And you are. Take note of how St. Paul started so many of his letters, “To the saints…” literally the “holy ones.” This is your status now baptized and forgiven one!

Blessed 25th day of Lent. This is our 2nd to last Wednesday night service at 7 pm tonight once again at Concordia University Irvine.

Please note: we are meeting on the 3rd. floor conference room in Grimm Hall as we continue our series on holy vocation. Remember every vocation — even if it is not yours — is essential to the body. St. Paul writes that even the weaker parts of the body are “indispensable.” (1 Cor. 12:22)

Remember that Grimm Hall is the newest building on campus (3 stories high) and is adjacent to the parking lot that is also close by to the library. Walk up to Grimm Hall to the open, outside middle of the building and see a large globe. Enter left into the building and walk through the hall up to the elevators on your right. Go up to the 3rd floor and turn right and then right again in the conference room.

An extra sermon for you: next Tuesday, April 8th will be presented by yours truly on KFUO. I am attaching the manuscript here for this 5 minute service which will be presented as part of a morning “Matins” on air.

KFUO “His Time” Sermon for April 8^th, 2014

“Christ For Us When Sin Comes From The Outside & The Inside”

Text: St. Mark 14:53-72

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa, Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ on this 30^th day of Lent [if this is broadcast on April 8^th] and as we are now knocking on the door of Holy Week. Amen. It is time to reflect on our dear Savior’s passion: all that He was willing to do and endure in order to save us from sin, death, and the power of the Evil One. In our Gospel text from St. Mark, chapter 14, verses 53-72 we see our Lord facing for us sinful attacks from the “outside” (or from the world) and even more shamefully and alarming sinful attacks from the “inside” (or from within His own Church). His response to these, however, is the response of amazing grace poured out through His been undeterred from why He came taking on our flesh to begin with: He would go forth to die for us “while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)

The outside sinful attack against our Savior is depicted in the mockery and farce of a trial before the Sanhedrin as recorded in verses 53-65. “[Our Lord Jesus] had been arrested in an illegal and a most highhanded way, and as he faces his judges for trial, no crime has been charged against him. And so, unindicted, illegally arrested, he stands at this illegal hour before this illegally convened court.” (R.C.H. Lenski, Interpretation of St. Mark’s Gospel, 657) It is important to note that this trial ignored the legal restrictions which forbade trials at night. The darkness represents the work of Satan who persecuted the Lord and who to this day persecutes the Church and the members of the Lord’s Holy Bride like you and me. Caiaphas the high priest heard testimony that did not agree (v 59), and when He asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” (v 60), our Lord’s silence (v 61) must have been deafening, but it was appropriate: there was no need to defend oneself against lies and false accusations.

But then Caiaphas — who was now desperate and feverish to stop Christ — asked a question that our Lord had to answer: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (v 61) Oh Caiaphas knew exactly what he was asking (the Jews sought to avoid the holy name of God and so Caiaphas made an adjustment: instead of saying “Son of God,” he said “Son of the Blessed,” same difference). Again our Lord had to answer because this is why He came: to show us God, our merciful and saving God! So He answered: “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (v 62) The Lord was fully aware of the words of Daniel 7:13-14 and identified Himself with another divine title: “Son of Man”…the One with authority to judge all men, because He is God with the power and authority of God! So much for the claim that the New Testament does not clearly identify Jesus as God! And this is exactly what Caiaphas heard and understood and so he “tore his garments and said, ‘What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?’ And they all condemned him as deserving death.” (vv 63-64)

But our Lord’s persecution did not end there. Like a cancer, sin spreads and it would invade even St. Peter. In love St. Peter came to the courtyard to be as near to the Lord as possible, but in fear he betrayed the Lord. Three times St. Peter denied Christ and you know the rest of the account: “And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.” (v 72)

This is what our Savior faced for us: the persecution and rejection of the world; and the betrayal and denial from His own. And how often have we joined in this Satanic throng? How often have we in our own sin accused Christ like Caiaphas who essentially was unwilling to submit to the King of Kings…so we accuse our Savior in our hearts and join the world’s sin because we want to find a way to maintain our autonomy. And how we can relate to Peter who denied the Lord. How often have we in our sin denied the Lord; too afraid to be His witnesses, fearing men more than we reverence the Lord and we shut our mouths from sharing the Gospel or side step being too strongly identified as “one of those Christians.”

But Luther said: “The church of God has great need of these examples. For what would become of us? What hope would be left for us if Peter had not denied Christ and all the apostles had not taken offense at Him, and if Moses, Aaron, and David had not fallen? Therefore God wanted to console sinners with these examples and to say: ‘If you have fallen, return; for the door of mercy is open to you. You, who are conscious of no sin, do not be presumptuous; but both of you should trust in My grace and mercy.” (AE 7:11 as quoted in TLSB 1694) For St. Peter the denier our Lord went to the cross – and for that matter He went for Caiaphas as well and for the whole world – and on that cross covered the sins of the accusers and the deniers with His blood; the life in His blood (Lev. 17:11) covered the death of our sin (Rom. 6:23).

And for all who call on the Name of the Lord through the Holy Spirit calling, gathering, and enlightening through the Word and Sacrament of Christ shall be saved! So the Lord in grace also restored St. Peter even as the Lord leads you to live in your baptismal grace and to daily return to Christ! St. Peter who denied the Lord three times was three times restored as recorded in John 21:15-19. Therefore, be comforted dear Christian, because the Lord Jesus is likewise merciful to you so that in the forgiveness of sins you may also “proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1^st Peter 2:9)

And now the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus until He comes again in glory. Amen.

May the Lord continue to bless you on hour Lenten journey preparing you for the high feast of the Resurrection!

In Jesus’ Love,

Pastor Espinosa