✠ Psalmody: 1 Peter 2:2a; Psalm 81:1; Matthew 26:32; 1 Cor. 5:7b, 5:8a, c; Matthew 28:2b, 5a, 6a; John 20:27b
✠ Lection: Ezekiel 37:1–14; 1 John 5:4–10a; John 20:19–31
In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Through St. John’s first epistle, the Spirit of the Lord teaches that whatever is born of God overcomes the world, that our faith is the victory that has overcome the world, and that he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world. It’s an overcoming expressed in three-fold measure that describes the truth that there is something, referred to as ‘the world’, that is good to overcome. The feat must be good, for there is birth, there is faith, and there is belief that all lead to it. In addition to these three, there are also two other sets of three in our text by which our joy may continue to be made full in this jubilant Eastertide by an enabling to overcome being gifted to us: by the witness in heaven of the blessed Holy Trinity, and by the witness on earth of the Spirit and means of grace by which He creates and sustains that joy in us until there is no more world left to overcome. We must get there and get there we shall in the overcoming victory found in Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Son of God.
This epistle is from the same John who wrote, God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Is it that God loves the world or that He overcomes it? Yes. He does both. Both statements are true, for John refers to two different things with the same word in what he wrote in his Gospel and in what he wrote in his epistle. God loved the world, that is, the entirety of humanity. He loved all people in this way: that He gave Jesus the Christ, the only-begotten Eternal Son made Man, unto death to save us all, having Himself conquered death. He is risen. And whatever is born of God overcomes the world, that is, in this context, not referring to overcoming all humanity, but to overcoming all evil and ungodliness that exists under heaven, including that within ourselves. This is the power of God possessed by those born of Him, born from above in Christ, born into the life of belief that He is the Son of God Who has accomplished the redeeming task given to Him from the Father. Those born of Him are given the faith that is indeed a true victory now by which evil is overcome: the evil of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature. If any or all three of those trouble you in the chaos that they stir up, lay hold of the great faith given from above, for in Christ Jesus God guarantees victory, even on this side of glory, while you drag about you the weight of the old Adam of sin. Better than the first is the Second Adam in Whom you are clothed this day in bright raiment like the exuberant angel in the empty tomb. You see how one world (people), God loves and has seen to it to redeem us with His own shed blood, while in so doing overcomes another world of evil that seeks to separate us from Him and destroy us.
Beloved, desire the sincere milk of the word that proclaims to you the Good News in which you overcome that world. Desire that victory, that faith in Christ that does battle with and overcomes evil and ungodliness, for that faith is the gift that God has given in and at the cost of Jesus, His Son. Whatever is born of God, that is, a Christian, overcomes that world. Take heart! This is no mere no picker-upper nor hopeful musings of a man, but it is truth to which three bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. Three divine Persons in one glorious Godhead. The heart, mind, and will of the Trinity all testify to the incontrovertible truth that Jesus is the Son of God Who stepped down from Heaven, became Man, was crucified for the sins of the whole world, was buried, and rose again on the third day, just as He had said. This He did so that you may be freed from the wicked chains that bind you. This He did so that faith, belief, and victory may be yours here in time and there in eternity, for Christ is the beginning and the ending, the Alpha and the Omega; His are time and eternity. His are the glory and the dominion both now and forever. You overcome not by your will, but by His; by that of the Most Holy Trinity. No greater truth is there than that to which Almighty God bears witness! Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.
Dear Christians, this faith, belief, and victory are no abstract, imaginary butterflies of which you can only struggle to lay hold. There are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one, because they all point to the One Who was slain, but behold He lives forevermore! The Spirit descended upon Jesus in the Jordan where in His Baptism, God sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin. Then upon a gloriously dark Friday at twilight, the Lamb of God was slain and gave up the Spirit having finished His atoning task. Alas! And did our Savior bleed. He breathed His last, bowed His holy head, and gave up the Ghost. One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. As Jesus began His sleep of death, out from His precious side came the life of His Bride, for now the three, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, bear witness to you, and to these you now lay hold in confidence given by God that in Christ you receive from Him, that which overcomes the world.
In water, water sanctified by the Lamb of God, pure and holy, you are washed clean and robed with Christ’s undefiled righteousness. God does this in those Holy Waters poured upon you in your Baptism, claiming you a beloved child and writing His Name upon your forehead by which you strive and wrestle in faith for victory. In your baptism, you received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, as did your elder Brother, Christ, that to overcome all ungodliness you now have His certainty, for He has done this for and to you. This is the witness of the water.
The three-fold witness upon the earth is also seen in the Spirit’s work through those men called to be a faithful shepherd to your soul. To those in the Office of Christ, the risen Lord has breathed more measure for your faith to be strengthened. In the stead and by the command of Christ, if pastors forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if they retain the sins of any, they are retained. The Holy Absolution upon those who repent of their sins and want to do better, is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself. God acts through means and in so doing, you can be sure how the witness in heaven is seeing to it that the fruit of all Christ’s work is being breathed out upon you in the blessed vocation of where Jesus’ shepherds tend to you in the verdant pastures of sins forgiven. This is the witness of the Spirit.
In this pasture, you also come to kneel, to stand, to recline at Table to receive a miraculous catch of forgiveness. He makes you the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. The Spirit, the water, and the blood; it is the shed Blood of Jesus that flowed from His pierced side that is now poured into your body and from there into your soul. This is no abstract idea of which you are to muster up enough theological knowledge to hopefully lay hold of in the burning of your bosom. As certain as you are that you eat and drink, be even more certain in the pure milk of God’s Word that promises that you receive strengthening of your faith by the forgiveness of your sins in the Holy Communion of Christ. You shall certainly, in body and soul, come before the altar of your King Who bled, died, and rose again. You shall certainly eat His Flesh that is food indeed, and drink His Blood that is drink indeed. This is the witness of the blood. Approach with gladness and certainty of heart to His Meal of witness to you that by His doing, He has won for and freely gives to you new birth from above. He grants belief that all that Jesus is, has done, and will do is truth; belief that He is the Son of God. Believe that He was dead and is now risen in glory. He gives faith by all this. And this is the victory that has overcome the world.
In ✠ Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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