Isaiah 40:25-31/1 Peter 2:11-20/St John 16:16-23
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Late in his reign, King Solomon wrote: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek; and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace (Ec 3:1-8)
These are not the fatalistic words of a pessimist. This is the confession of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem that all human works have a beginning and an ending, beyond human control. This is the reality of life lived this side of glory; the continuous experience of the “little whiles;” of sadness and peace, sorrow and joy.
Of this our Lord speaks in the Gospel. He is the true Preacher, the Son of David, the King of Israel, and He relates to His disciples a short biography of their lives and the life of all Christians. It is not uninterrupted joy, but neither is it uninterrupted sorrow. But it is a continuous battle and sorrow over sin and a plagued conscience, and the joy of Christ’s resurrection and absolution.
A little while, and you will see Me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see Me. Christ our Lord spoke these words only hours before His betrayal, crucifixion, and death. They would not see Him. He would be taken from them in death. He would be separated from them for a little while, but He would rise and they would see Him again. For three days they will weep and lament; they will be sorrowful. On the third day they will rejoice to see Him again. A little while and you will see Me.
Recall the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were accompanied by their risen Lord, but their sorrow kept them from recognizing Him. Or that same Easter eve, the disciples were locked away for fear and sorrow. Christ, crucified and risen, appeared to them, showing them His hands and side, speaking, Peace, to their troubled consciences. Their sorrow was turned to joy.
And so throughout these forty days after Easter, all the disciples of Jesus, they and we, rejoice with great joy at the Resurrection of our Lord, who by His death has destroyed death, and by His rising to life again has brought life and immortality to light! (2 Tim 1:10) As we sing, “Easter triumph, Easter joy! This alone can sin destroy. From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free, newborn souls in You to be. Alleluia!” (LSB 633:7). The Introit adds to this: Shout for joy to God, all the earth. Alleluia! Sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise! Alleluia! Their is joy through the liturgy and texts this Jubilate, this Joy Sunday!
And yet this joy is tempered by the words of our Lord, who speaks as the Preacher: to everything there is a season. For He says to His disciples again: A little while and you will not see Me; and, I am going to the Father. He speaks not only of His being taken from them in death, and return to them in the Resurrection; but He alludes to His departure to the Father, His ascension to the right hand of God. Then they would no longer see Him as during these forty days after His Resurrection.
Thus our Lord describes the time between His ascension into heaven and His coming for the final judgment, as a little while. And it is in this little while that you live. And the words of Jesus to His disciples are spoken to you, Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
You have sorrow now, dear Christians, because at times you do not see Christ, it is as if He is far from you and you are uncertain of His grace. Indeed Christians receive a portion of the trouble that comes to all people. But the Church also suffers disgrace, reproach, and persecution precisely on account of faith in Christ and proclamation of His Word.
Yet this is not the cause of our sorrow. You indeed bear the cross, but do not sorrow over it. As it is written later in 1 Peter: Rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed (4:13).
No, the true Christian sorrows over sin, weeps and laments over that which still clings to him in the flesh. This is the work of faith; it despairs more and more of self, despairs of one’s works, despairs of one’s own merits, and it clings ever more firmly to Christ and His Word of promise: a little while and you will see Me. For in the blessed exchange, He took all your sorrow and sin and fear of death and put it to death in His own body on the tree. And He has given you His life and peace and joy in the forgiveness of all your sins. In this way your sorrow is turned to joy.
Luther said, “For the Christian, death is not the end of life, but entrance into eternal life. Therefore the day of death is seen as the dies natalis, as the birthday, and is considered to be a narrow and painful ascending to life” (Slenzcka, Ch V). My friends, you already died with Christ in Holy Baptism. There you came through the narrow and painful ascent, like a woman giving birth, but now you have entered into the joy of life with Christ, the joy of having died to sin and living to righteousness. All that awaits you is natural death which is your entrance into the fullness of life with Christ and the completion of your Baptism.
Beloved, this is why St Peter speaks to you as he does, addressing you as sojourners and exiles. You are not yet home. Your home is with Christ, who has ascended to His Father and your Father. With joy, even in the midst of sorrow, you eagerly await the coming of His glory at the Last.
In the meantime you live in this little while. In the already and not yet of the full joy of eternal life. Heaven is already yours by faith and all its gifts: the peace and joy of sins forgiven, though the flesh still clings to you; the mercy and favor of God, though you wrestle with doubts and fears. Though you do not see it now, you have the keen eyesight of faith to behold the great and abundant blessing of the Lord on account of Christ.
Therefore, Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as living servants of God. Do this, even as the world rejoices over sin and persecutes the Church of God in Christ Jesus. In other words, honor the emperor, even when your government is forcing legislature upon you that is opposed to the Word of God; the killing of unborn children and destruction of natural marriage. They have their time now; it cannot last forever, but is merely a little while.
Be subject, also to the unjust. Endure sorrow while suffering unjustly. That is, speak up for and protect the unborn and innocent. Defend Godly marriage. For this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
Live as free people, dear Christians. For as Christ speaks to you, He does in with eternity in view. Our little window of faith is but a lifetime, perhaps more if we study our history. But what awaits you is eternal. This is what Christ has in mind when He says, You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Even now He sets before you the feast of His Body and Blood, the joyous meal of His Resurrection. Here He gives you to share in His Body and Blood back from the grave, never to die again. This table is the Resurrection banquet of our Lord!
And week by weak the Savior calls you to Himself, giving power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Come, eat and drink, partake of the Body and Blood which defeated death. By it death has no hold on you. Here is peace for troubled consciences. Here is strength to deny the Old Adam. Here is joy that can never be taken from you. Here you see the risen Christ with the eyes of faith. Have courage dear friends, your time of sorrow is nearly ended.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Late in his reign, King Solomon wrote: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek; and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace (Ec 3:1-8)
These are not the fatalistic words of a pessimist. This is the confession of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem that all human works have a beginning and an ending, beyond human control. This is the reality of life lived this side of glory; the continuous experience of the “little whiles;” of sadness and peace, sorrow and joy.
Of this our Lord speaks in the Gospel. He is the true Preacher, the Son of David, the King of Israel, and He relates to His disciples a short biography of their lives and the life of all Christians. It is not uninterrupted joy, but neither is it uninterrupted sorrow. But it is a continuous battle and sorrow over sin and a plagued conscience, and the joy of Christ’s resurrection and absolution.
A little while, and you will see Me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see Me. Christ our Lord spoke these words only hours before His betrayal, crucifixion, and death. They would not see Him. He would be taken from them in death. He would be separated from them for a little while, but He would rise and they would see Him again. For three days they will weep and lament; they will be sorrowful. On the third day they will rejoice to see Him again. A little while and you will see Me.
Recall the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were accompanied by their risen Lord, but their sorrow kept them from recognizing Him. Or that same Easter eve, the disciples were locked away for fear and sorrow. Christ, crucified and risen, appeared to them, showing them His hands and side, speaking, Peace, to their troubled consciences. Their sorrow was turned to joy.
And so throughout these forty days after Easter, all the disciples of Jesus, they and we, rejoice with great joy at the Resurrection of our Lord, who by His death has destroyed death, and by His rising to life again has brought life and immortality to light! (2 Tim 1:10) As we sing, “Easter triumph, Easter joy! This alone can sin destroy. From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free, newborn souls in You to be. Alleluia!” (LSB 633:7). The Introit adds to this: Shout for joy to God, all the earth. Alleluia! Sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise! Alleluia! Their is joy through the liturgy and texts this Jubilate, this Joy Sunday!
And yet this joy is tempered by the words of our Lord, who speaks as the Preacher: to everything there is a season. For He says to His disciples again: A little while and you will not see Me; and, I am going to the Father. He speaks not only of His being taken from them in death, and return to them in the Resurrection; but He alludes to His departure to the Father, His ascension to the right hand of God. Then they would no longer see Him as during these forty days after His Resurrection.
Thus our Lord describes the time between His ascension into heaven and His coming for the final judgment, as a little while. And it is in this little while that you live. And the words of Jesus to His disciples are spoken to you, Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
You have sorrow now, dear Christians, because at times you do not see Christ, it is as if He is far from you and you are uncertain of His grace. Indeed Christians receive a portion of the trouble that comes to all people. But the Church also suffers disgrace, reproach, and persecution precisely on account of faith in Christ and proclamation of His Word.
Yet this is not the cause of our sorrow. You indeed bear the cross, but do not sorrow over it. As it is written later in 1 Peter: Rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed (4:13).
No, the true Christian sorrows over sin, weeps and laments over that which still clings to him in the flesh. This is the work of faith; it despairs more and more of self, despairs of one’s works, despairs of one’s own merits, and it clings ever more firmly to Christ and His Word of promise: a little while and you will see Me. For in the blessed exchange, He took all your sorrow and sin and fear of death and put it to death in His own body on the tree. And He has given you His life and peace and joy in the forgiveness of all your sins. In this way your sorrow is turned to joy.
Luther said, “For the Christian, death is not the end of life, but entrance into eternal life. Therefore the day of death is seen as the dies natalis, as the birthday, and is considered to be a narrow and painful ascending to life” (Slenzcka, Ch V). My friends, you already died with Christ in Holy Baptism. There you came through the narrow and painful ascent, like a woman giving birth, but now you have entered into the joy of life with Christ, the joy of having died to sin and living to righteousness. All that awaits you is natural death which is your entrance into the fullness of life with Christ and the completion of your Baptism.
Beloved, this is why St Peter speaks to you as he does, addressing you as sojourners and exiles. You are not yet home. Your home is with Christ, who has ascended to His Father and your Father. With joy, even in the midst of sorrow, you eagerly await the coming of His glory at the Last.
In the meantime you live in this little while. In the already and not yet of the full joy of eternal life. Heaven is already yours by faith and all its gifts: the peace and joy of sins forgiven, though the flesh still clings to you; the mercy and favor of God, though you wrestle with doubts and fears. Though you do not see it now, you have the keen eyesight of faith to behold the great and abundant blessing of the Lord on account of Christ.
Therefore, Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as living servants of God. Do this, even as the world rejoices over sin and persecutes the Church of God in Christ Jesus. In other words, honor the emperor, even when your government is forcing legislature upon you that is opposed to the Word of God; the killing of unborn children and destruction of natural marriage. They have their time now; it cannot last forever, but is merely a little while.
Be subject, also to the unjust. Endure sorrow while suffering unjustly. That is, speak up for and protect the unborn and innocent. Defend Godly marriage. For this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
Live as free people, dear Christians. For as Christ speaks to you, He does in with eternity in view. Our little window of faith is but a lifetime, perhaps more if we study our history. But what awaits you is eternal. This is what Christ has in mind when He says, You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Even now He sets before you the feast of His Body and Blood, the joyous meal of His Resurrection. Here He gives you to share in His Body and Blood back from the grave, never to die again. This table is the Resurrection banquet of our Lord!
And week by weak the Savior calls you to Himself, giving power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Come, eat and drink, partake of the Body and Blood which defeated death. By it death has no hold on you. Here is peace for troubled consciences. Here is strength to deny the Old Adam. Here is joy that can never be taken from you. Here you see the risen Christ with the eyes of faith. Have courage dear friends, your time of sorrow is nearly ended.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.
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