That first year of our Lord -- when God was in the flesh in Christ -- it might be said that Christmas started a little early. Though the world did not yet know, Mary, Elisabeth, and John the Baptist (though he was only 6 months in his mother's womb) knew that Jesus had come! It was Christmas before Christmas. The account is amazing and tomorrow I relate to you how the Virgin Mary, the mother of John the Baptist -- Elisabeth -- and the unborn John the Baptist are little pictures of you and of me. We learn about our own great need for a Savior through these holy people in sacred Scripture and each of them demonstrate their own great need to be blessed and to receive the grace of God. The best part is, is that when we receive this good news that the Lord in grace prepares us for Christmas, we leap...we leap in great joy!

In addition -- and as always -- we will receive the ongoing sending and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (the holy mass) in the precious body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Once again, God would have it that you be assured that your sins are forgiven; that God is for you; and that you are called to saving faith through this medicine of immortality which prepares you for Christmas.

I rejoice to serve you and look forward to seeing you in the morning!

Here is an excerpt from the sermon:

But here in our Gospel this morning -- one more canticle; one more special song for us to consider before Christmas on the occasion of what the Church calls “The Visitation,” when Mary traveled for about four (4) days to visit her cousin Elisabeth -- the Lord surprises us that there was a coming of Christ (a sending of Christ to appreciate the actual word “Christ-mass” before His birth; a kind of “Christmas” before Christmas). That is, we mustn’t forget dear Christians that before the birth of our Savior, there was for Him just like there was for you, a conception -- the vehicle used by God to initiate the incarnation insofar as it touches our lives in this world -- God taking upon Himself flesh; true God becoming also at the same time true man nine months before His birth; your brother who was and is true God. He became a true human like you and was therefore able to be your human representative and human substitute to save you from your sin and to save you from death. As the great Athanasius wrote, “This He did out of sheer love for us, so that in His death all might die, and the law of death thereby be abolished because, when He had fulfilled in His body that for which it was appointed, [the law of death] was thereafter voided of its power for men…[and I especially love this part]…Thus He would make death to disappear from them as utterly as straw from fire (On the Incarnation, 34).”

We see that Jesus is God even at conception! Pieper wrote, “Not only as a man (Matt. 16:13-17; 26:63f.), not only as a boy (Luke 2:49), not only as the child in the manger (Luke 2:11), but already as the child in His mother’s womb He is [The Lord], the Lord God, called that by Elisabeth (Luke 1:43). He was then already received into the Person of the Son of God (Volume II, 79-80). The Augsburg Confession summarizes exactly what the Word of God is presenting us through the conception of Jesus: “Also they teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary (Trigl. 44, Art. III, 1).”

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

Pastor Espinosa

p.s. remember that our Christmas Eve (candlelight service) is Monday, December 24th at 7 pm and that our Christmas Morning (communion service) is Tuesday, December 25th...Karissa has planned some great music for us as well!

Your Great God and Dear Savior desire that you would be filled with JOY this Advent and Christmas. Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice!" But is God saying to just "flip a switch" when we are struggling and not feeling joyful? How are we to understand this word? It is a fantastic message from the Lord and in this text is the antidote for anxiety and worry. I loved researching this text. It is FANTASTIC and I can't wait to share it with you tomorrow morning in worship at 9:30 am.

Also, we begin a brand-new adult Bible Study "On the Incarnation" tomorrow!

It is joy to serve you dear Christian and I hope to give you the Word of Christ that will fill you with the Lord's Word on true joy for your life in Christ.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

It is hard and painful and causes great anxiety to rise up from our flesh when we are mistreated! To be mistreated is the cause of great anxiety that can easily keep you up all night! But in the midst of this, the original disciples – who especially faced persecution as they were either martyred or exiled for the faith (do we really have anything to complain about?), they were called by the Lord to “rejoice and be glad.” Why? Because of the salvation set before them. Their roads – even if they were roads of extreme hardship – were paved to lead them back to the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Jesus was the cause of their joy; Jesus was their assurance that everything bad would be used by God to lead to greater blessings in Christ. Even if it meant that they would simply get better at falling into the arms of their Savior!

