SERMONS

As Paul prepared to go to Jerusalem, he called the elders of Ephesus to give them his parting encouragement that they should watch over the flock of the Good Shepherd. The Lord's undershepherds are to remind the flock to heed the Shepherd's voice and to flee from every voice that would entice them away from His care. For Christ alone is the Good Shepherd. He laid down His life on the cross and rose again from the grave to give all who believe in Him eternal life.

Paul fell to the ground, and the Lord raised him up in Baptism. What a reversal! Paul went from persecuting the faith to proclaiming it. What a Lord that He still unites people to His death and resurrection by Baptism. Our Baptism is death to sin and being made "alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11). When we remember our Baptism, we live in this reality by daily repenting and believing the Gospel!

Jesus stood among His disciples to show them His hands and side. The marks of the nails showed that the Jesus who was crucified is the very same Jesus who has been raised and lives. Thomas was not there the first time Jesus appeared among His followers, but he wanted to verify with his own eyes and hands that Jesus lives. Jesus' hands still bear the marks of His love for us through His sacrifice upon the cross.

David's psalm proclaims that the Lord is at his right hand, and at the Lord's right hand are pleasures forevermore (see Psalm 16:8, 11). David's soul will not be abandoned to Sheol. While David died and remained in the tomb, we know that this psalm is ultimately about Jesus. Jesus is the Holy One who did not seen corruption in the tomb. He was raised from the dead, ascended, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus will bring David and all who are in Him by faith to the resurrected life. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

While the crowds, with palm branches in their hands, praised Jesus, the chief priests planned to deliver Jesus into the hands of sinful men. Christ would soon have nails in His hands upon the cross. However, in all of this, the hand of the Lord was at work to bring redemption to His people. Christ, with His nail-pierced hands, has brought us salvation through the forgiveness of our sins.

Our sin merits the anger and wrath of God. But His strict warning of judgment against sin is meant to lead us to repentance. God wants to show grace and mercy to sinners so that we may believe and receive forgiveness. Christ willingly received the wrath of God for all sin in our place when He died on the cross. He did this so that, like the prodigal son, we may know our heavenly Father's eternal embrace of comfort (see Luke 15:11-32).

Ancient Israel repeatedly grumbled in the wilderness. Nevertheless, the Lord rescued the Israelites through the Red Sea and continued to provide for them as He led them to the Promised Land. In our epistle, Paul tells us that these events serve as examples for us to hold fast to our merciful Lord, who does not abandon us. There is no temptation so great that our Lord cannot overcome it. He provides the way out because He has already won the victory by His cross.

When it feels as though everything around us is crumbling, jesus offers us the foundation we can stand firm on: Him! He has accomplished what we could not. His cross stands as a testament to His determination and love for us. By dying on the cross and rising again, Christ won for us the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Therefore, in all trials and temptations, we can stand firm in Christ alone.

As we begin the season of Lent, there is great joy in knowing that God has not withdrawn His Word from us. It is near—in our mouths and hearts. Even if everything around us gets stripped away, the Word will remain. It remains because it has come from God Himself through the preaching of the Word. The Word of God says Jesus, our Savior, has overcome all trials and temptations, going all the way to the cross, dying, and rising to redeem us to everlasting life.