Sermon for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) Alleluia! In today's First Reading
from the Book of Acts, St. Peter says concerning Judas, the betrayer of our
Lord, "He was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this
ministry."
Dear Christian friends,
Our earliest Lutheran forefathers had great confidence in the "living and
abiding Word of God" (1 Peter 1:23). So confident were they in the unfailing
power of God's Word that these men confessed before kings and princes their
belief that God's Word does its good work no matter what. God's Word does
its work even when wicked and unbelieving men preach it and administer the
sacraments. Our Lutheran forefathers boldly proclaimed,
We know that the Word and the sacraments are efficacious [that is, powerful
and faith-producing] even when wicked men administer them (Apology VII.19).
This was Luther's own personal confession as well, as he stated in his Large
Catechism:
Even though a knave should. administer it, it is the true sacrament (that
is, Christ's body and blood) just as truly as when one uses it most
worthily. For it is not founded on the holiness of men but on the Word of
God (Large Catechism, The Sacrament of the Altar.15)
Several decades later, the second generation of Lutherans
confirmed and repeated this confession that God's Word and sacraments remain
powerful and beneficial for you, even if your pastor or preacher should only
pretend to be a believer but not himself believe:
Even though a rascal receives or gives the sacrament, it is the true
sacrament (that is, Christ's body and blood) just as much as when one does
so in the most worthy manner, for the sacrament is not based on the holiness
of men but on the Word of God (Formula of Concord, SD VII.24).
Our Lutheran forefathers repeatedly made this good confession because there
were many Christians in many congregations who had great fears about their
salvation. For many years, these Christians had listened to the preaching of
men whom they later discovered did not even know what they were talking
about when it comes to God's Word of forgiveness and life. These Christians
had spent their lives receiving Holy Communion from men whom they later
learned did not even believe in Holy Communion; they brought their children
to be baptized by men who were, at the very core, deniers of Baptism. These
Christians wanted to know, was it all for nothing?
In answer to their fears, our Lutheran forefathers declared, No!
We know that the Word and the sacraments are efficacious [that is, powerful
and faith-producing] even when wicked men administer them (Apology VII.19).
Imagine the great terror the Christians of the Early Church felt
in their hearts when they learned that Judas Iscariot had betrayed Jesus.
Aside from their sorrow over this man's act, think also of the fear and
trembling that had occurred to these earliest Christians in the Church. Not
only had Judas caused the arrest and crucifixion of their dear Lord; not
only was this "son of destruction" (John 17:12) personally lost and
condemned; but Judas Iscariot had baptized people (John 4:1) and Judas
Iscariot had preached that "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew
10:5-7). Forget the fact Judas went to hell-that was a done deal and he got
what he deserved. What about those people who had received Baptism at Judas'
hand? Was their Baptism rendered powerless by Judas' unbelief? What about
those who believed Judas when he preached the kingdom? Had they believed for
nothing? Was their faith in vain?
St. Peter answers such fears in today's First Reading. St. Peter
speaks the same sort of assurances that our Lutheran forefathers later spoke
in their confessions. St. Peter declares concerning Judas the Betrayer, "He
was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry." That is
to say, Judas Iscariot had been given the office of an apostle-"he had his
share in this ministry"-and God's Word faithfully did its work through Judas'
office. St. Peter does not invalidate any of Judas' apostolic acts, but he
recognizes and declares even after Judas' terrible death that Judas had
preached and baptized according to the Word of God. "He was numbered among
us and was allotted his share in this ministry."
A lot of people debate and wonder whether Judas was ever even a
Christian. Some people say that he never was, but that he was a pretender
and a hypocrite from day one of his call. Others see the possibility that
Judas might once have been a Christian, but then later fell from the faith
into unbelief. St. Peter's point in today's First Reading takes these
concerns about Judas' personal faith completely off the table. It truly does
not matter whether Judas ever was a believer or not. Why? Because Judas "was
numbered among us," says St. Peter, "and was allotted his share in this
ministry."
I find it surprising that so many of our fellow Christians are
quick allow their pastors to throw away the Christian liturgy for other
worship forms. I also find it surprising that so many of my fellow pastors
go ahead and throw the liturgy aside. Those who replace the ancient
Christian liturgy with homemade or "contemporary" forms of worship entrust
themselves entirely too much to their pastor or other "worship leaders."
Every Christian-for his own sake and for the sake of his fellow saints-every
Christian ought to insist that his pastor follow the Christian liturgy
faithfully, complete with its form of Absolution and its pre-determined
readings and its Service of the Sacrament. These forms ought not to be
changed at the pastor's whim and design-or anyone else's whim and design-so
that you may always be assured that you will unfailingly hear God's Word
forgiveness and eternal life, even if your pastor or other leaders should
turn out to be unbelievers.
Why? Because even if Judas was an unbeliever, he baptized under
the authority of Jesus (John 4:1) and according to the pattern Jesus had
given to him. Even if Judas was an unbeliever, he nevertheless proclaimed
the words that Jesus Himself had instructed him to preach: "The kingdom of
heaven is at hand" (Matthew 10:5-7). In the same way, if your pastor or
other church leaders should someday prove to have been fake Christians and
unbelievers, the powerful and life-giving Word of God will have nevertheless
remained in your midst.
We know that the Word and the sacraments are efficacious [that is, powerful
and faith-producing] even when wicked men administer them (Apology VII.19).
This is a good thing for you, dear Christians. Today's First
Reading announces to you the joyous news that your forgiveness, your
salvation, your righteousness and holiness do not depend upon anything other
than the powerful, life-giving Word of God.
· I am your pastor, and yes, I believe in the forgiveness of sins.
The one point of today's sermon is that this forgiveness of sins is fully
yours and it comes to you through the Absolution (John 20:21-22) whether I
personally believe it or not.
We know that the Word and the sacraments are efficacious [that is, powerful
and faith-producing] even when wicked men administer them (Apology VII.19).
· I also believe in the true body and blood of our Lord, given and
shed both for you and for me (Matthew 26:26-28). The one point of today's
sermon is that-God forbid!-even if I should fall from the faith as Judas
fell, you receive no less of Christ from an unbeliever than you do from the
holiest of all pastors or bishops.
Even though a rascal receives or gives the sacrament, it is the true
sacrament (that is, Christ's body and blood) just as much as when one does
so in the most worthy manner, for the sacrament is not based on the holiness
of men but on the Word of God (Formula of Concord, SD VII.24).
Dear Christian friends, I say these things to you for your
certainty. I say these things to you, so that you may believe and so that
nothing at all-not even your pastor-shall disturb your faith.
The peace of God which passes all understanding guard your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
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