Which leads me to really appreciate how this text presents the concept of joy. It is something commanded of us. And let’s face it: if we conceive of this as essentially a feeling, then the imperative command from the Lord will seem very confusing to us. How does one “flip a switch?!” If you are going through great anxiety, do you simply “feel better” because you think that this is what God is commanding you to do? This invites again terrible – and unnecessary – confusion. This peace, however, is objective. Now, I’m not saying that this objective peace cannot and does not lead to subjective, emotional peace. It does and it should (indeed, it must)…eventually, but you know the old saying, “first things first!” And if we lose the emphasis, if we lose the objectivity of this peace and the proper order of things, then we will never know the subjective peace. So our focus is not on an impossible and phony “flip of the switch,” but rather our focus is on Saint Paul’s true meaning. This peace is the peace that Christ has established between you and your Maker, the Creator, your Heavenly Father. Through the blood of Jesus, peace between you and God has been established. This is now an objective fact: you have peace with God. You are no longer His enemy and as a result, God your friend is committed to standing by your side to help you, to deliver you, to save you, to bless you no matter what you face! And what truly encourages you and propels you in this real reason for joy is the fact that the Lord is near; His coming is soon…before you know it, we will know nothing but glory and we will not even be able to remember what caused us anxiety and worry. This is the truth, this is a fact and this is the objective basis for our peace which stands as a guard at the entrance of our heart: The Lord is with me and His coming is very soon…I have reason once again to rejoice, because none of my earthly troubles will last, none of them will take me from Christ, none of them can remove the crown I will receive on account of Christ! And all of them are a reminder for me to call on the Name of my Coming King who has already saved me!

 

I hope to see you in God's house tomorrow morning!

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa

Isn't it exciting to have a Christian tradition that leads us to spend MORE time in the Word of God instead of LESS time when we come to December?! I find it to be the perfect counter to the cultural stressors of our age; a world that tries so hard to take our eyes off what this season is all about. Again, it is Advent, the time to prepare for the Coming King! And we are assured that to be in His Word, the Holy Spirit will most definitely prepare our hearts to celebrate Christmas as it should be celebrated: in faith, in hope, and in love.

Tonight we continue our Wednesday-night sermon series on the Gospel canticles. This time, we proclaim based on The Benedictus, the prophetic words given to Zacharias recorded in St. Luke's Gospel, chapter one, verses 67-80. I have just completed the sermon and I was absolutely inspired by this rich text. It is astoundingly full of giving us full assurance of God's grace in our lives! It is a proclamation which instills confidence in why we Christians may say unhesitatingly that God is "Blessed" (the meaning of "Benedictus")! This evening, I will elaborate on what the Word says as to why you can and do say this, pray this, sing this, and live this truth: God is blessed...behold what a amazing salvation He has given to you in Christ Jesus and we will also hear as to why this salvation is certain and true beyond a shadow of a doubt.

We need this Word because the adversary prowls around trying to divert your attention from the light of Christ and to focus on the darkness that surrounds us in this life. Instead through the Word of Christ, God's light shines on us and we are blessed and led by the Spirit of God to say in all joy, "Benedictus! Blessed! is the Lord!"

Here is an excerpt from tonight's sermon:

Part 2: But in the Benedictus it only gets better!

A. At verse 72, the Lord then adds these amazing words which explain WHY He is so gracious and so good to you.

Luke 1:72: “to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.”

B. This is not just a random addition to the text.

1. One of the single-most important themes in God’s Holy Word is the word “covenant.”

 2. Have you ever wondered, “How can such a salvation as this be given to the likes of me! I am so far from God, so lost in my sin, so undeserving…how can this Gospel be true for me?!”

