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Numbers 21:4-9 1 Timothy 2:1-6 St. John 16:23-33 May 14, 2023 Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! May is the month for many graduations. Pomp and Circumstance is played as graduates walk. Achievements are listed from the previous year. Plans are announced for the coming years. Goodbyes are said between students and teachers. Some of those goodbyes even happen between friends. As you grow up and go to college or start your first job, you don’t interact with your old high school or college friends daily like you did while sitting in class together. It’s a somewhat painful, but honest, truth. I think somewhere in the back of everyone’s minds at graduation is this reality. That’s what makes graduations bittersweet. Whenever two people are saying goodbye, they often console one another. “Don’t worry, we’ll stay in touch. I’ll call you. We’ll see each other around.” These words of consolation give hope that there will be contact despite the separation. There is the that weekly phone calls, monthly coffee dates, and annual reunions will maintain the friendships of yesteryear. But only time will tell. Consolation is a good word to summarize our Gospel reading today. Jesus spoke these words the night before His crucifixion, on Maundy Thursday. Jesus knew that He was departing, so He spoke these words to the Eleven (cf. John 13:30). It’s like Jesus was saying, “We’re going to be separated. I’m going to the Father, and I won’t be walking around teaching and healing any longer. But don’t worry, we’ll stay in touch.” There are three ways that Jesus stays in touch. But unlike earthly friendships that too often drift apart, Jesus promised that He would be with us always (cf. Matthew 28:19-20). He always keeps His promise through His grace, by His Holy Spirit, and in prayer. First, Jesus consoles His disciples through His grace. Grace is what Jesus means by the phrase, “I am going to the Father” (John 16:28). But “grace” is a word that we can pass over quickly. We hear it without ever thinking about what it is. So, what is grace? Grace is not a thing that is stored up in some heavenly bucket for God to pour out on you. Grace isn’t something that we access when we need forgiveness. Grace refers to a disposition, an attitude, or a relationship. Grace defines the attitude of God the Father towards sinners specifically because of a sacrifice. If Jesus had not sacrificed Himself on the cross, or – to extend it to the Old Testament – if there had not been sacrifices at the Temple, then God would not be gracious. He is perfect, and holy, and sinless. It doesn’t matter how good you are by human standards. You’re still a sinner, and sin cannot be in the presence of what is holy. In our Wednesday morning Bible study, we spoke briefly about an event in 2 Samuel 6:1-7 (cf. 1 Chronicles 13:5-10). The Ark of the Covenant was being transported on a cart pulled by oxen. At one point, the oxen stumbled, and priest, named Uzzah, put out his hand to steady the Ark. But because Uzzah had not made a sacrifice, because of his sin, and despite all his best intentions, God struck him down. Now, Uzzah wanted a good thing. He wanted to make sure the Ark didn’t fall off the cart. His intentions were good. But because there had been no sacrifice, he died. What is the least bit unholy cannot survive in the presence of God’s holiness. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Without blood, there is no grace. Jesus shed His blood on the cross. He made the eternal sacrifice for sin. And you, you have been washed by His blood in baptism. You have washed your robe and made it white in the blood of the Lamb. You have received His blood through the Lord’s Supper. You have been brought into His sacrifice to be made holy. That’s why Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are necessary in a Christian’s life. Your best intentions don’t matter. Jesus’ sacrifice – that’s what matters. Jesus’ sacrifice is what’s given to you through the Sacraments. Grace is the first thing that unites Jesus with His disciples. Jesus told them “I am…going to the Father” (John 16:28). He was going for the purpose of showing the Father His sacrifice. There He is still today, mediating for you. Though you are sinful and unholy, Jesus has made you holy. Though Jesus is not here sitting in the pews today in a 6-foot-tall male body, He is here through the grace given in His Word and Sacraments. The second consolation is that Jesus gives the Holy Spirit. We heard more about the Spirit last week from earlier in John 16. We heard Jesus call the Spirit the Helper, but what exactly does the Spirit help us with? He helps us believe, pray, and remain Christian. Or, in the words of the Catechism, He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies us in the one, true Faith. Think about it this way. If Jesus had not died on the cross, then God would not be gracious towards us. If the Spirit had not been given, then we would not be able to speak to God boldly with all confidence. Or perhaps another way to think about it. Let’s say that I’m walking down the street one day, and a kid runs up to me and asks for $1000 with no questions asked, no context given. Would I give him the money? Probably not. I might give him something if he looks like he needs it, but $1000 is a bit bold for a complete stranger with no questions asked. But what if my own child asked for $1000? It’s still a bold request. There still will be questions asked. But in many ways, I expect my kids to make that request. I want them to ask me for that, not random strangers. In the grand scheme of things, $1000 isn’t all that much when it comes to raising kids. It’s a lot all at once, but spread over several years, it’s not. In fact, my wife and I give our children far more. A roof over their heads, food for their bellies, and on down the line. But why do we do this? It’s because they are our family. They share our name. That’s what it means to pray “in Jesus’ name.” That’s what the Holy Spirit does. He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies you so that you may ask your dear Father as His dear children, with all boldness and confidence. The Holy Spirit sanctifies you. That is, He makes you holy. And because you have been made holy, you are able to pray. But, this is specifically as a baptized child of God. Because you have been baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are able to speak plainly. You can ask God for all your needs. Think back to the example of the $1000. Anyone may make a bold request to our heavenly Father, but as His children, we know that He listens to us, that He wants us to ask Him and no one else, and that He provides far more than we can ever know. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. This is what it means to speak plainly to God. This is the second way that Jesus remains with us always. Finally, Jesus remains with us in prayer. He justifies us by His sacrifice. He sanctifies us by His Spirit. And this leads to our prayer. Last week, we spoke about singing. As Christians, we sing. Plain and simple. This week is related because our hymns are simply prayers set to music. So, join in the prayers of the church. Join in these beautiful, timeless, wonderful prayers, and sing. The greatest hymns, the greatest prayers are not based solely on what we want. We don’t pray out of our sinful hearts. That phrase from Jesus, “whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you” (John 16:23). that phrase is so tempting, isn’t it? As His children, we’re tempted to ask for that $1000 again and again, right? Or maybe a pony, right? But is that our greatest need, or just a selfish desire? The greatest prayers are not based on our sinful desires that are here today and gone tomorrow. The greatest prayers and the greatest hymns retell everything that God has done. Take our sermon hymn for example. “Jesus lives!” Therefore, everything else falls into place! The greatest prayers talk about what God has done and requests that God will continue to do those things. God has been merciful to the sick in the past, like Peter’s mother-in-law; therefore, we pray that He would keep on being merciful to our loved ones in their sicknesses. God has given faithful rulers in the past, like King David and Solomon; therefore, we pray He would continue to give us faithful rulers today. God has raised the dead from the grave, like Lazarus; therefore, we pray that He would still raise us from our graves on the Last Day. Do you understand this? Our supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings aren’t based on our sinful desires, but based on what we know God has done. Prayer isn’t listing off selfish desires. Prayer is based on what we confidently know about God. We know what God has done. We know that God will hear us as a dear Father listens to His dear children. After all, Jesus promised. Jesus promised His disciples and He promises you too. He has not left you alone. He has not forsaken you. He is with you always, even to the end of the age. Even though He doesn’t sit next to you in the pew, He consoles you through His grace, by His Spirit, and in prayer. Therefore, pray. Pray as a baptized child of God. Pray as a Christian who has been justified by Christ’s cross. God will hear you. He’s promised to do so, and He will certainly do it. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Pastor Schultz Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

