September 14, 2025 Written Sermon

Pastor John Eich

 Luke 14:25-35 

25 Large crowds were traveling with  Jesus. He turned and said to  them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and  does not hate his own father and  mother, wife and children, brothers  and sisters, yes, even his own life, he  cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever  does not carry his own cross and  follow me cannot be my  disciple. 28 For which of you, if he  wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has  enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not  able to finish, everyone who sees it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This  fellow began to build, but was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, as he goes out to  confront another king in war, will not first sit down and consider if he is able with  ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty  thousand? 32 And if he is not able, he sends out a delegation and asks for terms of  peace while his opponent is still far away. 33 So then, any one of you who does not  say farewell to all his own possessions cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good, but if  the salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? 35 It is not fit for the soil  or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. The one who has ears to hear, let him  hear. 

Can you imagine Taylor Swift telling any would be fans that they have to  hate their families to be her followers? Can you imagine a sports figure  telling someone who wants an autographed jersey that it will bring them  resentment, hatred and persecution when they wear it? Can you imagine  any leader telling his followers that it will cost them everything and if  they don’t give up everything they will be thrown into prison?  

Those are the hurtful words of Jesus. 

Jesus is not trying to get rid of followers. He just wants them – and us – to know that the cost is high to be a disciple of Jesus. So we need to  consider: Is it worth it? 

Jesus’ first statement is alarming: If anyone comes to me and does  not hate his own father and mother, wife and children,  brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my  disciple. We actually heard Jesus make a related point three weeks ago. Is Jesus saying I must hate my family to be a Christian? No, that’s not  what he’s saying. But he is saying something not too far from it.  

“Hate” is a strong word in our language. When we hear the word, “hate,”  we are usually thinking of a deep, intense loathing. It doesn’t seem to fit  mesh with what the Bible says in the fourth, fifth, or sixth commandments. We’re supposed to love our parents, love our neighbors,  love our spouses. The Bible tells us that “Anyone who hates his  brother is a murderer.” So how can Jesus be telling us to hate? 

It’s interesting that neither the most common word for “love” in the  original Greek, nor the most common Greek word for “hate,” refer to an  emotion. To “love” someone means to act in his or her best interests  despite your feelings toward that person. Likewise, to hate someone  means to treat them a certain way despite your feelings for them. And in  this context, it means ranking them behind Jesus in order of importance  in our lives, no matter how strongly we feel about them. It means siding  with Jesus’ words or commands even when every fiber of our relationship  with someone screams not to. To be Jesus’ disciple, he has to come first,  even ahead of our families. Is it Worth it? 

Jesus continues, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and  follow me cannot be my disciple.” As shocking as the word “hate,” is  for us, the picture of carrying a cross would have been even more jolting  for the crowds following Jesus. The cross was the favorite tool of  intimidation and torture for the Romans. However, Jesus says that  following him means being ready to carry a cross. So why are we  surprised when we find out that Jesus was right? When being a Christian  makes our family conversations awkward, that’s the cost of following  Jesus. When someone makes fun of you for doing what Jesus wants,  that’s the cost of following Jesus. When you feel sad about your sins and  you can’t just do whatever you want, that’s the cost of following Jesus.  Following Jesus means you will give up things you want and have things  you don’t want. It means that we will have to deal with problems, issues  and hurts that non-disciples won’t have to deal with. It isn’t being easy  being a Christian. The devil, the world and our own sinful flesh war  against us. And the world will think we are fools for believing and living  as we do. And here’s the most challenging part… you don’t get to pick  your struggles. Jesus does. Is it Worth it? 

Jesus lays out these hard truths before the crowd because he wants them  to know in advance what being his disciple means. He wants them to  carefully calculate the cost. He wants this to be a deliberate decision  rather than impulsive, which is why he continues with his two  illustrations. “For which of you, if he wants to build a tower, does  not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has enough to  complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is  not able to finish, everyone who sees it will begin to ridicule  him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build, but was not able to  finish.’ Or what king, as he goes out to confront another king in  war, will not first sit down and consider if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with  twenty thousand? And if he is not able, he sends out a  delegation and asks for terms of peace while his opponent is  still far away.” 

It’s clear from Jesus’ words that being a disciple of Jesus is an all or  nothing proposition. There’s no straddling the fence – “I’ll follow Jesus  here, but I won’t give up that.” You have to make a choice, and keep  making that choice. This isn’t a one--and-you’re-done thing. It’s an  ongoing, day-by-day, moment-by-moment surrender to God. Jesus is telling us that we need to have our priorities in order. He needs to come  first.  

