Holy Baptism: Nami Marie Haverstick
Jeremiah 23:16-29/Acts 20:27-38/St Matthew 7:15-23
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
And come they do. From all angles. From your television, from your radio, from your computer. In your mailbox, your inbox, to your front door. So the next time Joel Osteen comes to your TV screen, look past his warm smile and his smooth delivery and the 30,000 people surrounding him. Instead, do what Jesus says to do, judge him by the fruit of his lips. For although he looks good, he teaches something rotten, evil even. A false Jesus. A Jesus whose will is that you have your best life now and whose main aim is that you be happy and prosperous.
Or the next time you see the Pope, don’t be so impressed with his kindly manner, his likability and impressive buildings. Do what Jesus says. Don’t judge him by how well he washes people’s feet or saves the environment. Look at the fruit of his lips, for he teaches something corrupt. A false Jesus. The Pope’s Jesus does not save you by faith alone, but saves you only if you do your part too.
Osteen and the Pope are easy targets. The next time you see a Missouri Synod pastor, don’t just put him in the “approved” category because he’s nice. Look at the fruit that comes from his lips. Does St Paul not warn the Ephesians, From among your selves will arise men speaking twisted things? If his preaching is more of what God expects of you than what Jesus has done for you; if Jesus is a coach, a mentor, a therapist, rather than a Redeemer, Advocate, an Atoning Sacrifice, that LC-MS pastor is preaching a false Jesus.
Beware, our Lord says. It is a perilous, dangerous world out there. You are Little Red Riding Hood whose mother told her to stay on the path through the treacherous woods to grandma’s house. And Satan is the big, bad wolf, looking to gobble you up; to corrupt your soul and lead you into false belief.
But he doesn’t spew his poison in this world while holding a pitchfork and dressed in red. Sometimes he does it through those who wear clergy collars or expensive suits. Beware, our Lord says. He’s been around a long time and knows better than you how to play the game. He knows how gullible you can be. How easily impressed with appearances and externals. The way a person talks or looks. His charisma. Her charm. Beware. He prowls, seeking someone to devour.
But the problem is not just the wolves out there. Not just the world and the devil. The problem is also the ravenous wolf inside you; your sinful flesh. The wolf that hungers for a false Jesus. A Jesus different than He really is. That wolf inside of you kind of likes Osteen’s Jesus - one that is more practical and more of a problem solver. One who will inspire you to be a better you, who will help you out more with your family’s dysfunctions and that mounting debt.
That wolf inside of you kind of likes the Pope’s Jesus. Its flattering to think you and God are working together toward your salvation. God helps those who help themselves and all that. Maybe a moral authority thousands of years old might is a bit enticing right now.
And that wolf inside you just hungers for simply a nice pastor, with a nice church, with nice people, and a nice Jesus. A pastor and church and Jesus who will just leave me alone to indulge my not-so-nice behavior and ask nothing of me. A pastor and church and Jesus who will leave me alone to indulge myself in me.
Repent. And flee from such false prophets, such wolves in sheep’s skins. Even the one inside yourself. That inner wolf much not be indulged. Must not be stroked. That inner wolf must be killed, slain with the bloody sword of the Word. Because whether the wolves out there or the wolf inside, the insatiable hunger is the same: that your heart believe and your lips confess a false Jesus and that your soul end up like a diseased tree that is cut down and thrown into the fire of hell.
Beware of false prophets who come to you from all angles. But be glad and rejoice this morning. For the true Prophet, the true Jesus has come to you this morning. And look at the fruit of His lips. They are not spewing condemnation and judgment, nor lies and half-truths. They are speaking the sweet Word of forgiveness and love. For though you have hungered for a Jesus who will get more results, who will do things your way, who will get with your program, He has hungered for nothing less than your salvation and life with Him.
He comes to you in sheep’s clothing. But that is fitting, since inwardly and truly, at His very essence, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He comes and has taken His dear lamb, Nami Marie, snatched her out of the jaws of the Devil, rescuing her safe and sound into His the Ship of His Church. He has stuffed that rotten wolf’s mouth with His own flesh and blood, put Himself in her place and has given her a share in the inheritance among those who are sanctified; those who live by faith according to His law.
