Genesis 50:15-21/Romans 12:14-21/St Luke 6:26-42
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
They had plotted his demise, those wicked brothers of Joseph. It was premeditated. Strategically ganging up on him, attacking at the right moment. In their fury they conspired to kill him, but at Reuben’s behest they spared his life. Instead they tore the multicolored robe off his back, tossed him into a dry cistern in the middle of the desert, and sat down to eat lunch within ear shot of his pleas for help. Finally, in order to line their own pockets, they sold him into slavery. Dipping his coat in goat’s blood they deceived their father, who thought surely his beloved son was ripped apart by beasts and was dead.
So now, more than two decades after their malicious act, after more than twenty years of repressed guilt and calloused consciences, harboring anger, hatred, and contempt, refusing to come clean of their sin, the brothers who had lied to their father about Joseph’s death, now lie to their brother after their father’s death.
But they were wrong. Those evil, guilty brothers assumed their brother Joseph was like them: vengeful, hateful, merciless. That’s why they didn’t want him as their judge, even as his dreams had prophesied. But he was. Somehow, despite their evil, God elevated Joseph to be the King of Egypt and judge of the guilty clan before him. He is in the place of God. But they were wrong. Joseph was not like them. He was like the God who placed him there: merciful, forgiving, compassionate.
You are wrong. And you have done even worse. You have ganged up on your brother Jesus, the beloved Son of His Father. You sold Him for the price of a slave, stripped Him of His robe and then crucified and killed Him. But the Father raised Him up, and despite our evil, raised Him to be the King of the World and seated Him at His right hand to judge the living and the dead. We meant evil against Him, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be made alive.
But if you think that Jesus is a Judge like you - hypercritical and vindictive - you would be wrong. For Jesus is a Judge like His Father: merciful, forgiving, abounding in steadfast love and generous with pardon and remission of sin.
And Jesus is a marvelous Teacher, the Chief Catechist who leads you in the Way. And He says to you this day, Judge not, and you will not be judged. He is not saying, “Never judge anyone.” Or, “Never judge doctrine or teaching.” In fact love requires judgment. To be a loving parent you must discipline your children and teach them right from wrong. You are certainly to judge between what is true and what is false.
Your duty as Christians extends even to false teaching. For as St Paul writes to the Romans concerning bearing persecution with endurance and courage, never avenging yourselves, he writes only four chapters later to them, saying, I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them (Rm 16:17).
Proper judgment is essential for Christians not only within the Church, her teachers and their doctrine, but extends also to the State. Indeed there is no authority except that put in place by God (Rm 13); yet when such authorities endorse or legalize that which the commandments judge to be immoral, the confession of the Apostles must be ours: We must obey God rather then men (Ac 5:29).
Such is the case with the recent Supreme Court decision regarding the federal legalization of same-sex so-called “marriage.” I urge you dear Christians: Honor the emperor. Pray for those in authority. But you must judge what has been ruled to be contrary to Holy Scripture; to be immoral and improper; to condemn it. And be ready for the very real possibility of persecution, be ready to endure evil and being cursed. As was done to Joseph, so to our Lord Jesus Christ, may in fact be your fate, if the Lord wills. A disciple is not above his Teacher. If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of His household? (Mt 10:25)
But every catechumen, when he is fully trained, will be like his Teacher, says Jesus your merciful Judge. Instruction in the Way is not merely a matter of amassing knowledge. Catechesis is formation in Christian faith and life. Jesus says, Become merciful as your Father is merciful. Not be. But become; γινεσθε. Become describes a state of being the believer now possesses in Christ. The Father shows mercy in the Son and through Him is merciful and forgiving toward you, His sons and daughters. You are then called as Christians - not only followers of Christ, but possessions of Christ - to reflect such mercy. Mercy is expressed through forgiveness.
C.F.W. Walther once preached, “Being a Christian can never be separated from being merciful. Whatever other characteristics are found in the Christian, they are invalid if he lacks mercy. He can be weak in knowledge, weak in overcoming the world, weak in restraining his behavior, and weak in confidence, yet he can stand in the faith. But it is impossible for God’s grace to have dawned in a person who is unmerciful.” (God Grant It, p535).