 3.  And the answer is here given: it is because the Lord made a covenant. It is easy to underestimate the meaning of this word. Some might try to simply use the word “promise” as a synonym. Not good enough. The Lord has bound Himself to those He makes covenant with. For the Lord to break His covenant is unthinkable, because if He did, He would cease to be God. He would rip Himself apart. He would destroy Himself. All of which is impossible – yes, there is a category of that which God cannot do; He cannot act contrary to Himself, He cannot sin, He cannot lie, He cannot do evil, etc. -- He cannot, could never, ever break His covenant. He has bound Himself to you dear Christian. That is just a fact.

 C. So all of this is true for you…

1. He has visited you as a good pastor visits the one in need with all compassion.

2. He has redeemed you from sin and every evil by His blood which He gave freely as an act of obedience and love to the Father.

3. He has raised up a horn of salvation for you so that you would know that your salvation is stronger than anything else.

4. But one more thing – in case there would ever be any doubt – He has bound Himself to you; He has made a covenant and He loves you so much that He re-enacts this covenant every time you receive His body and blood in the Holy Sacrament to assure you that His Word is unbreakable…He has not forgotten and never will!

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa

It is good to be back from Germany! Traci and I had a wonderful trip (with Traci's dad Larry and his wife Meme). The tour -- "In the Footsteps of Martin Luther" -- was hosted by Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast, the president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN where I attended seminary. This was for me not only a time for rest and quality time with my wife, but it was truly a special opportunity for continuing education and a chance to appreciate more than ever the heritage of our Lutheran tradition. As Lutherans we worship God and trust in Christ alone. We do not follow Luther. Having said that, I've never been so amazed and inspired by this servant of the Lord, through whom the Lord worked so powerfully. I quite simply know of no other tradition which emphasizes and celebrates the pure, simple, and powerful Gospel of Christ as the Lutheran Church does. I marvel over the fact that the Lord permits me to serve as one of His servants and I thank you again for the sacred call you've extended to me! It is good to be home so that I may continue to serve you through Christ's Word and Sacrament!

It is a great blessing to be in the season of Advent which means "Coming." For us Lutheran Christians we enjoy this first season of the Church Year to prepare for the High Feast of the Nativity (Christmas). I am so grateful for this time! The world around us is in a big hurry to get to the world's version of "Christmas" (which has already begun): a time of filling oneself with the things of the world; it is the time in which we spend the most money, eat the most food, and drink the most drink. It is easy to lose the meaning of Christmas along the way. This is why Advent is so precious in helping us to slow down, step back, and prayerfully prepare for the great gift of our Coming King Jesus!

Tomorrow is the second Sunday in Advent. I am preaching on the Epistle text which is Philippians 1:9-11. I'm fascinated by the text as it reminds me that Advent Christians, Christians who are prepared to meet the Coming King are filled with -- are abounding in -- love. But often times "love" is left hanging in a very ambiguous way. How is this love created, defined, motivated, and informed? What of this love? In the text tomorrow we learn that this love of the prepared Christian abounds "with knowledge and all discernment." This is what we will delve into, this is what we will study and receive into our hearts and minds through the proclamation of the Word of Christ! In addition -- and as always -- we will receive the precious body and blood of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, keeping us in the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.

Before Traci and I left for Germany, one of our sisters in Christ at Saint Paul's encouraged me to look straight up in the Berlin Cathedral and see the magnificent image of the Holy Spirit in the center of the dome above. It was exciting to actually have the chance to do so. Surrounding the dome -- in the German language of course -- were the words of the Beatitudes of Christ. These images reminded me of what occurs in the divine service: God comes to us by His Spirit and the Word! This is what will happen again tomorrow morning. Let us gather in great joy with ready hearts to receive our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Just a couple of reminders for tomorrow:

