Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”  And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”  And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
--Matthew 21:8-11

Think for a moment about Jesus coming to you.  Seriously.  Spend 30 seconds picturing Jesus coming right to you, looking you in the eye, and saying something to you.

Now, was this experience a good thing or a bad thing?  Did the Jesus of your imagination harshly condemn you or did he warmly welcome you?

Some people I speak with are very afraid of Jesus’ return on the last day.  They are very conscious of their own sinful deeds and are afraid of Jesus’ harsh punishment.  In their fear, they want Jesus to stay away from them.

Other people I speak with cannot wait for Jesus to come back.  They picture Jesus giving them a warm embrace, filling them with loving warmth.  Also lots of light and overwhelming love.

Because of our sin, we should all fear Jesus’ coming for judgment.  But for you who are baptized into Jesus, you should joyfully anticipate the welcoming return of a glorious Jesus.  And this joyful anticipation is only because Jesus first came to Jerusalem as a servant.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, some created a raucous party atmosphere.  Some became angry and fearful.  Still others reacted with confusion. Yet Jesus did not come to create a party nor fear nor confusion.  Jesus came into Jerusalem as the servant-king who would serve you by taking away your sin.  Jesus was enthroned upon a cross and wore a crown of thorns.  Pontius Pilate put a sign upon the cross:  “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

Through Jesus’ loving service to you—his death and resurrection—all your reason to fear Jesus is gone.  Jesus dies on the cross to serve you.  Jesus shows you his love by dying for you.  Jesus teaches you by his Resurrection that you will rise to newness of life.  And Jesus teaches you that when he returns, he comes to give you the riches of his kingdom for all eternity.
  
Almighty and everlasting God, you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross.  Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of his great humility and patience and be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

This is our final week of reviewing the Third Article of The Apostle’s Creed with Dr. Martin Luther’s comments, the Catechisms and some personal reflections.

The Third Article of The Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen!
 
Dr. Martin Luther’s explanation of The Third Article from The Small Catechism answers the famous Luther question, What does this mean?:
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.  In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.  In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.  On the last day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true.

This week, we focus on the first part of Dr. Luther’s explanation: On the last day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true.

The central thought for this final week is: “All people yearn for a better future and hope that things in their lives and in the world will improve.” 
What sort of future do you hope and long for?” 
Dr. Luther writes: 
As Christians, we yearn for the resurrection of the body and life eternal in the new heaven and new earth—the time when we will be “perfectly pure and holy people…free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body” (LC (Large Catechism) II 58).

One Small Catechism question is: What happens to me as a Christian when I die?
There are various views to answer this question. Most popular among Lutheran Christians is: ‘When I die, the God-given unity of my body and spirit will be broken, I will immediately be in the presence of Christ, in heaven, but my body will remain in the grave until the resurrection.’

I am reminded of the thief on the cross next to Jesus who says, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ I hear Jesus respond to me through this question, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:42-43).’ 

Another Small Catechism question: Do we know when all this will take place?
Jesus gives us this answer in Mark 13 when asked by Peter, John, James and Andrew, ‘When will the end come?’ Jesus’ reply, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert[e]! You do not know when that time will come.” 
This is most certainly true!


Dear Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit, through Whom we know we have forever life because of Jesus. Jesus said, ‘I go to prepare a place for you!’ Let all who read Your Word, be brought comfort in strengthening of faith, the forgiveness of sins and forever life! Amen.

This week, we continue reviewing the Third Article of The Apostle’s Creed with Dr. Martin Luther’s comments, the Catechisms and some personal reflections.

The Third Article of The Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen!
 
Dr. Martin Luther’s explanation of The Third Article from The Small Catechism answers the famous Luther question, What does this mean?:
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.  In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.  In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.  On the last day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true.

This week, we focus on the first part of Dr. Luther’s explanation: In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. This is most certainly true.

Perhaps the most important question in consideration of our focus this week is, ‘Why must we firmly maintain this teaching of forgiveness—the doctrine of justification by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith?’

The Small Catechism states: We must firmly hold to this teaching because it is the most important Christian doctrine. This teaching distinguishes the Christian faith from all other religions, since other religions teach salvation by works. This teaching alone gives enduring comfort to penitent sinners and all glory to God for His grace and mercy in Christ Jesus.

Read and consider the following Scripture: 

• Acts 4:12: And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’
  
• Romans 3:21-25: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.
  
• Galatians 5:4-5: You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
  
• Revelation 1:5-6: To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Read also Romans 5:1-14. Our churches “teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins. God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight” (AC (Augsburg Confession) IV 1-3)

​Dear Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit, through Whom we know forgiveness of all sins in Jesus. We give thanks and praise to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

This week, we continue reviewing the Third Article of The Apostle’s Creed with Dr. Martin Luther’s comments, the Catechisms and some personal reflections.

The Third Article of The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen!
 
Dr. Martin Luther’s explanation of The Third Article from The Small Catechism answers the famous Luther question, What does this mean?:

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.  In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.  In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.  On the last day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true.

This week, we focus on the first part of Dr. Luther’s explanation: In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. This is most certainly true.

What do you think of when you hear the word, ‘church?’
The Greek word most commonly used in the NT when talking about “church” is ekklesia. Ekklesia is basically a combination of two Greek words: “ek” meaning “out of” and “kaleo” meaning “to call” so ekklesia, the church, is/are people God has “called out” to be His body, His presence in the world today. Three Scriptures passage come to mind: 

• Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV) And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. 
  
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV) We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
  
• John 1:14 tells us that Jesus is God incarnate – that is, God in the flesh. In a very real way, the church is Christ/Jesus incarnate – that is the church is the primary means Jesus continues to take on body, flesh, in the world today.

You may be like most people when you hear the word church and think: building, congregation, denomination, worship service. That thinking is fine, but another term or metaphor commonly used by St. Paul in the NT is the “Body of Christ.” This was already mentioned in the Ephesian 1 passage. Here are a couple other passages. 

• 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV) Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (for fuller context see 1 Cor 12:12-27)
  
• Ephesians 4:11-12,16 (NIV) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Dear Father, through Your Holy Spirit, empower us to be Your hands, feet, voices, eyes and ears for Your Holy Gospel, Jesus. We give thanks and praise to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.