Sermons

Trinity 9, 2026

Trinity 9, 2026

The Master summons the manager.

The Master is Jesus. The manager is you. You have been entrusted with good things from your Lord. Good things are gifts. A gift is not a right, rather, a gift is something given. It’s given by grace. God’s gifts are good things. Good things come with responsibility and that’s fine. Much of what people call stress in life is responsibility for good things; much of the stress that people want to escape in life is responsibility for good things they shouldn’t want to escape.

You are expected to be a faithful manager of good things your Lord entrusts to you.

If the Lord Jesus summoned you, what would you do? Would you hide among the trees with the devil—like Adam? Would you flee from the presence of the Lord—like Jonah? Would you say to yourself, “Whom does the Lord desire to honor except me?”–like Haman in the book of Ester? Would you defiantly strut up to Him as though you and Jesus were equals—like Satan? Would you stand before Him, looking down on Him, as though He owes you?

Examine your heart, your thoughts, your speech, your conduct, your fidelity and commitment to His Word and the calling to which He has called you. Your Master, Jesus, the One who knew you from before the foundation of the world, the One who knitted you together in your mother’s womb, the One who expects you to walk in His Ways because He has made you alive in Holy Baptism, who requires you to reject sin and enjoy a life of holiness, entrusts you with good things. He is the Master. You are a manager of what He has given you in your life.

If the Lord Jesus summoned you, as the Master summoned the manager in the parable, what would you think?

First, realize that nothing you think, say, or do is hidden from Him. Your heart is open to Him. You have never gotten away with anything.

Second, in the parable, the Master says to the manager, “What is this that I hear about you?”

That line is important. It’s not, “What do you have to say for yourself?” Nor is it, “Why did you do this?”

“What is this that I hear about you?” What have you done, or failed to do, to others where the pain you cause cries out to the Lord?

He knows. He knows the cruel things you’ve said about your siblings. He knows how your sons yearned to have more time with you and you didn’t do it. He knows when you said you’d pray for others, and didn’t. He knows when you’ve cleared your search history and think your wife will never check through your phone. He knows when you’ve completely chickened out, knowing that your daughter was living contrary to God’s ways and you praised her rather than calling her to repent. He knows how you’ll wake up early to go to your granddaughter’s gymnastics, or wake up early to travel and go fishing, but you’ve never woken up early to attend Bible study. He knows when you knew the right thing to do, you had everything you needed, and you feared offending your friends rather than fearing the Lord who will judge.

He is the Master; you the manager. He gives you good things.

He has given you your body. How have you managed it? Scripture teaches that bodily training is of value. Have you treated your body like the wondrous miracle that it is? Have you looked in the mirror and been mad at God for the body He formed? Your eyes: do you use them for chastity or lust? Your ears: do you enjoy when you hear people speaking poorly of others? Your tongue: how charitable is your speech? Your taste: Do you overindulge on food and drink?

He has given you a father and mother. You owe them honor. No matter what.

He’s given you siblings. Some of you have gone years resenting your siblings, cruelly enjoying their failings. Seldom speaking of their virtue. Repent of your hardness.

He’s given you a spouse. God put someone in your life who on the day of your marriage said, “I will.” Marriage requires work every day. Have you purposefully worked at your marriage or have you expected your spouse to do all the heavy lifting for your marriage to work.

He’s given most of you the gift of children. Children are a weight of responsibility, even as children increase your joy. Another pair of hands to fold in prayer. Another forehead and heart to mark with the sign of the cross. Another head to be washed in the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Another mouth to train to confess, “I believe in one God, the Father almighty …” Another pair of knees to kneel at the communion rail. God requires every father, “Train a child in the way he should go, so that when he is old he will not depart from it.” Many fathers say, “I took my kids to church. I made sure they were confirmed.” That’s not training. That’s not you training. That’s you expecting others to do your work. Fathers, you are required by God to train your children in His ways. That training is every day for the rest of your life. Do it. And rejoice that you are entrusted with such a noble task.