1. Parish Council meeting right after Bible Study and Sunday School

2. 1:30 pm Confirmation at my house

Here is a little excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

And this leads us to the fruits of knowledge and discernment. Paul’s love was knowledgeable of the Word of God and the Word of God insured him that the Lord uses the difficult times to work great blessings, the Word of God gave him discernment to know that the Lord uses hard times to the glory of Jesus, to lead people to Christ. Love for Christ and love for people is easy to celebrate when you know that you will be blessed even through the hardships and even through the valleys of life. Paul had the example of Joseph who was sold as a slave in Egypt; he had the example of Daniel who served while Judah was in exile and Paul had the example of the prophets who were rejected and yet filled with astounding strength to endure. Paul had the knowledge and discernment of God’s Word to see through his circumstances. Most importantly, he kept before him the wisdom of the Gospel that the world considers foolishness: that Christ Himself who appeared to be most desperate and weak was saving the world unto Himself.

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa, Ph.D., pastor, Saint Paul's Lutheran Church of Irvine, CA (LC-MS)

I'm sure you have heard about the latest military conflict in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel. There is a possibility that Israel will conduct a ground invasion. These events cause "prophecy" teachers to salivate with their ongoing Israel-based scenarios leading to the rapture, the tribulation, and the millennium (as they understand these concepts). Tomorrow, I am going to present the traditional version of these "end" aspects and give clear warning about the fear-mongering ways of the popular -- and very inaccurate -- teachings associated with the events leading up to the second coming of our Lord and the end of the world.

Who cares? Isn't the bottom line that Jesus is coming again? I hear this a lot, but we underestimate how important these things are. If anyone compromises any portion of God's Word, bet your bottom dollar that it is just a matter of time before distracting clouds block the rays of light of God's love and mercy for us in Christ Jesus. One way in which our grace-orientation is impacted is when fear, distraction, and anxiety about political and world events removes our gaze from Christ Himself and the basic mission He has set before us. Bottom line: we are called to live in faith, not fear and anxiety...tomorrow's message will set before us the war that has already been won for your salvation instead of wrongly predicting future wars that some Christians are eager to bring to fulfillment.

This is also another opportunity to receive the precious body and blood of Jesus which covers your sins and empowers you -- by God's grace alone -- to walk in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit who works through Word and Sacrament.

Oh yes, just a few reminders:

1. Tomorrow is our 2nd Evangelthon. I will be joining our high school youth and other adult chaperones who will once again go out and invite our surrounding neighbors to our congregation. The high school youth meet in the cafe for a pizza lunch, fellowship, and prayer before going out from 12 pm to 1:45 pm...then we'll meet back at Crean to report and pray.

2. Remember (based on the letter you should have received in the mail this past week), we are taking a special offering to help Trinity Lutheran Church (LC-MS), New Hyde Park, New York which is trying to get back on her feet after Hurricane Sandy.

3. Also, please remember that tomorrow is our last day for Heart for Hunger. Please bring canned goods, bathrooms supplies, blankets, cereal, bottled water, and other items.

4. Finally, this Wednesday night at 7 pm (at Crean in their new 2nd floor classroom building) we will have our Thanksgiving Eve service. Our speak guest preacher is Vicar A.J. Espinosa (my son) who is currently serving at Salem Lutheran Church, Affton, MO...he will proclaim God's Word on where true thanksgiving comes from.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

A. One side is the traditional view of Jerusalem which we advocate as Lutheran Christians:

1. Mark 13 and Matthew 24 describe the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army in A.D. 70.

2. We know from Josephus – the great Jewish historian – that the legions of Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus laid siege to the city from A.D. 66 to 70 and that Jerusalem finally fell on August 10^th in A.D. 70.

3. That is, after Jesus was crucified and raised in A.D. 30, the Lord gave the Israelites an entire generation -- another 40 years of mercy -- before the end came upon Jerusalem.

4. Jesus’ prediction about the end of Jerusalem is recorded in Mark 13:2 as our Lord was referring to the buildings within the city of Jerusalem:

 

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’”

B. In this short passage, Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem.

1. The disciples were understandably alarmed and so they asked him when this was going to happen and what sign would accompany the destruction (Mark 13:4).

