good of man.  Isn’t this an urgent reason for us Christians to awaken from the sleep of sin and to walk in a new life?  Yes!  Just as a man can’t remain in his bedclothes when the night is over, we as Christians, in our hearts where the light of Christ has dawned, can’t continue to wear the night clothes of sin.  We must instead strive to live in our baptisms and live the holy and God pleasing life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

6.      Take to heart the phrases that St. Paul uses here in Romans 13, “The night is gone; the day is at hand”; “the darkness, the light”; “clothe yourself with the armor, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.” The imagery here is rich with the themes of Advent. Light and dark strike home this time of year as the days grow darker and it appears as if the sun is about to die. Ancient pagans, that is non-Christians, used to celebrate the death of the light and its dawn at the winter solstice through feasting and drunkenness. Christians certainly were tempted to join the festivities with its orgies and drunkenness. Darkness knows no boundaries or points of reference in reality, and so we stumble around, intoxicated, not knowing where we are going because we can’t see. We give in to the desires of the sinful flesh because we think that in the darkness no one can see our sins. So adultery and sex outside of marriage abounds, and our unfaithfulness breeds quarreling and jealousy. Chaos ensues.  Who can deny that the goddess of sex has taken over the entertainment world of today? The homage which is paid to her has had a corrupting influence on morality in our society. It also constitutes a real danger for us who are Christians.  Today there are those in the church who want to say that same sex marriage is ok, that living together before marriage is fine, that it’s ok to divorce your spouse for no reason, simply because you’ve grown tired of him or her.  But, all of these things are condemned in Scripture.  The works of darkness throw us into a frenzy. No laws, everything goes. Lawlessness rules.  Advent, is the time to clothe ourselves with Christ,

7.   “Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding! ‘Christ is near,’ we hear it say. ‘Cast away the works of darkness, All you children of the day!’ ” (LW 18:1).  So many things we “wear” are things we do as if cloaked in darkness, things we’d never want anyone to see, certainly not Christ.  Do we use his name “Jesus Christ!” as if he really weren’t right here in the room to answer, to include in the conversation?  Do we act in the backseat of a car on dates in a way we wouldn’t if Jesus were in the front seat?  Do we go behind a friend’s back with gossip or undercut him at work as we never would if Jesus were back there watching?  Our coming Savior does see all our works as in broad daylight.  Paul knows we don’t wish to be seen that way.

8.        Jesus has invaded our darkness and shines a light in our dark world and exposes our hidden sins. In the light we see the ugliness of our chaos. Like those who come to John the Baptist for repentance we ask: “But what are we to do?” Paul makes it simple: Throw off those old clothes of darkness and put on the armor of light. That’s why Christians celebrate Christmas at the very moment when the pagans were sunk in the depths of their depravity. We as Christians proclaim to the world: “Let us celebrate the dawn of Jesus Christ, the true light of the world, born in Bethlehem.” And so we put on the Lord Jesus Christ and become what he intended us to be—children of the light.

9.      During this Advent season we want to wear the day clothes of Jesus because we want him to see us as he is.  We desire to behave decently as in the day.  To honor Christ in word and deed, to drink deeply of his Spirit in the Holy Scriptures and at his Table.  To honor him with our bodies and take him wherever we go.  To walk in peace with all those around us, as he himself is holding our hands.  Christ is all of this . . . perfectly.  The Holy One of God, the name that is above every name, the Word that was always loving.  The Holy One who laid down his body, gave his blood to be shed, for our eternal good, never for his own pleasure.  The Prince of Peace who reconciled God to man and man to each other by his sacrifice on the cross.  That’s what it looks like being clothed with Christ.

10.  Now, Advent, is the time to clothe ourselves with Christ, to wake up and put on our day clothes.  Because Advent proclaims that Christ is in you (v 14).  In Galatians, Paul reminds us that “all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (3:27).  That has happened; it’s a done deal.  Everything that Jesus accomplished by his first coming, his perfect life, sacrificial death, glorious resurrection, has been given to you in your Baptism.  You are clothed with Christ by your Baptism.  You are righteous, beautifully dressed for the eternal celebration.  You are people of light performing deeds of light.  By your Baptism, Christ is in you—and he is seen in you.  Paul’s Advent wake-up call, then, is simply to live as the people we are, to walk where we are destined to go.