And so the question before us then is: Is it Worth it? 

On the surface, it may not seem like it. How can it be worth it to possibly  alienate ourselves from friends and family? How can we possibly leave  everything behind if it gets in the way of obeying everything Jesus  commands? How can we choose what we don’t want over what we want? By nature, we can’t. By nature, the cost isn’t worth it because by nature  we hate God. We see God as an angry judge who wants to punish us. No  one loves the judge who is handing them a death sentence. And if we had  stayed in that condition there’s no way that we’d see being a disciple of  Jesus as worth it. But something has changed. God worked that change  in your heart through the Holy Spirit. Through that gift of faith, we no  longer see God as an angry judge, but as our loving heavenly Father.  Through that gift of faith, He allows us to see the incredible value of put,  prioritizing him in our lives.  

When Jesus walked this earth, He did it as our perfect substitute. We fail  at times to put him first. We side with our family instead of him. We take  the path of least resistance instead of taking up our cross. At times we  treat the things of this world as more valuable than the things of heaven. But Jesus didn’t. He never wavered in his priorities. Even when it meant  turning his own mother away at the wedding at Cana, or calling one of his  disciples “satan,” or even allowing himself to be tortured and killed  rather than to backtrack on God’s word. He counted the cost for your  salvation and He gave it His all. And by grace through faith His  perfection becomes ours. Not as a license to not try, but as an assurance  of forgiveness when we fail. 

But not only should we consider what it costs to be a disciple of Jesus, we  should also consider the benefits. Like a stock market investment  discipleship brings great returns. But with no risk! We gain a life with  peace knowing that God is in control and works everything to be a  blessing. That even includes the crosses and troubles discipleship will bring. It’s a life penetrated throughout by love. Love for God, love for  others and love for ourselves that embraces us. There is hopefulness that  stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances. Discipleship  brings a power to say or do what is right even when it brings trouble.  

The question you have to ask yourself is this: Is it worth it? Is it worth  giving up abiding peace with God to have peace with people? Is it worth  sacrificing a life penetrated by limitless divine love to settle for earthly  love that is fickle and fades? Is it worth cutting yourself off from the faith  that trusts in God’s overarching plan for your good, in order to run your  life the way you want to? Is it worth giving up hope, and the power to do  what is right? Is it worth it to you to say “No” to God’s abundance, so you  can skimp by on your own meager resources? Is it worth losing an  eternity with God in order to sit with sinners? Because that’s what it costs  to not follow Jesus. 

When we say “yes” to following Jesus, when we surrender our will to his  will, something amazing happens. Bit by bit, we change. Each time we  keep saying “yes, Lord, I leave behind everything to follow you,” we are  re-formed, transformed, becoming more and more like Christ. We  experience abundant life, by God’s grace. And we discover that the cost of  following Jesus, something we thought we couldn’t possibly afford, is  worth it all. Because the price has already been paid out of God’s deep  love for us. When we give our all to Christ, we receive so much more! 

Here’s how I know. Jesus didn’t say, “Pick up your cross and head that  way. I’ll meet you in heaven.” No. He said, “Follow me.” If you’re  following Jesus, then you’re right behind him and he’s right with you.  When being a Christian is hard, Jesus is with you. You might not know  how he’ll take care of you, but you know he’s not far away. 

It’s about Christ and his kingdom taking first priority amidst everything  else in life. That’s important, friends: for the time will come for each one  of us when we will need to be clear about the path of faith we are taking  in this life; when our next steps forward will be as a witness to the life  that is real life. 

So let’s do a cost-benefit analysis. Is following Jesus worth the cost? It  will be hard. You’ll need to trust him. But both here on earth, and forever  in heaven, you’ll be happy you did. 

Count the cost – Jesus did.


Written Sermon 7/27/2025

 Written by Pastor John Eich

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Alma, MI

Luke 10:38-42 

38 As they went on their way, Jesus came into a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who was sitting at the Lord’s feet and was listening to his word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her serving. She came over and  said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to  serve alone? Tell her to help me.” 41 The Lord answered and told her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and  upset about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. In  fact, Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be  taken away from her.” 

To the holy and faithful in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our  Father. (Colossians 1:2).  

