Epiphany Lutheran Church | Dorr, Michigan
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • 25th Anniversary
    • Photo Gallery
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity 2018

8/12/2018

0 Comments

 
 Today Our Lord tells us a Parable about righteousness and how it is achieved.  There are two ways, one of life and one of death.  If your righteousness is internal, if it is self-focused, it is not true righteousness.  On the other hand, if your righteousness comes from outside of you, if it is counted to you apart from your deeds, then it is true righteousness.  Jesus tells us that the tax collector, though perceived as unrighteous, went to his house justified, while the Pharisee, regarded as extremely righteous, goes home condemned.  True righteousness only comes when one is covered by the greatest Sacrifice, Christ Jesus. 
At the very center of Jesus’ Parable is the Pharisee’s statement of why he is righteous and no one else is, especially not the tax collector.  He says, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.”  This statement is damning for so many reasons.  First, it locates his righteousness in his actions, especially his over-and-above keeping of the Law.  Tithing was, of course, commanded of the Israelites.  However, certain crops and other things were exempt from the tithe.  This Pharisee was part of a microscopic minority that gave a tenth of everything.  Moreover, he fasted twice a week, even though it was only a requirement for the annual day of atonement.  He is putting himself on par with Moses and the Prophets, the height of righteousness in Jewish thought. 
 
The second reason this self-made righteousness is so damning is that he is boasting his own righteousness while the daily sacrifice for sin is being made.  The context of this Parable is a corporate worship setting.  Jewish custom was to gather at the Temple for the morning and afternoon sacrifices, and to offer prayers while the sacrifice was burning.  The underlying idea is that the community was only able to lay their petitions before God because the sacrifice was made on their behalf and made them acceptable to go to God.  Because of that, their prayers always addressed God first, thanking Him for His mercy and goodness before any requests would be made.  The Pharisee doesn’t follow the typical model for prayer and instead touts his own goodness.  Jewish custom was to pray out loud.  So what’s really happening is that this Pharisee is standing far removed from everyone else, thinking he is giving the unrighteous crowd the opportunity to see what a real righteous person looks like.  In his mind, he is graciously instructing them in their own unrighteousness by telling them how much better he is.  Let’s put this in a setting we can understand.  The Altar is prepared and we are about to receive the Lord’s Supper.  We’re singing the Agnus Dei when suddenly someone begins to improvise: “O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world…but not as many sins of mine because I’m not as sinful as everyone else…have mercy upon us…but especially on all these people around me because they have nothing but sin and I’m so much better than them.”  If someone started doing that, we would need to have a long talk with the Pastor before they could come to the Lord’s Supper, because they’re not repenting of their own sins, but highlighting the sins of everyone else.
 
But isn’t that what we all do?  We eagerly point out the sins of others to make ourselves look good.  We may not be so bold as to do it out loud and in public, but we certainly do it internally or in small groups or in conversation with our closest friend.  This Parable strikes a nerve because Jesus isn’t telling us about a hypothetical situation, He’s telling us about ourselves.  How many times have we all thought that, “I thank You, God, that I’m not like him…I’m not like her…I’m not like that group over there.”  What good does that do?  What good does it do to put others down to lift yourself up?  The search for the faults and failures of others does the greatest harm to the critic himself.  Why?  It destroys community.  If all you do is see yourself as righteous and everyone else as a sinner under God’s condemnation, you isolate yourself, and pretty soon the only person worthy enough to enjoy your company is yourself!  It speaks to the Eighth Commandment.  How does exalting yourself at your neighbor’s expense explain things in the kindest way?  How does it strengthen their reputation?  It doesn’t!  And we’re all guilty.  We have all been that Pharisee more often than we’d like to admit.  Repent.  Change your prayer.
 
Pray that prayer of the tax collector: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”  That word “merciful” needs to be retranslated.  “Make atonement” would be far more accurate.  The tax collector, painfully aware of his sin, his unworthiness, and the sacrifice being offered, pleads to God: “Cover me with the blood of the sacrifice.  Take away my sin and my shame.  In Your great mercy give me what I could never earn or deserve.”  And Jesus tells us that he goes to his house justified.  His prayer is answered.  The sacrifice is for him, its blood stands as a covering, its smoke rises as a pleasing aroma.  His hope is in the Lord’s Word, that He is merciful and will help His children.
 
You can pray that same prayer, “Make atonement for me, O God a sinner.  I have trusted in my own works.  I have vilified others and exalted myself.  Take away my sin, for it is great!”  And that prayer is always answered in the affirmative, just like it was for the tax collector.  You pray that prayer at the start of every Divine Service, confessing your sin and pleading God’s absolution.  He speaks His word of forgiveness to you, because of the Blood of Jesus Christ, shed for you.  You come to this Altar and receive that same Body broken and Blood shed, and your sin is taken away from you.
 