11.  Dear friends in Christ this is the Advent Call to Wake Up, Jesus is near to us! He is here with us because we are clothed with him and you sit at his Holy Table. The light of Christ has dawned! Listen to that thrilling voice, calling you to wake up, cast off the works of darkness, and clothe yourselves with light.  Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting. Amen.

 

“The King on the Cross” Luke 23.27–43, Last Sunday,YearC, Nov. ’25

 

1.         Please pray with me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts, be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer.  We’ve come to the end of another year. No, not by the secular calendar.  But, the church has its own calendar, sometimes called the Church year. Today is the last Sunday on the church’s calendar, and we end it on a high note, focusing on the center of the Christian calendar, Jesus Christ, and seeing him as our King.  The Gospel reading today from Luke 23 shows us Jesus the King bringing his mission to completion on the cross. Then, in the Epistle from Colossians 1, Paul speaks of our King as the firstborn from the dead, God himself, the head of the body, the church, who transfers us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.  The message today is take from Luke 23:35-43 and is entitled, “The King on the Cross,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.         As a tour guide took a group through an art gallery in London, he stopped before a painting entitled, Checkmate. The guide talked about the painting, the style and texture, and then moved on. But one of the group stayed behind, staring at the chess pieces on the chessboard in the painting. The chess game was between the devil and Dr. Faust, who had sold his soul to the devil. It appears as if the devil has won. Faust has only the king, the queen, and one weak pawn left. The devil has a smirk on his face, as if waiting for the final verdict, Checkmate! The young man who stayed to study the painting was a chess champion from Russia. When the tour group was two corridors away, they suddenly heard their stray member running down the marble hallway to catch up, shouting, “It’s a lie! It’s a lie! The king has another move. Another move!”  Jesus, the King on the Cross, who dies for the forgiveness of our sins, always has another move.

3.         The Epistle from Colossians today opens with a war scene, a battle between the king of darkness, the devil, and the King of light, Christ. That was why Christ came, to do battle with the king of darkness, to destroy his power over us. In the Gospel, we see that battle coming to a climax. It looks as though the devil has won.  Members of the kingdom of darkness mock the King of light. Look at the language Luke uses here in chapter 23. “The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. . . . ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the (anointed King, the) Christ of God, the Chosen One’” (v 35). The soldiers gave him wine vinegar and mocked him, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself” (vv 36–37). One of the criminals joined these rebels of darkness, hurled insults at him, and said, “Aren’t you the Christ (the King)? Save yourself and us!” (v 39).

4.         Above Jesus’ head they nailed Pilate’s sarcastic statement, “This is the King of the Jews” (v 38). And he really was the King. Paul calls him in Colossians 1 the, “image of the invisible God,” (v 15) the creator of all things, who holds the world together (v 16). Then why didn’t he save himself? Why didn’t he show the people of the rebel kingdom that he was really the King of kings?  What were Jesus’ last thoughts before he died? They were not thoughts about himself, they were not thoughts for relief of his pain. They were thoughts of others—those around the cross like his mother, even those who crucified him, and they were thoughts about you and me.

5.         Jesus’ concern was to finish his mission, to destroy the power of the devil, so that God and man could be reconciled. As Paul says in the closing verses of Colossians 1, Jesus has reconciled us, “by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (v 20). It looked like defeat. But the king had another move. He moved three days later, Easter morning, rising from the dead as the victory in the struggle with sin, death, and hell, so that you and I are assured of forgiveness and peace, new life, and eternal salvation.

6.         In another month, we’ll be engaged in some fashion in the routine of looking back over the year of 2025, rehearsing our blessings and regretting our failures and tragedies, and then looking ahead to make resolutions and build dreams for 2026. We can engage in a similar practice at the end of the church year. We can look at our spiritual life. How is our relationship to the Lord? Are we growing in grace and knowledge, in the fear and love of the Lord? Are we handling the problems and challenges of life with faith and trust? Is our witness warm and consistent?