All this says nothing yet of God’s other particular gifts of salvation, which you are to manage with faithfulness. He’s given you His holy baptism. He’s given you His holy Word. He’s given you His name with which to pray. He’s given you a set time to join other saints in His house to receive His salvation, salvation given to your ears, and the flesh and blood of the One who died and lives placed upon your tongue.

If your Lord summoned you and said, “You haven’t thought about me during the week; you haven’t opened my Word in your home for years; prayer isn’t a part of your life; it’s been decades since you read through the Small Catechism; you say that the Christian faith is important to you but that’s only true for two hours of your week,” I dare say many of us would have the exact reaction as the manager in the parable:

Silence. Stunned, ashamed silence.

You know it’s true.

This parable is strangely fitting for a final Sunday sermon. The manager is summoned to account, and he’s guilty.

A little over seven years ago I was called by God to be your pastor. While I can say in complete honesty I have tried to be faithful, it’s also honest to say I have sinned. In thought, word, and deed I have sinned against the Lord and against you. You know I have not been a perfect pastor. I’ve let fear and anxiousness take precedence over the fear of the Lord. I’ve not been constant in prayer. I’ve over-reacted. If you have a list of my failings, our Lord has a longer one.

I’ve not been a perfect pastor.

You have not been a perfect congregation.

Yet Jesus, the perfect pastor whom we carpentered up on a tree, knew what He was doing seven years ago when He called yet another sinful man to be a pastor to a sinful congregation. There’s a reason the cross stands high above us. And while Jesus has a perfect record of calling sinners to be your pastor, He has a perfect record of forgiving you, blessing you, keeping His promises to you, and remaining in your midst—scarred hands enfolding you in love—for He is with you always to the end of the age.

Jesus is the Master in the parable. We are the managers, entrusted with good things. We stand knowing that we are not worthy of the good things He gives, but He gives them anyway because that’s who He is.

In the parable, the Master says to the manager, “What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.”

Recognize some things: First, the Master doesn’t immediately put the dishonest manager in jail or prison. Rather, the Master lets the manager go free. Second, the Master doesn’t send someone along to ensure that the manager doesn’t alter or change the account of management.

This means, the Master allows the manager an opportunity to do exactly what the Master wants: to reduce the debts. In other words, to extend forgiveness to others. Reducing the debts is a sign of mercy, and that mercy is a reflection of the Master’s character. It was a mercy that the Master didn’t immediately put the guilty manager in jail or prison. It was a mercy that the Master didn’t immediately tell the manager, “You’ve squandered my possessions; now pay what you owe.” The Master, in mercy, entrusts His good things to the manager and He expects the manager to act in mercy toward others.

You have a Master: the Lord Jesus. You are managers of good things He gives. He gives generously. From His side is a lavish washing of all of your sins, as well as a cup overflowing in blood-bought salvation. His Word is fulsome and good for your heart, mind, and soul. He gives.

Your Master, the Crucified and living Lord, refuses to reduce what you owe Him in your sin. He outright refuses to reduce your debt.

Thanks be to God.

What He does is pays it. In full. In blood. You, for your many sins, owe Him nothing. He has washed you, cleansed you, forgiven you, righteously clothes you, writes your name in His book with the holy ink of blood, extends full mercy to you, and that’s still not enough. He continues to bless you with many, many more good things. Just look around right now.

For this, we stand before Him not in stunned, ashamed silence.

Rather, you stand before Him, open your mouth in pure wonder and joy, and sing His praise.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Trinity 8, 2026

Trinity 8, 2026

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.”

I grew up with Aesop’s Fables, and I’ve often thought of how much Jesus’ Words sound like an Aesop’s Fable. So, imagine with me these words retold as a fable:

A flock of sheep have signs posted: Beware of wolf. The sign has two different vivid pictures. One is a picture of a wolf. The other is a picture of a wolf in sheep clothing.