One day a man named Dan took a walk through the park. Dan was a very  friendly extrovert. So it was no problem for him to stop to talk with a local  man named Bob. During the conversation, Dan asked Bob, “What do you do  for a living?” Bob replied matter of factly, “I’m a Christian.” Dan was puzzled  by the answer. He tried again, “I don’t think you understand me. What is  your job? What do you do to earn a living?” Bob said, “Oh. My job is to be a  Christian. I earn a living as a butcher. I just cut meat to pay the bills.”  

What is your business? What do you do for a living? It’s very easy to get so  caught up in your job, your career, your education, your family – that the  business of being a Christian is left to a few hours spent in church on Sunday  mornings. We are very busy people. Who of us here hasn’t used the busyness  of life as an excuse to not do the business of Jesus? 

Our text about Mary and Martha is a familiar one, and its lesson is very clear.  “Make time for the word of God, because God’s word is the one thing truly  needed in life.” Why share this lesson in a worship service? Presumably those  in attendance already know this lesson. So aren’t we just preaching to the  choir? 

And yet, “Martha, Martha” of today’s text also knew this lesson. Martha, like  her sister Mary and brother Lazarus, was a devout believer in Jesus. Martha  loved Jesus and recognized Him as her Lord and Savior. When Lazarus  unexpectedly died, Martha expressed trust in Jesus as her Savior and a  confident hope in the resurrection of the dead. 

Martha was not a bad person. Martha was a distracted person; distracted  from the word of God by dinner preparations. Her intentions were right. Her  priorities were wrong. She focused on what she was doing for Jesus instead  of what Jesus was doing for her. 

This story is ultimately about Jesus. 

This is why Jesus lovingly told her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried  and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed,” Luke  10:41-42. And this morning, the same Jesus says the same words to us: “Only  one thing is needed.” 

But do we really need such a reminder from Jesus? Without question. Like  Martha, we are Christians. Like Martha, we love Jesus and recognize Him as  our Savior. Like Martha, we welcome Jesus into our house. And on Sundays  we visit His house. Like Martha, we want to serve Jesus. But also like  Martha, we face daily distractions, worries, and pressures that threaten to  steal our attention and misplace our priorities regarding the word of God. 

“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be  made…” We instantly criticize her, don’t we? “Martha, how could you be  distracted from the word of God with Jesus Christ sitting in your living  room?” But isn’t Jesus Christ with us today in this room? Aren’t we often  distracted in church, and in much the same way Martha was distracted—by  all the preparations that had to be made?” Dinner preparations. Work  preparations. Even church preparations. 

Ironically, while sitting in these very pews, we can hear the Savior say, “but  only one thing needed,” and yet find ourselves thinking: “Yep, one thing.  Jesus is right. I only need one thing in my life. That reminds me, I have one  thing I need to pick up from Meijer on the way home from church. I have one  thing I need to complete at work. I have one thing I need to say to my  coworker at lunch. And by the way, is the thermostat working? Is that a fly on  the wall? Must be. It’s moving.” Distractions, imperceptibly leading us away  from “the one thing needed.” 

Or what of all the distractions and interruptions of our electronic age—phone  calls, text messages, emails, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Snapchat, Youtube,  Zoom; all the gadgets that ping, beep, and buzz day and night. Our modern,  insane way of life is filled with these electronic distractions. How can we  concentrate on anything?  

And perhaps the greatest distraction of all is worry. “Martha,  Martha,” said Jesus, “you are worried and upset about many  things.” The Greek word translated as “worried” in this verse literally  means ‘to have a divided mind;’ to be double-minded or to be of two minds  about something: indecisive, uncertain, unable to determine what to do or  where to turn, pulled in multiple directions. 

We must hear the Law, because Martha’s distraction is ours. Her anxiety is  ours. Her preoccupation with doing, fixing, arranging, and accomplishing—it  mirrors our lives in this fallen world. We fill our days with busyness and  burdens. We obsess over what needs to be done. And even our service—yes,  even our church work, hospitality, and vocations—can become distractions if  we place them above the Word of Jesus. 

We live in a Martha world. We are people addicted to motion. The Law  confronts us: when we neglect the Word of Christ for the work of our hands,  we risk losing the one thing needful. When we treat the Gospel as secondary  to our duties, even noble ones, we’ve flipped the script of the Gospel and the  order of faith and life. 

Martha is not condemned for serving. But she is gently rebuked for allowing  her service to obscure the Savior.  