7.         We can look at the life of our church—our own congregation. What is our relationship to the other members? Are we using our gifts to help fulfill our mission together? As we look at our own lives and at our congregation, we may see some things that are discouraging and frustrating. We may be tempted to give into defeat. But, Jesus our King on the Cross always has another move.

8.         As we move into the unknown new year, the King says, “Whatever your circumstance, I have a move that will surprise you. Trust me, trust me.” The King has another move. He moved in the past to give us peace. He moves with us now into a new year—and he will move in the future to bring us to a blessed end.

9.         Some of the readings assigned to the last Sundays of the church year focus on the return of the King at the end of world. We’re familiar with some of these Gospel stories: the wise and foolish virgins, the King on the judgment throne with all people divided like sheep and goats, and the listing of the signs to remind us of the return of the King.

10.       The more one studies these signs, the more one becomes convinced that the end is surely coming and that it must be close. Martin Luther felt that way. He said: “It is my firm belief that the angels are getting ready, putting on their armor and girding their swords about them, for the last day is already breaking.” Another time he said: “As things are beginning to go, the last day is at the door, and I believe the world will not endure a hundred years” (Mark Galli, “In Praise of Foolish Lovers” Christianity Today, November 19, 1990, p 35).

11.        That was 500 years ago. Would we be able to say the same things today? No one, of course, knows the exact day and hour that the world will end. Jesus said not even he, as the God-man, knew when the end would come, but only the Father. But, Luther’s words can help us learn again what Jesus emphasized, and what all. Scripture teaches—that since we don’t know the exact day and time, we need to be, ready for his coming each day. We should live as if Christ, the, King, were coming today, as if today were the end of the world.

12.       That day came for the other criminal hanging beside Jesus. He didn’t join the mocking, but rebuked his partner on the other side of Jesus. Then he said in Luke 23, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’” (v 42). Jesus responded, I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (v 43). Paradise is a beautiful word Scripture uses three limes to depict heaven. It’s a Persian word that originally designated the walled, private, lavish garden where the Persian king would stroll with his closest friends.  The final move Jesus our King on the Cross will make is to bring us to a blessed end is to take us to his paradise, where we will walk with him in the garden forever.  Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.

 

 

“Your Redemption- Accomplished, Received, & Completed” Luke 21.5-28 Pent 23C, Nov. ‘25

 

1.                Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The message from God’s Word on this 23^rd Sunday after Pentecost is taken from Luke 21:5-28, it’s entitled, “Your Redemption—Accomplished, Received & Completed,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                Have you ever listened to someone tell a story and, before they ever get to the point, they’ve described every detail—the color of the sky, what everyone was wearing, and how many sprinkles were on the donut? You find yourself thinking, Just get to the point! In a sense, Jesus’ words in Luke 21 can feel a bit like that. He paints a long, detailed picture of the end times—wars, earthquakes, persecutions, the fall of Jerusalem, the shaking of the heavens. It’s overwhelming. And yet, that’s exactly Jesus’ purpose—to wake us up.

3.                Because when we face the chaos of the world, the point isn’t to predict when the end will come or how it will unfold. The point is to cling to who is coming—our Redeemer. The details of the end are not as critical as the out-of-this-world importance of trusting in Jesus Christ, who promises to bring His people safely through. So whether the end of all things is soon or still far off, Jesus would have us know this: “Your redemption is near.”

4.                Dear friends in Christ fear not the foe—Christ has Redeemed you. In our Gospel from Luke 21, Jesus warns of a time when even the heavens will be shaken. People will faint from fear, their hearts will fail them as everything they know begins to crumble. That sounds terrifying—until we remember who speaks these words. This isn’t a threat from a distant God. This is a promise from the One who loves us enough to die for us. The same Jesus who spoke these words also said, “Do not be afraid.”

5.                When Jesus says, “Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near,” He’s describing the opposite of fear. When the unbelieving world bows low in terror, the believer stands tall in confidence—not because of strength, but because of faith. We can raise our heads knowing that our Savior has already won. For on the cross, He paid the price to buy us back from sin and death. That’s what “redeem” means: to buy back what was lost. We were lost in sin, enslaved to our selfishness and our fears. But Christ purchased us—not with silver or gold, but with His holy, precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. And when Jesus rose from the grave, He sealed that redemption once and for all. So now, whenever we see chaos around us, we can say with confidence, “The Lord is near!”

6.                Three redemptions—one Redeemer. If we think about it, Scripture speaks of redemption in three ways. First, there’s the redemption accomplished—when Jesus died and rose again for the sins of the world. That’s the event in history when the price was paid. Second, there’s the redemption received—when the Holy Spirit brought you to faith, in the Sacrament of Holy  Baptism, when you first trusted in Christ as your Savior. And third, there’s the redemption completed—that day when your body and soul will be reunited, perfected, and raised to eternal life on the Last Day. So yes, your redemption is near—because whether that final day comes today or long after you’ve fallen asleep in Christ, your Redeemer is always near. He never leaves your side.

7.                A true story of standing tall. A few years ago, a film called The Firing Squad told the story of a man sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking. For years, he’d lived in sin and rebellion. But while in prison, he met Christians who showed him the peace and forgiveness of Jesus. And in those final weeks before his execution, he came to faith. On the day of his death, the guards expected fear and panic. Instead, they found him calm. He stood straight, head lifted high, singing hymns of praise as the shots rang out. His last words were, “Thank You, Jesus.” What changed? He met his Redeemer. His redemption was near—not in terror, but in triumph.

8.                That’s the same hope Christ gives you and me. No matter what trials we face—illness, persecution, uncertainty, even death—we can face them with our heads held high. Because we know who stands with us.

9.                Whether soon or far off—Jesus is always near. Dear friends, Jesus doesn’t tell us these things to make us anxious. He tells us so that we may not be afraid. He reminds us that even as heaven and earth pass away, His Word, His promise, His presence, will never pass away. Whether our time to meet Jesus is soon or still a long way off, He, as our Redeemer, is always near. Near in His Word, near in His Supper, near in His Church, near in the heart of every believer.

10.             And when that great day finally comes, we will do just what Jesus said: we’ll stand tall, lift our heads, and see our Savior coming with power and great glory—coming not to condemn, but to welcome His people home. Until then, we live in confident hope, echoing the words of the psalmist: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!” (Psalm 98:4) Because for those redeemed by Christ, the end of the world isn’t something to fear—it’s something to sing about. It’s the beginning of forever with Jesus. So lift up your heads, little flock. Your redemption is near. Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.

 

“Traditions of Love” 2 Thess. 2.1-17 Pent. 22C Nov. ‘25

 

“Traditions of Love” 2 Thess. 2.1-17 Pent. 22C Nov. ‘25

1.                Please pray with me. May the words of my mouth and the mediation of our hearts, be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer. Amen. The message from God’s Word today on this 22^nd Sunday after Pentecost is taken from 2 Thess. 1.1-8, 13-17, and is entitled, “Traditions of Love,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                 If you’ve ever seen Fiddler on the Roof, you’ll remember the opening scene—Tevye, standing proudly yet precariously on that thatched rooftop, balancing himself while a fiddler plays a haunting tune. I don’t know about you, but just standing on a chair to change a lightbulb feels risky enough—imagine doing it on a roof while holding a violin! Tevye explains that life in his little village of Anatevka is as uncertain and risky as a fiddler on the roof. What keeps them steady, he says, is one word—Tradition! Tradition gives rhythm to life—birth, marriage, death—and holds a community together. But as Tevye admits, it’s precarious. One wrong step, one broken string, and the balance is lost.

3.                And that’s true for us too, isn’t it? Our families, our churches, our faith all rely on what’s handed down—on what we might call “holy habits.” And yet, like the fiddler’s tune, those traditions are fragile. They can be lost in a single generation if they are not cherished and shared. It’s like trying to keep a stack of pancakes from toppling, or balancing a laundry basket on your head while carrying a toddler—one wrong move and it’s chaos!

