Peace to this house (July 4, 2010)
By Rev. Bert A. Thompson

What happens when God’s Word is proclaimed? Wet with the water of Baptism, you hear these words “in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The spirit of Satan is driven out of you and you become a child of God.

Union with Christ is here in Baptism and holy Absolution and in the Scripture readings and in the preaching and in Jesus’ words, “Take, eat; take drink.”
When God’s Word is proclaimed, Satan falls like lightning. When God’s Word is proclaimed, Satan loses his power over you.

This is a world at war. Who started this war? Adam and Eve start this war with their sin. The fire of this war continues to blaze hot with our sin and the sin of every one around us. Sin is war; war against God and against all that God is. To sin is to divorce ourselves from God. To sin is to divorce ourselves from each other. God sends His Son to stop this war.

Another name for Jesus is Prince of Peace. True peace, true reconciliation comes only through repentance and forgiveness. Jesus told His disciples to proclaim this peace to whatever house they entered. This same peace is proclaimed here as Christ forgives you all your sins in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We bow when this Name is mentioned because this holy Name is the Name of our forgiveness. Don’t come to worship late! You don’t want to miss this peace from God that cancels your war against God. You don’t want to miss God’s gift of life and forgiveness in holy Absolution.

After receiving Absolution, you and I rejoice. We join the angels with the words they sang on Christmas Eve: “Glory be to God on high and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.” The peace that the angels proclaim signals the coming of Christ and the end of our war against God.

In whatever house they enter, Jesus’ disciples say, “Peace to this house.” But where is that peace? I see war: parents against children, children against parents, brother against brother and sister against sister. Few confess their sin because all of us think we are right. If we think we are not that bad, Jesus is not that important to us. But once God’s Word opens our eyes to see how bad we really are, Jesus is so important!

Jesus comes to bring us the peace of sins forgiven. Satan is the prince of quarreling and complaining and lying and hatred and abuse and murder, but Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Jesus comes to end our war against God and our war against each other. Jesus sends seventy disciples to proclaim His peace and Satan falls from heaven like lightning. Even the demons retreat when the disciples speak in Jesus’ Name.

The disciples heal in Jesus’ Name because all trouble and sickness is a result of sin. At the Last Day when all sin is done away with, sickness and pain will never bother us again. But for now, the war of sin goes on. We are surrounded by people who reject the peace that Jesus brings. We are surrounded by immorality and filthiness, hatred and lies. Also, in each of us, we have an Old Nature inherited from Adam. It can do and it wants to do every wickedness that has ever been done. Our Old Nature even makes up excuses for our sins. As long as we are better than some people, our Old Nature tells us we are okay.

We need to see our sins of thought, word and actions. Then we need that peace of sins forgiven, the cancellation of our war against God. We need the peace that gives us strength to do what Colossians 3:5 (NIV) tells us: “put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” That is why you are here. Here is the peace of sins forgiven. Here God gives you power to hate your sins and run from them.

Christ has rescued you from the power of your enemies: the world, the devil and your own sinful nature. Now, look out! Now you are lambs among wolves. Your enemies see the peace you have received and they hate you with a murderous hatred.

That’s why a Christian’s life can be much worse than the life of an unbeliever. But fear not, O little flock. It is your heavenly Father’s good pleasure to give you His kingdom.

The disciples come back rejoicing that even the demons are obedient to them. They do not yet know the fiery trials they will have to undergo. Most of the twelve and some of the others would die horrendous, torturous deaths, just like Jesus. Most of them are killed by church people – church people who think they are doing the right thing! Oh, the blindness that Satan places on the eyes and hearts of those who reject the peace that Jesus comes to bring. Twelve plaques on our walls commemorate Jesus’ twelve disciples. Look at the plaques and see the instruments of their executions. See how horribly many of Jesus’ disciples died just because they proclaimed Jesus’ love and forgiveness. But even in tortuous death, the devil and the world and their own sinful flesh could not harm Jesus’ disciples. The Holy Spirit kept them in the true faith. The souls of these disciples are alive right now with Jesus in Paradise. At the last Day their filleted, speared, crucified and even decapitated bodies will be raised whole and pure and new, with no suffering or pain or death ever again.

Do not be surprised if your life as a follower of Jesus Christ is difficult and even worse that those who do not follow Jesus. A disciple is not above his teacher. What they did to Jesus, they can do to you too. But what can the world, the devil and even our old sinful nature really do? The worst they can do is kill us, but even then they lose, because in Christ, we will rise again. At our baptism, we are placed in Christ Jesus and in Christ Jesus our enemies cannot even keep us dead. In Christ, we share His resurrection.

Into whatever house they enter, the disciples say: “Peace to this house.” From where does this peace come? This peace comes from this house, your heavenly Father’s house. From this house, the peace of Christ goes to your house. Any godly peace you have comes from the Word of God that is proclaimed here. That peace from God is the peace of sins forgiven.

The disciples proclaimed the peace of Christ’s salvation. They did not speak their own words, but the Word of Christ and the Word of Christ did the work. Just as in those villages that the seventy visited, Jesus’ Word is heard right now here in St. Luke, and His Word works, right now. His Word accomplishes His good purpose, which is the forgiveness and salvation of you.

Then, His Word does not stay here at St. Luke. Christ Jesus sends His Word home with you. You go home and you proclaim Jesus’ words “Peace to this house” in your own home as you forgive each other as you have been forgiven here.

What happens when the Word of God is proclaimed here, and then in your own home? It releases you from your slavery to sin, death and the devil. It brings peace with God through the forgiveness of your sins. It enables you to truly love God and to truly love each other. It also brings war because you are lambs in a world filled with wolves, but fear not, O little flock; the Holy Spirit will keep you in the true faith, for it is your heavenly Father’s good pleasure to give you His kingdom.

Remember what happens when God’s Word is proclaimed. You are forgiven in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and you have peace with God. Amen.