The signs are clear and are set all around the flock of sheep, so that each sheep sees the clear message: Beware of wolf.

The sheep impress this message on to their children and their children’s children. Beware of the wolf. The wolf might come looking like a wolf. The wolf might come disguised somewhat as a sheep. Beware.

Time passes. For generations, the sheep are safe. The sign is heeded.

Then, along with time comes complacency. The warning “beware of wolf” becomes less serious. Some of the sheep say, “We’ve never seen a wolf, therefore there must be no wolf.” Some of the sheep say, “There used to be a wolf, but the wolf is dead.” Others say, “The wolf surely isn’t as bad as the sign suggests.” Others say, “It’s such an ugly sign; why would anyone want such a dreadful image to scare their children?” Others say, “We need to be more welcoming.” Others, “We need to be tolerant.” Others, “Who are we to judge?” Others, “We’re not called to beware. We’re called to love.”

You, O listener, can imagine, things are about to get really ugly for the sheep.

But.

But one lamb, merely a year old lamb. Male. Unblemished. A lamb sent in the midst of wolves. This lamb was not silent. In this lamb, wisdom cried aloud in the streets, “Beware of the wolf.”

They said to the lamb, “It’s such an ugly sign.”

He said, “Beware of the wolf.”

They said, “We need to be more tolerant.”

He said, “Beware of the wolf.”

They said, “We need to love everybody.”

He said, “Beware of the wolf.”

They said, “Who made you judge?”

He said, “Beware of the wolf.”

And they tore their sheepskins, gnashed their teeth, stopped their ears, cast that unblemished lamb out of the fold, and killed him.

[…]

Dear saints, if the words of Jesus were made into an Aesop’s Fable, it would end like this: After that, the sheep tore down the warning signs, rejoiced, and the wolf came and devoured them.

God be praised, this isn’t an Aesop’s Fable.

Now, all of the above is true. The sheep really did turn on the lamb. The sheep really did want to remove the signs, and thus remove the warning them of danger.

But, here’s what would never happen in an Aesop Fable but does happen in the Gospel of your Lord Jesus Christ: The dead lamb rises from the dead. The dead lamb holds up the head of the wolf. The sheep, who cried out for the lamb’s blood, repent of their blood-lust and rejoice that what they meant for evil, God meant for good.

And, as a final unexpected twist if this were a mere Aesop’s Fable, the slain lamb that lives, forgives them. Changes them. Turns them from their ravenously sinful ways into gentle spotless lambs again.

It’s not a mere fable, nor a parable. It happened. It is happening.

Here it is, about two thousand years later, and here at St. John’s Jesus’ warning is still being heeded: Beware. The warning sign remains for your good.

You are a congregation committed to the Word of God and you are rightly very intent and cautious to beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You expect your pastor to hold the fullness of God’s Law before your heart and mind, warning you of sins and requiring you to repent of them. You expect the Ten Commandments to be heeded like a protective barrier against the ravenous desires of sin. You rejoice that the spotless lamb’s blood is on you and your children for your eternal good. As you beware false prophets, your heart and mind also remain fixed on the true prophet, Jesus, who comes not as a ravenous wolf to devour, but the Lamb of God to save.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Trinity 5, 2026

Trinity 5, 2026

It’s hard to deliberate a call. I know it’s hard for you, too.

To say it’s very hard to take a call is an understatement. I know it’s very hard for you, too. I love you guys, and I know you love me, too. As the love of Christ works in you, you’ve lived up to your namesake. It is St. John who writes, “Let us love one another, for love is from God.” You’re a gift.

Today’s readings have two appropriate themes for this moment in the life of St. John’s. First, the reality of the Divine Call. Second, hope.

We trust from the Word of God that the Divine Call is from the Lord and that, whether a call is accepted or declined, the Lord has a good purpose for that call. That’s why we call it a Divine Call. The Holy Spirit guides and directs the process to bring men in the office of the holy ministry where He wants them.

