Bloghardt's Reflector

St. Matthew 28:1-10 – Easter (2008)
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! He has risen indeed! Alleluia! In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dear Saints of God, I invite you to fix your eyes this Easter Morning on the Cross. Keep your eyes on it. Don't ever forget the Cross.

Candles brighten it. White covers it. The Life of lilies and palms surround it. It's almost beautiful.

But, it's still the Cross - an execution device. Put lilies on an electric chair, and it's still an electric chair.

And as much as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal life today – the Cross is still there. There it is right smack in the midst of all our Easter celebration. For to truly understand Easter, to understand the resurrection, you have to get the Cross right.

To understand the Easter, you can't escape the pain, sadness, and grief of the Passion of Jesus. Betrayal by Judas' kiss. Abandoned by His disciples. Denied by Peter.  Mocked by the guards. The shame of the purple robe and crown of thorns. The punches. The scourging. The naked humiliation of the thing! The shouts, “We have no king but Caesar.... Crucify Him. Crucify Him.”

Exodus 24:10-11 - Maundy Thursday 2008
St. Mark Lutheran Church
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In the Name of Jesus. Amen. It's unbelievable, but true. The children of Israel were sprinkled with blood, the blood of the covenant. Then, they ate and drank with God. They saw God. And they were not destroyed.

It's repeated twice because it's so unbelievable. They saw the God of Israel and under his feet was a paved work of sapphire stone and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. So, they saw God and they ate and they drank.

And don't miss the miracle is... “on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not stretch out His hand.”

The Lord didn't destroy them. The Lord has to point that out to us because you'd expect Him to lift up His hand against them. To demolish them. To destroy them.

St. John 12:32 – Palm Sunday 2008
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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In the name of Jesus. Amen. All glory, laud, and honor, to Thee redeemer king, to whom the lips of children make sweet Hosannas ring.

Hasn't felt like Lent this year, has it? Was it the early Ash Wednesday? Or maybe that it's just can't be Spring yet. I don't know but this Lent hasn't felt very Lentish at all!

Well, for whatever reason, there's no missing or dodging Lent now. Holy Week is here. Jesus has made His long trek to Jerusalem. The King rides into His City. The children wave their palm branches. Hosanna. Save us, King Jesus. He has come. Our king. Our Lord. Our God. Come to save us.

Ride on, ride on, in majesty, in lowly pomp, ride on to die! O Christ, Thy triumps now begin O'er captive death and conquered sin.

To die. That's what today is all about. In modern times, Palm Sunday has become known as “The Sunday of the Passion.” You see, He rides to glory, He rides to get lifted up. He rides to die.

For you. For me. So, we fix our eyes on His death and resurrection this week and don't wait until Friday to contemplate the crucifixion. Start now.

St. John 11:43 – The Fifth Sunday in Lent (2008)
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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In the name of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is late. Not because of daylight savings time stole an hour of sleep. No, He is late because He loves Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. He is late most of all, so that you and I would believe that He is the resurrection and life. So that we would believe right now that we are saved.

He hears His buddy Lazarus is sick and He doesn't move. He stays two days later. Then, after stalling, He makes His way to Bethany. Stopping outside of town.

Imagine the nerve! The pastor doesn't show on the sick call and then skips the funeral. There should be warning labels all over this for young pastors, “Don't try this in your parish!”

Then, the clincher, “It's good that I wasn't there, so that you might believe.... Nevertheless, let us go to Lazarus.”

He let Lazarus die – waited until He was good and dead. Not three days, but four. He stalled... He didn't go – to save them. To save the disciples, Martha, and Mary from their unbelief – to save you and me too.

St. John 4:10 – Lent 3A - 2008
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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In the Name of Jesus. Amen. A tired and weary Jesus arrived in Samaria in our Gospel lesson today and plopped down to rest on Jacob's well.

Then came a woman. A woman of Samaria. With the word “Samaria” came all of the racial tensions between Jews and Samaritans. She was a sinner, a half-Jew. Samaritans didn't worship in Jerusalem, they worshiped instead at Mount Gerizim. They were not God's people. Any good Jew wouldn't be seen associating with women like her.

Thank God Jesus comes off today as a pretty bad Jew! He sees her drawing water and initiates a conversation! He's not here to continue racial tensions, He's here to save all people – even her from her sins.

St. Matthew 15:21-28 – Reminiscere 2008
Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, Loveland, CO.
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In the Name of Jesus. Amen. Remember. This Sunday is “Remember” Sunday. Reminiscere - from the Introit for the Second Sunday in Lent, “Remember, O Lord, your tender mercies and your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old.“

Remember, O Lord. Remembering begins with the Lord. Please God, remember. If you don't, we are lost.

Remember mercy. Remember grace. Remember Jesus betrayed into the hands of sinners. Remember Him – falsely accused for me, scourged for me, bruised for me, punched for me, crowned with a crown of thorns and mocked for me, nails into His wrists – for me, hoisted above the earth for you and me. Remember Jesus crucified for me.