Thus those chilling words of judgment, Depart from Me you workers of lawlessness, spoken in today’s Gospel do not apply to Nami. Nor do they apply to you, dear Christian.
Even though you have acted as though you want no part of Him, He will not say at the Judgment, I never knew you. For He has known you. He will say, “I have loved you from before the foundation of the world. I have chosen you and redeemed you with My own blood.”
Even though you have departed from His Word, He will not say to you, Depart from Me. Instead He will say, “Nothing can separate you from Me. For in Holy Baptism I made you mine and promised I would never leave or forsake you.”
Even though the Law renders you a worker of lawlessness, He will not put you in that category, but will say, “Come, you heir of righteousness, for I have kept the Law perfectly for you. Only believe and it is reckoned to you as righteousness.”
This is the real Jesus. And all this is because He did the impossible. Everyone knows you don’t get god fruit from a bad tree. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? No. But out of unspeakable love for you He did just that. He took a bad tree, the evil tree, the cursed tree, and out of love for you desired to be hung there with your sin until the parched lips of your True Prophet uttered, It is finished. Finished was the satanic wolf. Finished and fully complete was your salvation.
What fruit was hanging on the cursed Tree bearing sin and death and every evil? The fruit of Mary’s womb. Born for you. Enfleshed for you. Crucified for you. Pierced for your transgressions. Taste that fruit. His pierced side gushing mercy for you. Water that has cleansed you, along with Nami, of all your sin. Blood which fills the cup given you to drink in order that you may live in faith and love, and produce good fruit according to His good and gracious will.
Don’t be fooled by externals. The Dead Man on the Cross bleeding and dying for your sins is the greatest sight there ever was. This is your greatest joy. His work is your entrance into the Kingdom. His mercy comes to you from all angels. Here in the Absolution, there in Holy Baptism, here in the Supper. By these are you grafted into His good Tree and planted in His faithfulness that you may grown in love and good works, giving shade and refreshment to your neighbor, showing forth the good things of Jesus’ Spirit: His kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jeremiah 23:16-29/Acts 20:27-38/St Matthew 7:15-23
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
And come they do. From all angles. From your television, from your radio, from your computer. In your mailbox, your inbox, to your front door. So the next time Joel Osteen comes to your TV screen, look past his warm smile and his smooth delivery and the 30,000 people surrounding him. Instead, do what Jesus says to do, judge him by the fruit of his lips. For although he looks good, he teaches something rotten, evil even. A false Jesus. A Jesus whose will is that you have your best life now and whose main aim is that you be happy and prosperous.
Or the next time you see the Pope, don’t be so impressed with his kindly manner, his likability and impressive buildings. Do what Jesus says. Don’t judge him by how well he washes people’s feet or saves the environment. Look at the fruit of his lips, for he teaches something corrupt. A false Jesus. The Pope’s Jesus does not save you by faith alone, but saves you only if you do your part too.
Osteen and the Pope are easy targets. The next time you see a Missouri Synod pastor, don’t just put him in the “approved” category because he’s nice. Look at the fruit that comes from his lips. Does St Paul not warn the Ephesians, From among your selves will arise men speaking twisted things? If his preaching is more of what God expects of you than what Jesus has done for you; if Jesus is a coach, a mentor, a therapist, rather than a Redeemer, Advocate, an Atoning Sacrifice, that LC-MS pastor is preaching a false Jesus.
Beware, our Lord says. It is a perilous, dangerous world out there. You are Little Red Riding Hood whose mother told her to stay on the path through the treacherous woods to grandma’s house. And Satan is the big, bad wolf, looking to gobble you up; to corrupt your soul and lead you into false belief.
But he doesn’t spew his poison in this world while holding a pitchfork and dressed in red. Sometimes he does it through those who wear clergy collars or expensive suits. Beware, our Lord says. He’s been around a long time and knows better than you how to play the game. He knows how gullible you can be. How easily impressed with appearances and externals. The way a person talks or looks. His charisma. Her charm. Beware. He prowls, seeking someone to devour.