2. The traditional view rightly holds that the words “the end” (mentioned in Mark 13:7, 13 and Matthew 24:6, 14) refer to different events in the Bible, depending on the context. It may refer to the final Day of Judgment when Christ comes again in glory, but it may also refer to the day when the Assyrians destroyed Israel in 722 B.C. or when the Babylonians carried Judah into exile in 587 B.C. and destroyed Jerusalem, etc. In Mark and Matthew, it refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. These were days of God’s coming in the sense of a great outpouring of God’s judgment upon Jerusalem.

 

C. The other view held by so-called “prophecy” believers are led by networks and teachers like the following: TBN, Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, Hal Lindsey, Jack Van Impe, John Hagee, Dave Hunt, Grant Jeffrey, Tim LaHaye, and David Jeremiah.

1. These Christian leaders lead gigantic evangelical ministries, have sold millions of books, and lead substantial media networks. Millions of American Christians have swallowed their teachings hook, line, and sinker.

2. The long and short of their teaching is this: The earthly national Jerusalem must come into increasing political prominence since these teachers view the teachings just covered not in a spiritual sense, but in a wooden, literalistic sense. The words “all Israel will be saved” is applied to the modern nation of Israel and all national Jews. The Jews will be given a second chance to accept the Gospel of Christ. In order for this to happen, they say that Israel must be fully restored politically and geographically! Their view might seem tame enough, but let’s take a closer look:

3. They believe that the sections of Mark 13 and Matthew 24 we’ve considered are NOT descriptions of 1^st century events, but that these references are about events yet to come.

4. These teachers try hard to convince us that natural catastrophes, weather conditions, and political crises are more serious today than ever before. History, however, does not sustain their claim. Throughout history, whenever major wars, or plagues, or natural catastrophes occurred, fear-mongers have always been there predicting the end of the world. This is a fact. In actuality, there have been cycles of history that make our current cycle look like a day on the beach. For example, during the decade-long “war on terror” in Iraq and Afghanistan, over 6600 American troops have been killed in war. History records, however, that when the Romans invaded Jersualem that the temple – just the temple – was deluged with the blood of 8,500 victims.

5. However, because these “prophecy” teachers insist that the events we’ve considered in Mark 13 and Matthew 24 are still in the future, they INSIST that what Jesus is here describing is actually a FUTURE  GREAT WAR that will eventually lead to glorious blessings for Israel. Many of these teachers fuel an apocalyptic fervor with modern predictions of war between America and Israel on one side and radical Islam on the other…War World III MUST occur in their sensational scenarios in order to fulfill God’s Word (as they understand “prophetic fulfillment”). The current crisis in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinians, esp. in light of other end-of-the-world predictions associated with 2012 is another chance for many of these teachers to take advantage of an anxious public ready to buy millions more of their books.

6. But consider the real problem: while using the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, many of these teachers perpetuate fear, war, dread, and hatred. Brothers and sisters in Christ, what these teachers present is dangerous and shameful. It is also an assault on the Gospel of Christ. Why? Because it takes our eyes off the wonderful victory, hope and love that Christ has won for us and desires for us to live in -- for the rest of our lives -- until the New Jerusalem comes!

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

Dr. Espinosa

Repetition can be both good and bad. Make no mistake about it, some things like wrapping your arms around a loved one and telling them how much you love them is the sort of thing we want to be repetitive about! Repetitive and constant prayer is something we should all strive for! On the other hand, repetition is often a reminder of sin in the world, frustration, and the constant battle. Going back for another round of radiation or chemotherapy is not the kind of repetition that makes us all warm and fuzzy inside. The repetition of dealing with a frustrating situation at work is to be reminded of strained relationships or a system of organization that is repeatedly dysfunctional. Being mindful of our own personal struggles and sins...these repetitions are shameful and can make us feel like failures. Some repetition is worse than drudgery.

But there are some things that are done perfectly the first time around. There are some things that need no repetition, like your holy baptism into the Lord Jesus Christ...and, like the "ONCE" gift of your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. The one-time, the ONCE-for-all sacrifice of His bearing your sin and giving Himself for them. The results are mind-boggling: there is now no condemnation for those -- like you -- in Christ Jesus. Tomorrow, we focus on the ONCE characteristic of our faith.