In the books of 1 and 2 Kings, the prophet Elijah was called by God to particular places at different times. He was called to preach the Word to Israel. He was called to go to lodge with the widow of Zaraphath. He was called to go to Mt. Carmel. In the reading from 1 Kings 19, Elijah was called to go and anoint two different kings. He was also called to anoint a successor. At any moment, Elijah’s call depended on the direction of God.

Eventually, the time came for Elijah’s time of service to end. And, very importantly, the Lord provided another man: Elisha. Elijah was called to serve. Then Elisha was called to serve.

The Lord has a 100% rate of proving the man you need to be your pastor. He will continue to provide you with a pastor to preach the whole counsel of God to you, to call you to humble repentance over your sin, to assure you the rich mercies of the blood of Christ Jesus cleansing you from all unrighteousness. The Lord provides His people with pastors.

The Gospel reading recounts the calling of the first Apostles: Peter, Andrew, James, and John.

Those four had a good thing going. Fishermen. A fine, worthy profession. We can very safely assume they weren’t looking to no longer be fishermen. Peter had a mother-in-law, which means Peter had a wife, and likely children.

Yet, the Lord’s call came. Peter, Andrew, James, and John left everything and followed the Lord. It wasn’t convenient. It brought shock, and likely some sorrow, to many.

But, the call belongs to the Lord, and that is for our good.

The Lord has a 100% rate of calling the man you need to be your pastor. He will continue to do so.

The second fitting theme of these readings is hope.

Elijah needed hope renewed. “The people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left. And they seek my life, to take it away.”

Elijah had labored and labored, preached and preached, to bring the people of Israel to humble repentance over their idolatrous sins. Yet even atop Mt. Carmel, when the prophets of Baal were soundly defeated, the king and queen of Israel refused to repent.

Elijah likely wondered what it was all for. You might imagine Elijah saying, “The church pews are empty, the young families are gone, there’s too few pastors, and the only ones showing up are the old ones.”

Elijah struggled with hopelessness. Giving up.

And, the Lord gently told Elijah that Elijah’s despair was wrong. “Go. I have reserved seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

Hope. All was not lost. The Word of the Lord was doing far, far more good through Elijah than he recognized. To use our terms, the church pews weren’t empty, the young families weren’t all gone, there wasn’t too few pastors. The Lord was still doing His work among His people, just as He promised.

Peter, Andrew, James, and John likely weren’t hopeless. What they were was frustrated. They fished all night and caught nothing.

Yet, in the heat of the day, the Lord told them to go out to the deep, let down their nets for a catch. The only reason they had to do it was the Lord’s Word. “At your Word I will let down the nets.” Peter trusted that because Jesus said to do it, it must be good.

It was. In fact, it was too much of a good thing. The nets were full to the point of beginning to break. The boats were full to the point of beginning to sink.

Peter, in fearful awe at the presence of the holy Son of God, fell to his knees. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

But the Lord hasn’t come to depart from sinners. He’s come to redeem sinners. To turn sinners from sinful ways, lay down His life for sinners, purchase them with His holy precious blood, and declare you holy and forgiven.

The Lord called them to no longer catch fish with nets and boats. Rather, to catch flesh and blood mankind with the Word and the church.

At times the work is frustrating and seems to no avail. And at other times, great catches happen, extraordinary surprises of joy, that gather many in.

I have no doubt that Peter often reflected on this miracle, and reflecting on it, had hope. You too, reflect on this miracle—reflect on it often and have hope. If the Lord can grant a great catch of fish during the heat of the day, the Lord can grant the turning of many hearts from sinful ways to the ways of the Lord.

Such is your confidence and hope. Your Lord Jesus Christ, the living bridegroom of the church, provides His churches with pastors. He will continue to do so. And, your days have hope. Your future is pure hope. Jesus lives and He provides.

In His name. Amen.