Like Martha in our story, our sin distracts us pulling us to think of ourselves  and what we need to do instead of what Jesus does for us. I need to come up  with a solution. I need to be more faithful. I need to read the Bible more.

That is actually what we do when we ignore God's commands and desires for  our lives and live however we want. We ignore God's will and do whatever we  want, we are in effect telling God He doesn't know what is actually best for  us. We also tell God what to do when we decide how to worship Him or serve  Him. When we spend more time performing for God than receiving from  Him, we have reversed His plan.  

You see, Jesus came to reveal God's love, to love you God's way. He came to  pay the price to bind up our wounds. He came to restore us. Jesus came to  bear the sins of the whole world. To share that love with us, to get us to  realize how God wraps our minds and lives in that love, that is the one thing  needful.  

Jesus came to serve us with the love of God. He continues to serve us here.  Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says – peace, faith,  forgiveness and life. Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the  gifts received with eager thankfulness and praise.  

That’s why Mary chose the right thing because she allowed Jesus to be  exactly who He came to be – the servant of all. She received from Jesus His  Word and His love. The Gospels are not written to teach us what people  should do for Jesus. There are very few stories of anyone doing anything to  benefit Jesus. Instead, the main story of the Bible is what God is doing for us.  The overarching story of God is how He serves those whom He loves. 

This is your story about what God has done for you. You are the one who is  loved by God in Jesus Christ. You are being served by God. You are one who  gets what God gives - life, salvation. This is our act of worship. This is how we  believe. This is how we trust. Faith and trust mean not trying to rely on  ourselves spiritually. Instead, we love and trust Jesus by repenting of our sins  and letting Him give us His gifts of love, forgiveness, and grace. 

In the place of your sin, He gave you His perfect love. That is His role in your  life. He is not in your life to be served so that you have to live up to certain expectations. Jesus came to give you rest from all that by serving by dying for  you and rising again. 

The rhythm of our worship is from Him to us, Him serving us and then from  us back to Him. He gives His gifts, and together we receive and exalt them.  We build one another up as we speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and  spiritual songs. Our Lord gives us His body to eat and His blood to drink.  Finally His blessing moves us out into our calling, where His gifts have their  fruition.  

There is a time to sit, and there is a time to serve—a time to rest, and a time  to work, just as Ecclesiastes says (3:1). But the order matters. Faith first, then  works. Grace first, then service. Receiving first, then giving. 

This is not a call to abandon our responsibilities; it’s a call to reorder them  around Christ. It’s a call to remember that when your to-do list is  overwhelming, when your life seems stretched thin, Jesus does not need your  work. He invites you to His Word and welcomes you to rest. For the Lord of  the Sabbath has said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,  and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am  gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is  easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). 

There are many things to occupy you. But there is only one thing that is  needful, necessary, and indispensable. That one thing is sitting at Jesus’ feet.  It is listening to him speak to you. It is setting aside everything else in your  life and making Jesus your priority. It is not working or vacationing or  carting your kids to their activities. It is resting in Jesus. It is not giving to  Jesus but being given to. It is not serving Jesus but being served by him. It is  gathering where two or three have come together in his name. 

He still speaks today—in His Word in your Bible, in the preaching of the  Gospel at the pulpit, and in the Sacraments. He speaks forgiveness, peace,  rest, and life. Sit at His feet. Listen. Be still, and know that He is God (Psalm  46:10); for this is the one thing needful. 

And then, when your heart is filled, rise and serve with joy. Be a Martha who  has first been a Mary. Serve in freedom. Work in the peace of knowing that  Christ has already served you with all you need for eternal life.  

Amen.


Written Sermon June 15, 2025

Written by Pastor John Eich

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Alma, MI

Acts 2:1-21 

Because of the length of the text it is not printed here.

What Does Pentecost Mean? 

How many times have you had a conversation with someone where  they were talking extensively about  things that you didn’t really  understand? But the time you  realized you didn’t really grasp the  core concepts of what was being discussed, you felt too embarrassed to ask. There are a few ways out of that situation. Maybe you keep listening hoping that you’ll  catch on. Maybe, if it’s not work- or family-critical you hope that it won’t be  something that comes up again after this. Or, you just swallow your pride and ask  the questions that you need to have answered. Maybe you say something like,  “Ok, before we go on, could we back up to what you said before?” What does that  mean?” 