We do these things together—confess our sin, hear the absolution, come to the Lord’s Supper—to remind us that we are in community.  Just like the thief said on the cross: we are all under the same condemnation.  But as much as we are under condemnation, we are absolved, we are under God’s grace.  The Gospel—“that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures”—takes away our divisions.  It reminds us that, as much as the Law condemns us all equally, the Gospel saves us all equally, makes us one in God’s eyes, one family for whom Our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to die.  True unity, true community comes from gathering around the sacrificed Lamb, remembering that His Blood covers us, that we are recipients of a righteousness that does not come from our works or our goodness, but from the God who loves us and forgives us.  We leave here, we go to our homes justified, a gift given to us by the abundance of God’s mercy.  But we don’t go only to earthly homes.  Because of we have been covered by the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and have received the sacrificed Body and Blood we are promised an eternal home.  God has given that to us by His mercy and grace, a gift greater than we could desire or deserve, but one He gives because He loves to give it.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About

    Why does the Pastor preach?  Scripture explains that the role of preaching the Word of God is how saving faith is created: “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:14-17).  The Augsburg Confession, seeing this connection between the Preaching Office and saving faith, summarizes Scripture on the Office of the Holy Ministry in this way: “To obtain [saving, justifying] faith, God instituted the Office of Preaching, giving the Gospel and the Sacraments.  Through these, as through means, He gives the Holy Spirit who produces faith, where and when He wills, in those who hear the Gospel.  It teaches that we have a gracious God, not through our merit but through Christ’s merit, when we so believe” (AC V 1-3).  The whole reason the Pastor preaches is so saving faith can be created, so we know that “we have a gracious God” who loves us and has saved us from our sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
     
    Preaching at Epiphany is centered in this Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Every sermon approaches the Scripture Readings for the day by explaining what they mean by way of confessional Lutheran hermeneutics and applying them to our lives as Christians in the Church and in the world. 
     
    The Sunday Readings used at Epiphany are from the Church’s historic lectionary, or calendar of readings, that has been in place for nearly 1,000 years.  We use this lectionary because we are an historic Church and we acknowledge the value of what has been handed down to us.  We use this as a way of obeying the Fourth Commandment, honoring our fathers in the faith and trusting their wisdom that assembled this annual cycle of readings.  It also helps with the training of adults and children alike as we come back to the same Readings year after year and learn from them.  We strive for a deep knowledge of key passages of Scripture rather than a limited knowledge of a breadth of Readings.  Though a system like this is neither commanded nor forbidden in Holy Scripture, we voluntarily use it to shape our time together, to ensure that we learn from the whole counsel of God, not just the Pastor’s favorite verses. 
     