But the problem is not just the wolves out there. Not just the world and the devil. The problem is also the ravenous wolf inside you; your sinful flesh. The wolf that hungers for a false Jesus. A Jesus different than He really is. That wolf inside of you kind of likes Osteen’s Jesus - one that is more practical and more of a problem solver. One who will inspire you to be a better you, who will help you out more with your family’s dysfunctions and that mounting debt.
That wolf inside of you kind of likes the Pope’s Jesus. Its flattering to think you and God are working together toward your salvation. God helps those who help themselves and all that. Maybe a moral authority thousands of years old might is a bit enticing right now.
And that wolf inside you just hungers for simply a nice pastor, with a nice church, with nice people, and a nice Jesus. A pastor and church and Jesus who will just leave me alone to indulge my not-so-nice behavior and ask nothing of me. A pastor and church and Jesus who will leave me alone to indulge myself in me.
Repent. And flee from such false prophets, such wolves in sheep’s skins. Even the one inside yourself. That inner wolf much not be indulged. Must not be stroked. That inner wolf must be killed, slain with the bloody sword of the Word. Because whether the wolves out there or the wolf inside, the insatiable hunger is the same: that your heart believe and your lips confess a false Jesus and that your soul end up like a diseased tree that is cut down and thrown into the fire of hell.
Beware of false prophets who come to you from all angles. But be glad and rejoice this morning. For the true Prophet, the true Jesus has come to you this morning. And look at the fruit of His lips. They are not spewing condemnation and judgment, nor lies and half-truths. They are speaking the sweet Word of forgiveness and love. For though you have hungered for a Jesus who will get more results, who will do things your way, who will get with your program, He has hungered for nothing less than your salvation and life with Him.
He comes to you in sheep’s clothing. But that is fitting, since inwardly and truly, at His very essence, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He comes and has taken His dear lamb, Nami Marie, snatched her out of the jaws of the Devil, rescuing her safe and sound into His the Ship of His Church. He has stuffed that rotten wolf’s mouth with His own flesh and blood, put Himself in her place and has given her a share in the inheritance among those who are sanctified; those who live by faith according to His law.
Thus those chilling words of judgment, Depart from Me you workers of lawlessness, spoken in today’s Gospel do not apply to Nami. Nor do they apply to you, dear Christian.
Even though you have acted as though you want no part of Him, He will not say at the Judgment, I never knew you. For He has known you. He will say, “I have loved you from before the foundation of the world. I have chosen you and redeemed you with My own blood.”
Even though you have departed from His Word, He will not say to you, Depart from Me. Instead He will say, “Nothing can separate you from Me. For in Holy Baptism I made you mine and promised I would never leave or forsake you.”
Even though the Law renders you a worker of lawlessness, He will not put you in that category, but will say, “Come, you heir of righteousness, for I have kept the Law perfectly for you. Only believe and it is reckoned to you as righteousness.”
This is the real Jesus. And all this is because He did the impossible. Everyone knows you don’t get god fruit from a bad tree. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? No. But out of unspeakable love for you He did just that. He took a bad tree, the evil tree, the cursed tree, and out of love for you desired to be hung there with your sin until the parched lips of your True Prophet uttered, It is finished. Finished was the satanic wolf. Finished and fully complete was your salvation.
What fruit was hanging on the cursed Tree bearing sin and death and every evil? The fruit of Mary’s womb. Born for you. Enfleshed for you. Crucified for you. Pierced for your transgressions. Taste that fruit. His pierced side gushing mercy for you. Water that has cleansed you, along with Nami, of all your sin. Blood which fills the cup given you to drink in order that you may live in faith and love, and produce good fruit according to His good and gracious will.
Don’t be fooled by externals. The Dead Man on the Cross bleeding and dying for your sins is the greatest sight there ever was. This is your greatest joy. His work is your entrance into the Kingdom. His mercy comes to you from all angels. Here in the Absolution, there in Holy Baptism, here in the Supper. By these are you grafted into His good Tree and planted in His faithfulness that you may grown in love and good works, giving shade and refreshment to your neighbor, showing forth the good things of Jesus’ Spirit: His kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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