St James writes to the persecuted Christians of the First Century who had been dispersed throughout the Roman Empire: Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy (5:10).
Perhaps a modern example of this can be seen in the Christians from the Charleston church shooting standing up, one by one, and forgiving the man who shot and killed their nine loved ones. Such weakness is mocked and preyed upon by evil ones and hypocrites. Yet this these modern American martyrs and their families portray Jesus, their merciful Judge. Their forgiveness and mercy has heaped burning coals on the head of the perpetrator. May God use it to bring about his repentance. Beloved, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Those nasty brothers thought Joseph would weigh their evil deeds against them and make them pay. But they were wrong. God placed Joseph there to comfort and speak kindly to them. And forgive them. But even more. He place Joseph there to feed them with grain so that they might stay alive and the family tree of the Messiah might not wither.
For in the fullness of time, the Greater Joseph - our Lord Jesus - came to you, His brothers in the flesh. He came not to critically judge or condemn, but to forgive. He removed the planks from your two eyes, lashed them together in the shape of a Cross, bore them to Jerusalem where He was nailed to them and judged for sins of the whole world. The Father condemned Him in order that you would not be condemned. The wrath of God was visited upon Him, repaying Him for the iniquity of us all.
His mercy has been pressed down, shaken together, and is poured over into your lap. The Absolution is His judgment on you - not guilty for the sake of His Son! His love is pressed down and poured over your head in the waters of Holy Baptism. You are clothed with His robe of righteousness. His forgiveness is pressed down and poured over into your mouths in His Eucharist, His Body and Blood given and shed for you.
Dear Christians, by God’s mercy you are free from all judgment. Become merciful as your Father is merciful. Forgive as you have been forgiven, Be reconciled as you have been reconciled to the Father in Christ. Feed your enemies. Give them drink. Live in harmony with one another. For that which is meant for evil against you, God shall indeed use for good. As it is written, We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His [crucified and risen] Son, in order that He might be the firstborn of many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. Nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rm 8:28-30; 39), who together with the Father + and the Holy Spirit, be glory now and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
They had plotted his demise, those wicked brothers of Joseph. It was premeditated. Strategically ganging up on him, attacking at the right moment. In their fury they conspired to kill him, but at Reuben’s behest they spared his life. Instead they tore the multicolored robe off his back, tossed him into a dry cistern in the middle of the desert, and sat down to eat lunch within ear shot of his pleas for help. Finally, in order to line their own pockets, they sold him into slavery. Dipping his coat in goat’s blood they deceived their father, who thought surely his beloved son was ripped apart by beasts and was dead.
So now, more than two decades after their malicious act, after more than twenty years of repressed guilt and calloused consciences, harboring anger, hatred, and contempt, refusing to come clean of their sin, the brothers who had lied to their father about Joseph’s death, now lie to their brother after their father’s death.
But they were wrong. Those evil, guilty brothers assumed their brother Joseph was like them: vengeful, hateful, merciless. That’s why they didn’t want him as their judge, even as his dreams had prophesied. But he was. Somehow, despite their evil, God elevated Joseph to be the King of Egypt and judge of the guilty clan before him. He is in the place of God. But they were wrong. Joseph was not like them. He was like the God who placed him there: merciful, forgiving, compassionate.
You are wrong. And you have done even worse. You have ganged up on your brother Jesus, the beloved Son of His Father. You sold Him for the price of a slave, stripped Him of His robe and then crucified and killed Him. But the Father raised Him up, and despite our evil, raised Him to be the King of the World and seated Him at His right hand to judge the living and the dead. We meant evil against Him, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be made alive.
But if you think that Jesus is a Judge like you - hypercritical and vindictive - you would be wrong. For Jesus is a Judge like His Father: merciful, forgiving, abounding in steadfast love and generous with pardon and remission of sin.
And Jesus is a marvelous Teacher, the Chief Catechist who leads you in the Way. And He says to you this day, Judge not, and you will not be judged. He is not saying, “Never judge anyone.” Or, “Never judge doctrine or teaching.” In fact love requires judgment. To be a loving parent you must discipline your children and teach them right from wrong. You are certainly to judge between what is true and what is false.
Your duty as Christians extends even to false teaching. For as St Paul writes to the Romans concerning bearing persecution with endurance and courage, never avenging yourselves, he writes only four chapters later to them, saying, I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them (Rm 16:17).
Proper judgment is essential for Christians not only within the Church, her teachers and their doctrine, but extends also to the State. Indeed there is no authority except that put in place by God (Rm 13); yet when such authorities endorse or legalize that which the commandments judge to be immoral, the confession of the Apostles must be ours: We must obey God rather then men (Ac 5:29).
Such is the case with the recent Supreme Court decision regarding the federal legalization of same-sex so-called “marriage.” I urge you dear Christians: Honor the emperor. Pray for those in authority. But you must judge what has been ruled to be contrary to Holy Scripture; to be immoral and improper; to condemn it. And be ready for the very real possibility of persecution, be ready to endure evil and being cursed. As was done to Joseph, so to our Lord Jesus Christ, may in fact be your fate, if the Lord wills. A disciple is not above his Teacher. If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of His household? (Mt 10:25)
But every catechumen, when he is fully trained, will be like his Teacher, says Jesus your merciful Judge. Instruction in the Way is not merely a matter of amassing knowledge. Catechesis is formation in Christian faith and life. Jesus says, Become merciful as your Father is merciful. Not be. But become; γινεσθε. Become describes a state of being the believer now possesses in Christ. The Father shows mercy in the Son and through Him is merciful and forgiving toward you, His sons and daughters. You are then called as Christians - not only followers of Christ, but possessions of Christ - to reflect such mercy. Mercy is expressed through forgiveness.
C.F.W. Walther once preached, “Being a Christian can never be separated from being merciful. Whatever other characteristics are found in the Christian, they are invalid if he lacks mercy. He can be weak in knowledge, weak in overcoming the world, weak in restraining his behavior, and weak in confidence, yet he can stand in the faith. But it is impossible for God’s grace to have dawned in a person who is unmerciful.” (God Grant It, p535).
St James writes to the persecuted Christians of the First Century who had been dispersed throughout the Roman Empire: Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy (5:10).
Perhaps a modern example of this can be seen in the Christians from the Charleston church shooting standing up, one by one, and forgiving the man who shot and killed their nine loved ones. Such weakness is mocked and preyed upon by evil ones and hypocrites. Yet this these modern American martyrs and their families portray Jesus, their merciful Judge. Their forgiveness and mercy has heaped burning coals on the head of the perpetrator. May God use it to bring about his repentance. Beloved, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Those nasty brothers thought Joseph would weigh their evil deeds against them and make them pay. But they were wrong. God placed Joseph there to comfort and speak kindly to them. And forgive them. But even more. He place Joseph there to feed them with grain so that they might stay alive and the family tree of the Messiah might not wither.
For in the fullness of time, the Greater Joseph - our Lord Jesus - came to you, His brothers in the flesh. He came not to critically judge or condemn, but to forgive. He removed the planks from your two eyes, lashed them together in the shape of a Cross, bore them to Jerusalem where He was nailed to them and judged for sins of the whole world. The Father condemned Him in order that you would not be condemned. The wrath of God was visited upon Him, repaying Him for the iniquity of us all.
His mercy has been pressed down, shaken together, and is poured over into your lap. The Absolution is His judgment on you - not guilty for the sake of His Son! His love is pressed down and poured over your head in the waters of Holy Baptism. You are clothed with His robe of righteousness. His forgiveness is pressed down and poured over into your mouths in His Eucharist, His Body and Blood given and shed for you.
Dear Christians, by God’s mercy you are free from all judgment. Become merciful as your Father is merciful. Forgive as you have been forgiven, Be reconciled as you have been reconciled to the Father in Christ. Feed your enemies. Give them drink. Live in harmony with one another. For that which is meant for evil against you, God shall indeed use for good. As it is written, We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His [crucified and risen] Son, in order that He might be the firstborn of many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. Nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rm 8:28-30; 39), who together with the Father + and the Holy Spirit, be glory now and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
RSS Feed