    May these sermons be beneficial to you for growth in knowledge of the Word of God and a stronger faith in Jesus Christ, your Savior!  They provided for devotional use and for those who might like to reference them.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    June 2021
    April 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinrghians 1:4-9
    1 Corinthians 11:23 32
    1 Corinthians 11:23-32
    1 John 3:1-3
    1 Kings 19:3-8
    1 Peter 1:3-9
    1 Timothy 5:3-10
    2 Corinthians 2:3-11
    2 Samuel 22
    Acts 1:1-11
    Ad Te Levavi
    Advent 1
    Advent 2
    Advent 3
    Advent 4
    Advent Midweek
    All Saints
    Annunciation
    Ascension
    Ash Wednesday
    Baptism Of Our Lord
    Cantate
    Christian Questions With Their Answers
    Christmas Day
    Christmas Eve
    Christmas Octave
    Commemoration
    Confirmation
    Daniel 7:9-18
    Deliverance From Pestilence
    Deuteronomy 10:12-22
    Easter
    Easter Sunrise
    Easter Vigil
    Ember Wednesday Lent
    Ephesians 4:1-6
    Ephesians 5:20-33
    Epiphany
    Epiphany 2
    Epiphany 3
    Epiphany 4
    Epiphany Octave
    Esther 13:9-18
    Exaudi
    Exodus 20:12-24
    Ezekiel 36:23-28
    Feast Day
    Funeral
    Gaudete
    Good Friday
    Good Samaritan
    Holy Monday
    Holy Tuesday
    Holy Wednesday
    Holy Week
    Invocabit
    Isaiah 62:11 63:7
    Isaiah 62:11 - 63:7
    Jeremiah 11:18-20
    Joel 2:12 19
    Joel 2:12-19
    John 10:11 16
    John 10:11-16
    John 10:22-38
    John 1:1 14
    John 1:1-14
    John 1:19 28
    John 1:19-28
    John 12:1-11
    John 12:1-36
    John 1:29 34
    John 1:29-34
    John 13:1-15
    John 1:35-42
    John 14:23 31
    John 14:23-31
    John 15:1-11
    John 15:26-16:4
    John 16:16 22
    John 16:16-22
    John 16:23 33
    John 16:5 15
    John 16:5-15
    John 19:28
    John 20:1 18
    John 20:1-18
    John 2:1 11
    John 2:1-11
    John 3:1 17
    John 3:1-17
    John 4:46 54
    John 4:46-54
    John 5:24-29
    John 6:1 15
    John 6:1-15
    John 6:60-69
    John 8:42 59
    John 8:42-59
    John 8:46-59
    John 9
    Jubilate
    Judica
    Katharina Von Bora Luther
    Laetare
    Last Sunday
    Lent
    Lent Midweek
    Leviticus 19:1-19
    Luke 10:23 37
    Luke 10:23-37
    Luke 11:14 28
    Luke 11:14-28
    Luke 12:13 21
    Luke 12:13-21
    Luke 1:26-38
    Luke 1:39-56
    Luke 14:1 11
    Luke 14:1-11
    Luke 14:15 24
    Luke 14:15-24
    Luke 15
    Luke 15:1-10
    Luke 15:11-32
    Luke 1:57-80
    Luke 16:1 13
    Luke 16:1-13
    Luke 16:19 31
    Luke 16:19-31
    Luke 17:11 19
    Luke 17:11-19
    Luke 18:31 43
    Luke 18:31-43
    Luke 18:9 14
    Luke 18:9-14
    Luke 19:41 48
    Luke 19:41-48
    Luke 2:1 20
    Luke 2:1-20
    Luke 21:25-33
    Luke 21:25 36
    Luke 21:25-36
    Luke 2:21
    Luke 2:22-32
    Luke 2:22 40
    Luke 2:22-40
    Luke 2:41 52
    Luke 2:41-52
    Luke 5:1 11
    Luke 5:1-11
    Luke 6:36 42
    Luke 6:36-42
    Luke 7:11-17
    Luke 7:36-50
    Luke 8:4 15
    Luke 8:4-15
    Mark 10:17-22
    Mark 14:1-15:46
    Mark 16:1 8
    Mark 16:1-8
    Mark 7:31 37
    Mark 7:31-37
    Mark 8:1 9
    Mark 8:1-9
    Matthew 10:26-33
    Matthew 11:12 15
    Matthew 11:12-15
    Matthew 11:16-24
    Matthew 11:2 10
    Matthew 11:2-10
    Matthew 12:11-15
    Matthew 12:38-50
    Matthew 15:1-20
    Matthew 15:21 28
    Matthew 15:21-28
    Matthew 17:1 9
    Matthew 17:1-9
    Matthew 18:21 35
    Matthew 18:21-35
    Matthew 20:1 16
    Matthew 20:1-16
    Matthew 20:17-28
    Matthew 2:1 12
    Matthew 2:1-12
    Matthew 21:1 9
    Matthew 21:1-9
    Matthew 22:1 14
    Matthew 22:1-14
    Matthew 22:34-46
    Matthew 24:15 28
    Matthew 24:15-28
    Matthew 25:1 13
    Matthew 25:1-13
    Matthew 25:31 46
    Matthew 25:31-46
    Matthew 28:1 10
    Matthew 28:1-10
    Matthew 4:1 11
    Matthew 4:1-11
    Matthew 5:1-12
    Matthew 5:17 26
    Matthew 5:17-26
    Matthew 6:16-21
    Matthew 6:24 34
    Matthew 6:24-34
    Matthew 7:15 23
    Matthew 7:15-23
    Matthew 8:1-13
    Matthew 8:23-27
    Matthew 9:1 8
    Matthew 9:1-8
    Maundy Thursday
    Michaelmas 1
    Michaelmas 2
    Michaelmas 3
    Michaelmas 4
    Michaelmas 7
    Michaelmas 8
    Michaelmas 9
    Misericordia Domini
    Most Holy Name Of Jesus
    Nativity Of John The Baptist
    Oculi
    Palmarum
    Palm Sunday
    Passiontide
    Pentecost
    Pentecost 21B
    Pharisee And Tax Collector
    Philippians 2:5-11
    Populus Zion
    Presentation Of The Augsburg Confession
    Proverbs 25:6-14
    Psalm 118
    Psalm 119:73-80
    Psalm 50
    Psalm 91
    Purification BVM
    Quinquagesima
    Reformation
    Reminiscere
    Revelation 12:7-12
    Revelation 7:9 17
    Revelation 7:9-17
    Rev. Jeffrey Miskus
    Rogate
    Romans 3:21-28
    Romans 5:6-11
    Rorate Coeli
    Second Last Sunday
    Second-Last Sunday
    Septuagesima
    Seven Last Words
    Sexagesima
    St. Andrew
    St James
    St. John Passion
    St. Mary Magdalene
    St. Matthew Passion
    St Michael And All Angels
    St Titus
    Tenebrae
    Thanksgiving
    Third Last Sunday
    Third-Last Sunday
    Titus 1:1-9
    Transfiguration
    Tre Ore
    Triduum
    Trinity
    Trinity 1
    Trinity 10
    Trinity 11
    Trinity 12
    Trinity 13
    Trinity 14
    Trinity 15
    Trinity 16
    Trinity 17
    Trinity 18
    Trinity 19
    Trinity 2
    Trinity 20
    Trinity 21
    Trinity 22
    Trinity 25
    Trinity 26
    Trinity 27
    Trinity 3
    Trinity 4
    Trinity 5
    Trinity 6
    Trinity 7
    Trinity 8
    Trinity 9
    Trintiy 7
    Vicar Burgdorf
    Visitation Of The BVM
    Wedding

    RSS Feed

Location

Saved by God's Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Contact Us

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • 25th Anniversary
    • Photo Gallery
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar