A Foretaste of the Celebration to Come

Happy birthday, St. Matthew Lutheran Church! 148 years old. That’s pretty amazing!

That’s a reason for us to celebrate – to mark a very special occasion. In the midst of the Civil War, a couple of dozen German-American Lutherans start a church here on the prairie north of what would become known as Lake Zurich.

Speaking of war …

Celebrations are also held to observe great victories. One that comes to mind is the celebration held in New York City when V-E Day was announced – the one with the sailor kissing the nurse.

During the war, the original St. Matthew sanctuary burned down – in 1942. As I thought about that more and more this past week, I began to realize that this event could be used by Satan against  our congregation’s mission and ministry. Satan tried very hard to get the people of St. Matthew to stop what they were doing – making disciples, baptizing, and teaching to observe all that Jesus commands.

But the people of St. Matthew – like the people of the United States as a whole – are not easily defeated.

While St. Matthew Lutheran church was awaiting materials to be made available to re-build the sanctuary after it burned to the ground in 1942, the United States observed first the victory in Europe in May 1945 and then victory over Japan in August of 1945.

Finally in 1949, we celebrated the dedication of the re-built sanctuary. We did so with a worship service that celebrated the greatest victory of all!

The reason St. Matthew is here – the reason all churches exist – is to proclaim the salvation victory won for us by Jesus Christ, the Son of God! We celebrate each week the greatest victory of all - when Jesus Christ defeated death for us.

In fact, it is very important to remember that is why we are here. For those taking sermon notes, here’s the Gospel:

St. Matthew Lutheran Church – here for 148 years – is here to live the victory celebration of our salvation by believing and proclaiming:

o          Jesus’ Birth  - that He was born to be our substitute under the Law

o          Jesus’ Life  - that He lived perfectly to be our righteousness.

o          Jesus’ Death – Through which He gives us the forgiveness of sins.

o          Jesus’ Resurrection  - which assures us that we who believe will also rise bodily on the last day – dead or alive - everlasting life.

o          Jesus’ Ascension –that gives us the promise that He will return to take us to heaven.

This is our message. This is our life.

At one point, Satan was so threatened by this that he tried to use the burning down of our sanctuary to stop us from being a powerful witness of the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Today, Satan uses different – but no less dangerous – tactics. Jesus warns of this in the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22.

This parable is about the second coming of Jesus Christ – the Son of the King. Heaven is elsewhere described as “the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom” (Revelation 19:9).

Will you be there? I hope that you accept the invitation of the Lamb. You are invited to the wedding feast. I think we might be surprised at who actually accepts the invitation – I think that’s part of the reason that the parable says that “both bad and good” have been invited. Those we might think do not have any chance of being invited to the wedding might actually be there and surprise us.

The reasons anyone can accept the invitation is that the Holy Spirit has created and sustained faith in their hearts through Word and Sacrament.

But the parable is blunt in telling us who will not be there.

Now, this is going to sound harsh. But that’s because it is. It is the Law. This is God’s warning to you and me. The invitation is limited to this lifetime. Don’t reject it.

All are invited. But some will reject the invitation. Some pay no attention and walk away – they ignore the invitation. Some are too busy at home or with work. Others “shoot the messenger.” The invitation comes and they attack those bringing the invitation. Jesus may have in mind here something He had said before about those who killed the prophets in the past because they didn’t like hearing the Word of the Lord they brought.

It still happens today. Maybe the messenger isn’t killed but they are told in no uncertain terms that the invitation they bring will be rejected.

The invitation is to the wedding feast of the Lamb. This will be “heaven” – yet to come. But for now, we have three words to us as we await the celebration to come. In these three words we have a tantalizing taste of the celebration to come.

The first word is from the very familiar Psalm for today – Psalm 23. This Psalm is encouragement to us. God will take care of us, God will carry us. God will provide an overflowing cup of His goodness to us.

The second word is contentment in Philippians 4. God provides all things – sometimes directly, sometimes through other means and people. Whether worldly rich or poor, being content in any situation reminds us that we can do all things through God who strengthens us.

The third word is action – also from Philippians 4. Put into action – or “practice” as verse 9 says – the things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise. Do these things as the foretaste of the celebration to come.

So on our birthday, St. Matthew, let’s celebrate with encouragement, contentment, and action in telling the Good News about Jesus to everyone we meet!