A Wedding Garment

Biblical Text: Matthew 22:1-14

The parable we pick up today often gets lumped in with those of the end time or eschatological parables. And being about the Wedding Feast is certainly has some of those shade. But how this one is told it has much more to do with the impact of the gospel in this age. The parable is about two things: 1) the invitation and summons to the feast and 2) the wedding garment. And how this sermon thinks about that division is grace alone and faith alone. And I’d assert like all the longer parables you really need to identify the part that causes offence to hear it. The offence in the first part is in the change and reminder of the grace. You have to accept it. In every generation there are those who take the invitation – the grace – for granted. They assume it is theirs, they presume upon God, because of their name or lineage or learning or some other part. But the Kingdom of Heaven is for those who respond to the summons. Now is the wedding feast. Come. And the Kingdom is for those who show up. Who accept the grace at its calling.

The second offence point is both easier and tougher. It is the wedding garment. The unlimited grace of God is on offer, but it can only be received in one way – through Christ, through faith. There are all kinds of reasons people might show up at a wedding, even crash a wedding. But you don’t get to crash the eschatological banquet in your way, wearing your clothes whatever they might be. You have to have the wedding garment. Which is faith in Christ alone. This is the distinction summed up in the aphorism “many are called, but few are chosen.” The grace of God is available to all. The call of the gospel is universal. But there are many who want it their own way. The chosen wear the righteousness of Christ.

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Hidden with Christ

Text: Luke 23:27-43
Full Sermon Draft

It is the last Sunday of the Church Year, often called Christ the King Sunday. The other years of the lectionary that typically means an eschatological parable like the 10 virgins trimming their wicks. When we are in Luke, it means Good Friday. Luke’s Good Friday scene is unique because there is a divergence from the other Gospels. One criminal sees something that the others don’t. The world is united in seeing “This is the King of the Jews” placed above Jesus as a great joke. One naked criminal sees the King. One naked criminal sees His Grace. It is like all acts of God – hidden and revealed. It is done plainly before all the world, yet it is faith alone that perceives the revelation. To those without God’s acts remain hidden. The sermon is a meditation on this and what we see – mistaken peasant or King.

Worship note: The text drives some different hymns than normal. The opening hymn was “The Head the Once was Crowned With Thorns”, but I’ve left in the Hymn of the Day. LSB 534, Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor. The tune right after the alleluias is tough, but the words uniquely to me capture the day’s theme. The cross as throne, the acts of God hidden in humble frame.

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It Will Not Be Taken Away

Biblical Text: Luke 10:38-42, (Gen 18:1-10, Col 1:21-29)
Full Sermon Draft

Luke has a habit of telling a powerful story (The Good Samaritan) and following it up with a minor correction (Mary and Martha). That minor correction is the text of this week. (A couple of other examples are the Sermon on the Plain’s teaching about loving you enemies and not judging other (Luke 6:27-42) followed by a tree and its fruit (Luke 6:43-45). The net effect is love your enemy, don’t judge him, but don’t let your brains fall out. Two chapters later you have the parable of the sower & the purpose of the parables (Luke 8:4-15) which emphasize the roll of election followed by the short teaching on a lamp under a jar (Luke 8:16-18). The net effect is that you can’t guess the yield, and many who hear won’t understand, but don’t be overly discriminating is sharing the gospel. Election and mission are not to be placed in opposition.) The Martha and Mary story reminds us of the “one thing needful”. As important as being a neighbor/service is, the one needful thing is Christ. Christ is our neighbor, he came to serve us, so that we could serve others. And the means of that divine service to us is the Word. So this sermon is about the importance of Faith Alone and Word Alone – two thirds of the Reformation Solas – and how because they are Christ’s work, they will not be taken from us.

Recording Note: I’ve left in our closing hymn LSB 583 God Has Spoken by His Prophets. I think the stretch from prophets to now and the focus on the unchanging message of Christ alone captures the solidness of the promise. Nations rise and fall, the world’s despair and turmoil seems never ending, but God abides with us. We have a sure anchor. And it will not be taken from us.

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