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Numbers 21:4-9

1 Timothy 2:1-6
St. John 16:23-33

May 14, 2023

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

May is the month for many graduations. Pomp and Circumstance is played as graduates walk. Achievements are listed from the previous year. Plans are announced for the coming years. Goodbyes are said between students and teachers. Some of those goodbyes even happen between friends. As you grow up and go to college or start your first job, you don’t interact with your old high school or college friends daily like you did while sitting in class together. It’s a somewhat painful, but honest, truth. I think somewhere in the back of everyone’s minds at graduation is this reality. That’s what makes graduations bittersweet.

Whenever two people are saying goodbye, they often console one another. “Don’t worry, we’ll stay in touch. I’ll call you. We’ll see each other around.” These words of consolation give hope that there will be contact despite the separation. There is the that weekly phone calls, monthly coffee dates, and annual reunions will maintain the friendships of yesteryear. But only time will tell.

Consolation is a good word to summarize our Gospel reading today. Jesus spoke these words the night before His crucifixion, on Maundy Thursday. Jesus knew that He was departing, so He spoke these words to the Eleven (cf. John 13:30). It’s like Jesus was saying, “We’re going to be separated. I’m going to the Father, and I won’t be walking around teaching and healing any longer. But don’t worry, we’ll stay in touch.” There are three ways that Jesus stays in touch. But unlike earthly friendships that too often drift apart, Jesus promised that He would be with us always (cf. Matthew 28:19-20). He always keeps His promise through His grace, by His Holy Spirit, and in prayer.

First, Jesus consoles His disciples through His grace. Grace is what Jesus means by the phrase, “I am going to the Father” (John 16:28). But “grace” is a word that we can pass over quickly. We hear it without ever thinking about what it is. So, what is grace? Grace is not a thing that is stored up in some heavenly bucket for God to pour out on you. Grace isn’t something that we access when we need forgiveness. Grace refers to a disposition, an attitude, or a relationship. Grace defines the attitude of God the Father towards sinners specifically because of a sacrifice.

If Jesus had not sacrificed Himself on the cross, or – to extend it to the Old Testament – if there had not been sacrifices at the Temple, then God would not be gracious. He is perfect, and holy, and sinless. It doesn’t matter how good you are by human standards. You’re still a sinner, and sin cannot be in the presence of what is holy.