That’s actually a good Lutheran question. Those of you who went through  Luther’s Small Catechism as children or adults will remember that repeated  question, “What does this mean?” It accompanies each of the Ten  Commandments, each of the parts of the Lord’s Prayer, each article of the  Apostles’ Creed, and so on. Luther’s goal in writing those short explanations to  those sections of Scripture or of the confessions of the Christian church were  meant to make sure that we didn’t miss the core concepts of the faith. He hoped  that we wouldn’t just nod along, oblivious to the true meaning of God’s Word, but  dig in to understand what God has said and promised on a fundamental level. 

Of course, Martin Luther was not the first person to ask that question. We have it  here before us on Pentecost, some 1500 years before Luther. The people gathered  around the apostles that day saw and heard some dumbfounding things. The  sound of a wind blowing with no actual wind, tongues of fire over the apostles’  heads, and then these mostly uneducated men speaking in many different world  languages that they had never studied. So many vocalized the question everyone  there was thinking, “What does this mean?” 

“Pentecost” is the Greek word for fifty. It was a Greek name for the Feast of  Weeks outlined in the Old Testament because that festival took place fifty days  after Passover. This Jewish festival was one where they spent time thanking God  for the early harvest that had just come in. This festival is why there were godly  Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.  

But why do we observe this festival? Is it anything more than the birthday of the  Christian church? As we see this account freshly again this morning, we’re left  asking, what does this mean? 

First, Pentecost means Jesus’ work is done. He has suffered and died to  pay for the sins of all people, and his resurrection was the seal of victory, the assurance that the Father had accepted his sacrifice. He spent 40 days proving  his resurrection to his disciples so that there was no doubt of his victory. At his  ascension, Jesus made clear that he was passing the torch of his proclaiming His  work to His disciples. He would continue his work through us. And Pentecost is  the beginning of that work.  

Pentecost also means Jesus’ promises are trustworthy. As we consider  the crowd gathered there at the first Christian Pentecost day, we can’t help but  remember what Jesus’ directions were. At his Ascension Jesus told his disciples  that they would be his witnesses, “beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).  Here’s the start. A crowd of people from all over the world get to hear the gospel  message. The Holy Spirit allows the confusion of Babel to be undone. And as  these people went back to their homelands, some would undoubtedly share what  they had heard from Peter and the others. From Jerusalem, this message would  spread around the world.  

But there’s an even bigger promise here. Jesus had told his disciples that the Holy  Spirit would come to them. He would come to be their comforter, to remind them  of everything that he had said, to speak through them the words that God had for  them to share.  

It is an amazing story to hear again, isn’t it? The miracle of Pentecost. But don’t  you wonder a little, when you hear this story, whether we are missing something  today? After all, I doubt that our celebration this morning will include a violent  wind, or fire, or miraculous speech. So are we missing something? Where is the  wind and the fire today? Where is the excitement of that first Pentecost? 

Where Is the Holy Spirit Today? 

The better question to ask is: where is the Holy Spirit today? After all, isn’t that  the point of Pentecost? To give us the Holy Spirit? So the question to ask today is  not, where is the wind and the fire, but where is the Holy Spirit? 

And if we ask the question in that way, then we do, indeed, have a pretty exciting  answer, if you ask me. Because the Holy Spirit is without a doubt here with us  today, in some very amazing and powerful ways. Let me share three of those  ways. 

The Word of God 

First, the Holy Spirit comes to us today, through the Holy Word – the divinely inspired, faith-producing, life-changing Word of God – which connects us to all  Christians going all the way back to that first Pentecost, and connects us to the  God who inspired and guided its every word. 

Those who heard Peter that day heard him speak in their own language. And so  do we. Just as many Christians around the world today are hearing this in their  own language. It may not seem as miraculous, but I think it is pretty incredible to  think of Christians around the world today hearing these words in their own  language – over 3,300 different languages! That’s even greater than the first  Pentecost!

Isn’t that amazing? The Pentecost miracle continues, and through the Word of  God proclaimed here and around the world, the Holy Spirit continues to be  poured into the hearts of listeners, producing faith and trust in our God. 

The Called and Gathered Church 

The second way that the Holy Spirit comes to us today is through the gathered  congregation. As Martin Luther put it in his Small Catechism:  

The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian  church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. 

The Holy Spirit is the reason we are here today. The Holy Spirit called and  gathered us here, just as He has done for centuries all around the world. The Holy  Spirit brings us together and gives us a variety of gifts, all for the common good.  

The Pentecost miracle happened when the apostles were all together in one place.  And it happened when devout Jews from every nation under heaven were  present. That’s not a coincidence. The Holy Spirit likes us to be together. That  why in Scripture we are called a family, a gathering, a congregation. Something  important happens when we are together. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is  present when we gather in his name, which we do whenever we worship together.  He binds us together with the love of Jesus and the truth of His word. 

The Sacraments 

And we come together in Jesus’ name, there is a third way in which the Holy  Spirit comes to us. And that is through the Holy Sacraments. 

When Peter finished his sermon on that first Pentecost, those who heard it asked  him, “what should we do?” And Peter responded, “Repent, and be baptized …  and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). They will receive  the gift of the Holy Spirit not through wind and fire, but through holy baptism.  And it is in baptism that we too received the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

And right after those who heard Peter’s sermon were baptized, what did they do?  The very next verse says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and  fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). In other  words, they gathered together as a community, to hear the Word and celebrate  Holy Communion. 

That is where the miracle of Pentecost continues to be enjoyed and realized in the  Church. Then, and now. When we gather in the name of Jesus. Remember our  baptisms. Devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching, to communion, and prayer. 

We may not have wind and fire today, but we are here, gathered in the name of  Jesus. Doing those very things that the Church has done since that first  Pentecost. And that means that the Holy Spirit is present among us now, just as  He was then. 

It’s always tempting to think that we need more – we need more excitement,  more enthusiasm, more emotion; we need more wind and fire on Sunday  mornings. But we Lutherans are at our best when we refuse to believe that the church needs anything more than the Word, the Sacraments, and the  congregation gathered in Jesus’ name. Because we believe, teach and confess that  it is through these means of grace that God gives us all that we need for our  salvation. 

The point of Pentecost is not the wind and the fire – it never was. The point of  Pentecost is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who brings to the church all the gifts  of God, all that we need, for life and salvation. 

Finally, Pentecost means that God wants others to know about what  he’s done for them. It was never the point for God’s free forgiveness in Jesus  to be a secret, known only to a select few. No from the first promise in the Garden  of Eden, the work of God was always meant to be shared. For generations, the  temple in Jerusalem stood as a beacon to all nations to come to hear God’s Word  from those to whom he had given it. Now, the beacon is the Church drawing  people to the truth by sending Christians into the world to share this truth in  every place.  

We are here today because the Holy Spirit has drawn us to that truth. He worked faith in us which clings to Jesus as the certainty of our eternal life. The Holy  Spirit makes us ever-confident that Jesus’ work is completed, that Jesus’ work is  for the whole world, that Jesus’ work is even for us. Even if we feel all alone on an  island in the world around us, we are never alone. Our ascended Savior is ever  with us, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom he promised and sent, is with us as  well.  

The Holy Spirit may not always come with outwardly impressive signs among us  today. But that doesn’t mean that he is silent or absent. He is active in our home  devotions, our Bible classes, in our worship. Here the Holy Spirit brings his  comfort. Here the Holy Spirit reminds us of everything that Jesus has said and  done for us.  

And just as the Holy Spirit was with Peter and the other apostles as they began  this massively important work, so too he is with us, today, as we live our lives to  glorify him at the grocery store, as we invite our neighbor to come to church with  us, as we explain ever-so-briefly the core of our Christian faith to a curious  coworker. He’s there, working through us, working even in spite of us. As he uses  us to point people to Jesus. 

What does this mean? This whole scene at the first Christian Pentecost day, the  whole of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives means one eternally important  thing: we will be with our God and Savior forever!  

Thanks be to God! Amen.


Written Sermon May 25, 2025

Written by Pastor John Eich

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Alma, MI

16“In a little while you are not  going to see me anymore, and  again in a little while you will  see me, because I am going  away to the Father.” 

17Therefore some of his disciples  asked one another, “What does he  mean when he tells us, ‘In a little  while you are not going to see me,  and again in a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going away to  the Father’?” 18So they kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’?  We don't understand what he's saying.” 

19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them,  “Are you trying to determine with one another what I meant by saying, ‘In a  little while you are not going to see me, and again in a little while you will see  me’? 20Amen, Amen, I tell you: You will weep and wail, but the world will  rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21A  woman giving birth has pain, because her time has come. But when she has  delivered the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of her joy  that a person has been born into the world. 

22“So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your heart will  rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23In that day you will  not ask me anything. Amen, Amen, I tell you: Whatever you ask the Father in  my name, he will give you. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my  name. Ask, and will receive, so that your joy may be made complete.

Typically, we want things to last. You don’t want the cell phone you paid a  thousand dollars for to last for a few months, right? You want to get several  years of use out of it at least. You buy a car for tens of thousands of dollars  with the intention that you’ll be able to use it for many years. And if you’re  able to buy a home, you spend a much larger amount of money hoping that it  might last you a life-time. We want our education or training to last beyond  the exam.  

Jesus this morning focuses on something that endures much better than a  well-made car or a good education. He zeroes us in on the joy we have in his  resurrection.  

It’s been six weeks since we celebrated the biggest festival in the Christian  church year and the most important event in human history: Jesus’  resurrection from the dead. Do you remember that day? The breakfast, the  fellowship, the music…the fact that this building was packed with over 135 people? But where are all those people now? Have you ever wondered why  churches that are packed on Easter are not only six weeks later? What  changed? Did Jesus go back into the grave? Why is the joy of Easter lost so quickly? Actually, it’s not a mystery at all. Jesus explained it pretty clearly in  the parable of the Sower. With some, the Gospel simply bounces off their  hard hearts and then the devil steals it away from them. Some joyfully  receive the Word but when trouble and persecution come, they fall away. For  others the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out  their faith (Matthew 13:1-23). For various reasons, many are prevented from  understanding the kind of joy Easter brings. But they’re not the target  audience for this sermon. You are. Do you understand the kind of joy Easter  brings?  

Clearly, on Maundy Thursday in that upper room, the disciples did not  understand. You can’t blame them. Put yourself in their shoes: they’re  celebrating the Passover meal when Jesus tells them a riddle “in a little while  you are not going to see me anymore, and again in a little while you will see  me, because I am going away to the Father.” If Jesus intended these words to  be cryptic, he succeeded. The disciples discussed among themselves whether  anyone understood what this meant; finally concluding: “we don’t  understand what he’s saying.” Given the benefit of 2000 years of hindsight,  we can be pretty confident in identifying the two “little whiles” Jesus is  referring to. 1) The first “little while” is the time between when he spoke  these words on Maundy Thursday and his death and burial on Good Friday  when they would not see him. 2) The second “little while” refers to the time – the three days – between his burial and resurrection, after which they would  see him alive again. To disciples who would soon be overwhelmed with  sorrow, Jesus identifies the “riddle” of Easter joy: that it is joy delayed; it will  only be theirs in a “little while.” 

Just as interesting as this riddle is where this joy would come from: “amen,  amen, I tell you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will  become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.” So Jesus explains one  riddle with another? Jesus promises that his disciples will mourn while the world rejoices – but then, somehow, their sorrow will turn to joy? How is  that even possible? Jesus uses the familiar illustration of a woman in labor. I  wouldn’t dare try to describe the pain of childbirth to those of you who have  experienced it first-hand. But I have been there to witness my wife  experience the pain of child-birth, only to watch that pain (in a sense) melt  away the moment she heard our children’s first cry. That’s what Jesus is  describing here. That’s the kind of joy Easter brings; a delayed joy, one  preceded by pain and sorrow. Jesus puts it this way: so you also have sorrow  now. But I will see you again. Your heart will rejoice, and no one will take  your joy away from you.  

What exactly is Jesus talking about here?  

Christians hurt sometimes. We weep because of loss. We mourn over  sadness. We grieve over guilt from sin. The disciples would mourn as they  saw Jesus crucified. They would suffer as they proclaimed the Gospel. So we  too grieve as we suffer from the fallenness of our own natures, and the brokenness of this world. We suffer when the unbelieving world persecutes  us for proclaiming the truth. So the question is not “will we suffer.” The real  question is what do with it? Jesus had the answer for his disciples.  

The disciples had been on an incredible journey. They had experienced both  terrible heartache and profound joy. On Good Friday, they were feeling  despair and grief. Their close friend and leader had been put to death by  Roman soldiers. Their grief was mixed with fear. The disciples didn’t know if  the Jewish leaders would be coming for them next. They were probably  wondering what purpose, if any, remained for them. They had thought that  Jesus was the Messiah. Now they wondered how that could be true, since he  had been put to death. Perhaps they doubted God’s plan of salvation. 

Then on Easter Sunday, they were pulled out of the pit of grief and fear with  amazing news. Jesus was alive! He had appeared to the women at the tomb.  Peter and John had seen the empty tomb. The disciples on the road to  Emmaus confirmed the stories—they had broken bread with him! Then he  had appeared to most of them in the upper room, telling them not to be  afraid. If ever they had doubted God’s plan, those doubts disappeared as  Jesus stood right in front of them. 

Because of that sure hope won for us on Easter, we can confidently trust our  God through all of life’s challenges. 

While our experiences today are not exactly the same as the disciples, we  certainly have experiences that could lead us to doubt God’s love and  blessings. Do you understand why the Lord allows you to suffer and be  sorrowful for a “little while” here in this world? Why he lets you struggle to  pay your bills and fill your gas tank; why he allows the deviancy of  homosexuality and transgenderism and the tragedy of abortion to not only be  legal, but celebrated in our society; why, sometimes, pregnancies don’t end  with the joy of a child but the tears of a miscarriage; why so many people you  know and love have absolutely no interest in trusting Jesus as their Savior  from sin; why instead of granting healing to your body and mind he allows  them to break down in painful and frustrating ways; why you’ve had to stand  there, tears streaming down your cheeks, as the body of someone you love is  lowered into the ground? Do you understand those things?  

The real mystery is not why we have pain and sorrow – that’s obvious. No,  the real mystery is why sinners like us should have any reason to rejoice. 

Nobody knows what’s coming “in a little while,” but Jesus does. So when he  says it, this is so much more than a pat on the back and a “hang in there, pal.”  Jesus is all knowing. Jesus is eternal. He knows precisely how long “a little  while is” for the hardships you face just as he did for those disciples. Jesus  knew that his disciples would weep and mourn and grieve, but then three  days after his death, they would see him again and rejoice. Jesus knows what  troubles you. He sees your burdens and he counts your tears and into your  ear he whispers, “only a little while.” Not to appease you with an empty thought about an uncertain future, but to remind you of the quintessential  Easter truth: that he lives. He lives to fulfill his every promise just for you. He  lives to bring you all the good gifts of Easter – peace, forgiveness, hope, life,  and a lasting, deep joy. 

Jesus said it, no one will take away your joy. Because our joy isn’t found in  our circumstances, which constantly change, but in our Savior, the One who  is the same yesterday and today and forever. Jesus died to pay for our sins of  seeking joy in all the wrong places. But he didn’t stay dead. He came back to  life, proving that your sins are forgiven, your eternity is guaranteed, and he is  the only one in the universe with the perspective and the ability to say  something like, “in a little while…your grief will turn to joy…and no one will  take away your joy.” Jesus lives to bring you all the gifts of Easter – right now  and lasting into eternity.  

But sometimes, we just want to skip to the end! As though once the “bad  thing” is behind us, then we’ll be happy? Look closely at what Jesus says and  what he doesn’t say. Jesus does not say, your grief will be replaced with joy,  or your grief will coexist with joy. He says, “Your grief will turn to joy.” This  is what Easter and the Easter Season are all about. The resurrection of Jesus  takes what seems like a hopeless situation and turns it into joy. Easter means  that sin, which separated you from a holy God, has been removed from you,  ground into dust under His feet. Easter means that the struggles you now  experience are the roads to deeper fellowship with God. The challenges you  experience are the exercises to strengthen your faith and trust in Jesus.  Easter means that the last and greatest enemy, death itself, is nothing but a  doorway to eternal life with Jesus. God is making those unhappy times bright and shiny. He starts here and now by keeping his promises, even through  times of weeping, mourning, and grieving.  

How do you feel on Easter Sunday? In my memories of Easter Sundays past,  there is a common thread of joy. There is a special feeling on Easter Sunday.  The church is full of bright colors and smiling faces; laughter and fellowship  and the smell of Easter lilies fill every corner. And, best of all, God’s people  

loudly sing their Easter praises. 

I don’t have a special guidebook on how to make every day like Easter  Sunday or an easy way to summon those special joyful feelings when we must  face trials. And yet, we have Jesus.  

Your grief will turn to joy. Jesus made his disciples a big promise here. It  took them a little while to realize it. Because of Easter, Jesus makes you that  same big promise. Your grief will turn to joy. Think about that for a little  while and rejoice in that forever. He’s telling the truth:  

Easter brings a deep and lasting joy.