4.                In our Epistle reading today, St. Paul sounds a little like Tevye. He says to the Christians in Thessalonica: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thess. 2:15) Paul knows that the Christian life is precarious. The Thessalonian believers were being shaken by false teachers who claimed that the “Day of the Lord” had already come. They were anxious, uncertain, maybe even fearful. Paul steadies them with what he had passed down—the Word of Christ crucified and risen, the truth of God’s saving love.

5.                God encourages us not to leave our traditions. Paul reminds the Thessalonians—and us—that the apostolic tradition is not something we can outgrow or move past. “Stand firm,” he says, “and hold fast.” There’s a temptation in every generation to think we’ve advanced beyond the old ways—to believe we can modernize the message, loosen the doctrines, streamline the liturgy, and still keep the faith intact. But when we set aside the traditions of Christ’s Word, we lose our footing. Next thing you know, someone suggests worship via TikTok dances… I’m not sure Moses had that in mind!

6.                Our Lutheran forefathers understood that. The Augsburg Confession begins with the words, “Our churches teach…”—not “Our churches invent,” or “Our churches innovate,” but teach what we have received. Traditions that come from the apostles are not chains that bind us—they are roots that hold us firm when the winds of culture blow. They are how the Church remembers who she is and whose she is.

7.                God encourages us not to love our traditions more than Him. But there’s another danger: loving the tradition itself more than the Lord who gave it. Isaiah warned God’s people that they were still keeping the feasts, burning incense, and offering sacrifices—but their hearts were far from Him. Jesus said the same to the Pharisees: “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:8)

8.                There’s the tightrope again—the fiddler’s peril. It’s one thing to treasure tradition as a means of grace and order; it’s another to worship the tradition itself. Maybe you’ve seen it happen in a church—where the question “Why do we do it this way?” is met not with “Because it points us to Christ,” but “Because we’ve always done it this way.” Tradition without love becomes performance. It’s possible to sing the hymns, recite the liturgy, even sit through a sermon, and forget the One who’s speaking through it all.

9.                God encourages us to practice traditions of His love. So, what does Paul commend to us? Not the abandonment of tradition, not the idolizing of it—but the practice of traditions rooted in God’s love. Listen to how Paul frames it: “God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth… so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (vv. 13–14)

10.             That’s the heartbeat of all true Christian tradition—God’s saving action in Christ. His love handed down, generation after generation, through the Word and Sacraments, through parents teaching children, through the Church gathered around font, pulpit, and altar. That’s why we light candles, sing hymns, confess creeds, kneel in prayer, and hear the Scriptures read aloud. Each of these is a small echo of the great symphony of grace that began when Christ rose from the grave.

11.             Traditions like these are not empty rituals; they’re reminders of God’s living presence. They weave His love into the rhythm of our days. Bud lost his wife two years ago —maybe you know someone like him. After his wife passed away, he felt like half of him was gone. But every afternoon, he started sitting in her favorite chair with one of her devotional books and a cup of coffee. It became his quiet time with the Lord. He never set out to start a “tradition,” but that small act became one—a daily practice of love, remembrance, and faith.

12.             That’s what Paul means. Christian traditions are not about clinging to the past for comfort—they are about letting the love of Christ fill our present and shape our future. So today, dear friends in Christ, God encourages us: Not to leave our traditions, for they ground us in the truth. Not to love our traditions more than God, for they are only means to His grace. But to practice traditions of His love—traditions that reflect His mercy, His forgiveness, His life-giving Word.

13.             Like the fiddler on the roof, we balance precariously in this world. But, the song that keeps us steady is the melody of Christ’s love—a song passed down through Word and Sacrament, through the communion of saints, through every generation until the day we join the heavenly chorus. And on that day, the fiddler’s tune will no longer be precarious. It will be perfect harmony—when all God’s people, of every time and tradition, sing together: “From God can nothing move me!” “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Until then, stand firm. Hold fast. Practice traditions of His love. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.