In our Wednesday morning Bible study, we spoke briefly about an event in 2 Samuel 6:1-7 (cf. 1 Chronicles 13:5-10). The Ark of the Covenant was being transported on a cart pulled by oxen. At one point, the oxen stumbled, and priest, named Uzzah, put out his hand to steady the Ark. But because Uzzah had not made a sacrifice, because of his sin, and despite all his best intentions, God struck him down. Now, Uzzah wanted a good thing. He wanted to make sure the Ark didn’t fall off the cart. His intentions were good. But because there had been no sacrifice, he died. What is the least bit unholy cannot survive in the presence of God’s holiness. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Without blood, there is no grace.

Jesus shed His blood on the cross. He made the eternal sacrifice for sin. And you, you have been washed by His blood in baptism. You have washed your robe and made it white in the blood of the Lamb. You have received His blood through the Lord’s Supper. You have been brought into His sacrifice to be made holy. That’s why Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are necessary in a Christian’s life. Your best intentions don’t matter. Jesus’ sacrifice – that’s what matters. Jesus’ sacrifice is what’s given to you through the Sacraments.

Grace is the first thing that unites Jesus with His disciples. Jesus told them “I am…going to the Father” (John 16:28). He was going for the purpose of showing the Father His sacrifice. There He is still today, mediating for you. Though you are sinful and unholy, Jesus has made you holy. Though Jesus is not here sitting in the pews today in a 6-foot-tall male body, He is here through the grace given in His Word and Sacraments.

The second consolation is that Jesus gives the Holy Spirit. We heard more about the Spirit last week from earlier in John 16. We heard Jesus call the Spirit the Helper, but what exactly does the Spirit help us with? He helps us believe, pray, and remain Christian. Or, in the words of the Catechism, He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies us in the one, true Faith. Think about it this way. If Jesus had not died on the cross, then God would not be gracious towards us. If the Spirit had not been given, then we would not be able to speak to God boldly with all confidence.

Or perhaps another way to think about it. Let’s say that I’m walking down the street one day, and a kid runs up to me and asks for $1000 with no questions asked, no context given. Would I give him the money? Probably not. I might give him something if he looks like he needs it, but $1000 is a bit bold for a complete stranger with no questions asked.

But what if my own child asked for $1000? It’s still a bold request. There still will be questions asked. But in many ways, I expect my kids to make that request. I want them to ask me for that, not random strangers. In the grand scheme of things, $1000 isn’t all that much when it comes to raising kids. It’s a lot all at once, but spread over several years, it’s not. In fact, my wife and I give our children far more. A roof over their heads, food for their bellies, and on down the line. But why do we do this? It’s because they are our family. They share our name.

That’s what it means to pray “in Jesus’ name.” That’s what the Holy Spirit does. He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies you so that you may ask your dear Father as His dear children, with all boldness and confidence. The Holy Spirit sanctifies you. That is, He makes you holy. And because you have been made holy, you are able to pray. But, this is specifically as a baptized child of God. Because you have been baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are able to speak plainly. You can ask God for all your needs. Think back to the example of the $1000. Anyone may make a bold request to our heavenly Father, but as His children, we know that He listens to us, that He wants us to ask Him and no one else, and that He provides far more than we can ever know. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. This is what it means to speak plainly to God. This is the second way that Jesus remains with us always.

Finally, Jesus remains with us in prayer. He justifies us by His sacrifice. He sanctifies us by His Spirit. And this leads to our prayer. Last week, we spoke about singing. As Christians, we sing. Plain and simple. This week is related because our hymns are simply prayers set to music. So, join in the prayers of the church. Join in these beautiful, timeless, wonderful prayers, and sing.

The greatest hymns, the greatest prayers are not based solely on what we want. We don’t pray out of our sinful hearts. That phrase from Jesus, “whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you” (John 16:23). that phrase is so tempting, isn’t it? As His children, we’re tempted to ask for that $1000 again and again, right? Or maybe a pony, right? But is that our greatest need, or just a selfish desire?

The greatest prayers are not based on our sinful desires that are here today and gone tomorrow. The greatest prayers and the greatest hymns retell everything that God has done. Take our sermon hymn for example. “Jesus lives!” Therefore, everything else falls into place!

The greatest prayers talk about what God has done and requests that God will continue to do those things. God has been merciful to the sick in the past, like Peter’s mother-in-law; therefore, we pray that He would keep on being merciful to our loved ones in their sicknesses. God has given faithful rulers in the past, like King David and Solomon; therefore, we pray He would continue to give us faithful rulers today. God has raised the dead from the grave, like Lazarus; therefore, we pray that He would still raise us from our graves on the Last Day. Do you understand this? Our supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings aren’t based on our sinful desires, but based on what we know God has done. Prayer isn’t listing off selfish desires. Prayer is based on what we confidently know about God. We know what God has done. We know that God will hear us as a dear Father listens to His dear children. After all, Jesus promised.

Jesus promised His disciples and He promises you too. He has not left you alone. He has not forsaken you. He is with you always, even to the end of the age. Even though He doesn’t sit next to you in the pew, He consoles you through His grace, by His Spirit, and in prayer. Therefore, pray. Pray as a baptized child of God. Pray as a Christian who has been justified by Christ’s cross. God will hear you. He’s promised to do so, and He will certainly do it.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Schultz
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas

Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office

Pastor Schultz Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas

Pastor Schultz
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas