A Famine Not of Bread

Click here to listen to this sermon. After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in His spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He spoke. One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table close to Jesus, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom He was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (John 13:21-27) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Have you ever been betrayed? Betrayal, at its heart, is a break of trust, particularly a break of trust from someone close to you, someone you should ...

Many people will use conflict or the sinful actions of some in the Church for a reason to distance themselves from the Church.  They conclude: "With all the bad things that seem to happen when people get involved in a congregation, perhaps it is better just to stay home and read my Bible rather than risk such conflict and turmoil."   Some will even go so far to cite examples of negative behavior as evidence of the ineffectiveness of the Gospel: "If what they were teaching were really true, they would certainly behave better." In a sermon on "The Seizure of Christ in the Garden," Martin Luther uses the example of Judas to counter such claims.   Would anyone dare say that Judas betrayed Jesus because Jesus is to blame?   Could anyone honestly say that if  our Lord would have taught him better things, Judas would not have committed so grievous a sin?   No!   The Lord is holy and righteous, and the enemy of every vice.  ...