Also! We have special guests! We have the Concordia University Flute Ensemble! This promises to be a great blessing contributing to the gift of music in our worship!

Also! We are still taking donations for our "Heart For Hunger" drive. Please bring bottled water, canned food, bathroom supplies, cereal, crackers, etc.

The Text: “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Beware of anything that has to be repeated over and over again. It means that that thing – whatever it is – is imperfect and has significant flaws. One day when I was a kid, my mom asked me to get the pruning shears and to “trim” a particular bush in our front yard. I don’t know, I think I must have had a sudden delusion of grandeur in thinking myself a sculptor or something. I became mesmerized by this bush and every-time I thought I was finished “trimming” the bush, I convinced myself that it wasn’t good enough and so I went at it again. Before I was finished, my mom looked out the front door and almost had a coronary. “What had I done to her bush?!” It was like being enlisted in the military when getting a “hair cut” takes on a whole new meaning! I had given the bush a “buzz”!

And yet this repetition that bears imperfection and inherent flaws marks every day of our lives. In our sin, we never get anything right; we never get anything perfect. So as husbands we are always trying – at least we should be – trying to become better communicators towards our wives. If you ever practice martial arts, you will be repeating forms, patterns and katas until you turn blue in the face. You know the old saying, “practice makes perfect.” But the actual reality is that practice only makes better…we never arrive to perfection. In fact, even if we are getting better, there is still undulation. It is not unusual to take two or three steps back even if we are making progress over the long haul. For myself, I have never preached a sermon, never taught a Bible Study, never conducted a visitation or a pastoral counseling session when – even if I was utterly convinced that the Holy Spirit blessed that service – that I didn’t think I could have done something to make it better. I am sure you can relate as this is true whether we are baking a cake, barbequing steaks, trying to get that “just right” mixture, developing your back-hand, learning to stay calm with that particular relationship, or whatever the case may be. I am not trying to encourage neurosis or an unhealthy form of perfectionism, but there is little doubt that our repetition reminds us of our imperfect lives.

But wait a minute! Don’t we as Christians constantly confess our sins to God? Aren’t we always repeating this sacred act? Does this mean that our confession is imperfect? More importantly, does this mean that our absolution is imperfect? But if our very forgiveness from the Lord were in any way imperfect, where would our faith stand?! This is most assuredly a critical question.

It is interesting that as we head towards the end of the Church Year, and as we head towards the high-anxiety seasons of the “holidays” -- as our culture likes to call them, ah, go ahead, be a rebel and call them the “holy days” and see what kind of a reaction you get – in the face of such times, we are led to Hebrews chapter 9. Everywhere we look in this world, we see repetition for lack of perfection, for sin that frustrates, and forever trying to get it right. And sometimes we wish we could try all over again. In watching a little bit of the news, how many analyses have been offered as to what the Republicans could have done better…all of it relates to repetition, frustration, and the evident truth that we struggle to ever get things right.

But again right in the middle of our frustration on account of our sin; right in the middle of our feverish repetitions, we are given Hebrews chapter 9.

There are some exceptions to the rule that we will experience getting right the first time and will never, ever have to repeat again.

One of those exceptions is when what we experience is not our work, but instead the work of God! Ephesians 4:5 teaches us that there is one baptism. There is no need – ever – to repeat baptism. Some might seek to do so because they doubt whether they were fully knowledgeable, or aware, or sincere enough, etc. But baptism is the work of God. Whether we remember or not, God’s work needs no revision or improvement. You were baptized, and that baptism that put you into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was perfect then and it is perfect now! Thank God!

 

Come to Divine Service at 9:30 am tomorrow and get the whole sermon!

 

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Dr. Espinosa

Once a year we have this very special service and it is one of my personal favorites. We don't think about heaven enough, but we need to realize that the Lord has included so much about the glory we have to look forward to for a reason. He knows -- our Lord really knows more than we realize -- the tribulation we go through. In the vision in Revelation 7, the tribulation referred to is the "great tribulation." Popular explanations of this great tribulation focus on the modern-end-times teachings referring to the very last generation before the coming of Christ...that "little season" of Satan's release and an elaborate scheme of natural catastrophes coupled by the political persecution that Anti-Christ will rage (just think of LaHaye's Left Behind series). We -- in our Lutheran Church and confession -- respectfully disagree with this interpretation.

The "great tribulation" is personalized to each of us living in this world confronted by Satan, anti-God worldly pressures, and our own sinful nature...these cause pain and distress; they cause tribulation...and the sum total of it through your life is your great tribulation. But we will come out of it. We will and we encounter a vision of your coming out of it -- with all the other saints -- in Revelation 7. Again, the vision is there for a reason. It is meant to encourage you dear Christian as you go through your great tribulation. We will teach on this and we will proclaim the great release promised you in Christ (through His victory for you).

Just some important reminders:

I look forward to seeing you in God's house tomorrow!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“The Ones Coming Out of the Great Tribulation”

(Revelation 7:13-14)

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa

The text: “Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come? ¹⁴I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. There is a basic pattern in life that repeats itself over and over again. The pattern is represented in the Greek word from Revelation 7:14 thlipsis which is variously translated as “trial,” “affliction,” “distress,” and perhaps the most popular way of translating it especially here in Revelation: “tribulation”. The basic life pattern is that we are permitted by God in His mercy to go through tribulation and then – and most importantly – we are allowed to “come out of it.” Revelation 7:14 is a glorious description of all the saints, all of the Christians, what is called “the church triumphant,” all of you in glory with all other Christians throughout the ages finally released from all trial, from all affliction, from all distress, and from all tribulation. The picture is one of finally having arrived from this time of conflict and the end result is glory.

 

We see mini-versions of this even on this side of heaven. Some men and women enter the military and the first test is to make it through boot-camp. Boot-camp is grueling, but if one is strong enough to make it through, then there is – literally – a graduation and it is evident that the one who has completed the course is stronger and more vital than ever before. The soldier has passed this first major tribulation. When I minister to some of you who have gone through various surgeries: the process is like a tribulation. There is a period of anxiety working up to the surgery, then the surgery itself, then the time of healing. When it passes in success, you have a sense of release from the tribulation. If you are in college pursuing your bachelor’s degree, or master’s, or doctorate, the work in the midst of trying to finish is your tribulation, then graduation finally comes and you “come out of it,” you experience a release. If you are pregnant and you deal with the discomfort, and sometimes dietary restrictions, then the labor and the pain – this is the tribulation – then the release comes when you “come out of it.” When you are in a storm and you think you might die (you are in a tribulation of fear and anxiety), then there is calm when you come out of it, this is being released from tribulation; when you are unemployed and the strain of trying to make ends meet (this is a tribulation), then you find a new job and things are much better, you are released from the tribulation, you come out of it. Sometimes you are in the middle of a strained or rupturing relationship, you can be hurt, feel betrayed, feel broken-hearted, this is a tribulation, then God intervenes to give you hope, when that hope leads to healing and the Lord fills your needs you are released from your tribulation and you come out of it. When you are sick that too is a tribulation and you look forward to the day of release, when you will not have to deal with that chronic condition anymore, when it will be gone, wiped away, you come out of tribulation.

 

What John saw in his vision in Revelation were all the Christians who had ever lived coming out of all of their tribulations combined. And the sum total of all tribulations combined is what Revelation 7:14 calls the “great tribulation.” Some want to say that this adjective “great” can only point to the very end time when Satan is released for a “little while” just before Jesus comes again in glory (Revelation 20:2 and 20:7), but this will not hold. First of all, Revelation itself does not refer to the very end that way. Furthermore, Jesus referred to the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem as a “great tribulation” in Matthew 24:21. The point is this: “since every Christian experiences testings of faith and witness…[that] becomes at that moment in time existentially a great tribulation for that believer. The picture of eternal glory of Rev. 7:14 is for the comfort of all Christians of all times as they experience whatever tribulations sorely test their faith and patience…For that Christian at that moment, his sufferings and trials are his great tribulation. And every Christian will experience tribulation (Brighton, Louis A., Concordia Commentary: Revelation, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999, 196f).”

 

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Dr. Espinosa

Tomorrow we celebrate Reformation Day! I'm excited to be preaching from Romans 3:21-25a on "The Righteousness of God". This is the foundation of our faith, this is where our confidence lies, and this is where our assurance of forgiveness and salvation is known. This righteousness is not found in us, but is entirely outside of us. So while we see sin within our hearts, thanks be to God that He brings to us from the outside a righteousness applied to us, put upon us, laid on us, which covers us. This is a gift, a pure gift. And it is yours in Christ. Tomorrow we break this down from this amazing text that also represents THE teaching spring out of the Reformation which led to the re-discovery of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will have some great hymns, a sermon which not only expounds on the text, but also provides a historical overview of the Reformation, and of course as always, a service which will give to us the very body and blood of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ keeping us in the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Two other announcements:

1) Tomorrow is our first EVANGELTHON. It is two things: (1) It is a reaching out to our surrounding community by inviting folks to our church while distributing our brand new brochure which you will receive a complementary copy of that you may share with your neighbors or friends; and (2) It is a way of sponsoring/financially supporting our confirmands through high school-aged youth as they will be active in this activity as they raise funds for this summer's Higher Things youth gathering in Tocoma, WA. Please come and pray with us and if you have the time, join me and our youth as we share these brochures with the new neighborhoods next to Crean Lutheran High School. We will have a pizza lunch, orientation, and then pray from 11-11:30 in the Cafe, and then go out and distribute brochures from 11:45-1:45 and then return for closing prayer at Crean and be finished by 2 pm.

2) Tomorrow we are also distributing and then collecting half-sheet sign-ups for loved ones who have gone to heaven so that we may remember them in memorial for Sunday, November 4th when we celebrate All Saints' Day and the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed.

What a joy it is to serve you dear Christian with the Word of Christ and His Holy Sacrament. I hope to see you in God's house tomorrow morning. And oh yes, we have a special guest musician, Ben Hunter, principal trumpet in the Concordia wind orchestra and sinfonietta...Ben will be a blessing for this Reformation service!

Here is an excerpt from the Sermon:

Part I: An Age-Old Problem:

1. As Luther once called it: “The Presumption of Righteousness”…man assumes that he may in some way earn a right standing before God. That is, make himself right/good/acceptable before God.

2. God corrects this presumption:

 

Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

 

1. The meaning is that man hasn’t a leg to stand on per being able to glory in himself before God.
2. That is, there is nothing in man to allow him a legitimate good opinion of himself.
3. We miss the mark and prove ourselves to be sinful before God.
4. We can’t brag about ourselves in front of God…our bragging doesn’t hold water; none of it is legitimate. St. Paul is consistent with the rest of Scripture:

1^st Kings 8:46: “…for there is no one who does not sin…”

 

Ecclesiastes 7:20: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”

3. The further problem, however, Luther points out:

 

“Through such presumptuousness and pride it comes about that even the works of grace are turned into works of the Law and the righteousness of God is turned into the righteousness of men, because, when men in grace have done good works, they become pleased with themselves...(Luther’s Works, vol. 25, 246).”

4. Christ turns the presumption of indulgences, the presumption of all works of men and imagined righteousness on its head: There is nothing man can do.

5. We do this constantly. We live as if we’re so good that we really don’t need God or we act as if our goodness merits God’s goodness to us. Either way, we are presumptuous…we look inward at ourselves and are proud.

6. Christ, however, redirects us: He leads us outward…namely, to HIM!

 

Come to divine service and look forward to the rest!

 

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Dr. Espinosa