"Be Blest With The Mind Of Christ!" Philippians 2:5-11
Series: Lenten Sermons
March 24, 2024
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Holy Week begins as did the new Church Year - following Jesus into Jerusalem as He journeys to the cross to win salvation FOR US! Sermon Text: Philippians 2:5-11. Sermon Theme: "Be Blest With The Mind of Christ!" preached for Palm Sunday, 24-March-2024, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
Episode Notes
Palmrum, Palm Sunday 24-March-2024
Sermon Text: Philippians 2:5-11 by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Sermon Theme: “Be Blest With Christ’s Mind!” I. Humble Yourself Beneath His Cross! (Vs.5-8) II. Rejoice To Confess His Name! (Vs.9-11).
I.N.R.I. Last Sunday I stood before the altar in the front of the church asking a young man clothed in white, “Do you renounce the devil?, Do you renounce all his works? Do you renounce all his ways?” Boldly and firmly he answered, ‘Yes, I renounce them!” Then I asked that young man clothed in white, “Do you believe in God the Father - God the Son - God the Holy Spirit?’ Boldly and firmly he answered, “Yes, I believe!”
Today another young man robed in white will stand before the altar in front of Christ’s Church. Soon he will be asked the same questions that I addressed a week ago to the other young man. Lord willing, he will answer the same. The questions are not alien to him. Fourteen years ago Jaxson you answered them on the day of your baptism, most likely clothed in white. Today you answer them anew - not because they didn’t take when you answered them through your sponsors baptized as an infant. God the Holy Spirit who brought your from death to life in Christ on the morn of your baptism, has been breathing those answers through you every day of your new life in Christ Jesus as the Father’s beloved son.
What is confirmation? Confirmation is not a sacrament. “A sacrament is a sacred act, instituted by the command of Christ; in which Christ joins His Word of promise to a visible element; by which He offers and bestows the forgiveness of sins He has earned for us by His suffering, death, and resurrection.” Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacraments. In baptism water is joined with Christ’s Word offering giving and sealing to infants forgiveness of sins, rescue from death and the devil, eternal salvation and faith to believe Jesus’ Words and promises. In the Lord’s Supper Jesus’ Word is joined to bread and wine so that each communicant receives Jesus’ body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine with the mouth of their bodies for the forgiveness of their sins, life, and salvation. Jesus’ Word and promise are clear - “Take eat, this is My Body”; “Drink, you all if it, for this is My blood of the new covenant”; “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”. Holy Absolution the reality of living your baptism by private repentance and receiving forgiveness from the pastor as from Christ Himself is gifted to us by our Risen Lord in His Church.
What then is confirmation? Something we must suffer through like our parents. Is it only a meaningless rite of passage - we get a catechism - memorize parts for a day, then forget the next - then toss the book away and forget about it after we are confirmed. Dr. Martin Luther never finished praying, studying, meditating upon the texts of the Small Catechism. He never grew bored of learning that which the Triune God never stops teaching. If the first time you’ve learned the Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, Christ’s promises in baptism, absolution, the Lord’s Supper - was in 6th grade when you HAD to take confirmation - we’ve failed you as parents and as a congregation. If the last you read and study them is before you are confirmed and then shelf the book and forget it - you’ve failed and Satan, the world, and your flesh has reclaimed you from Christ.
Therefore this Palm Sunday morning, my prayer is for you Jaxson as our catechumen - “Be Blest With Christ’s Mind!” I. Humble Yourself Beneath His Cross! (Vs.5-8) II. Rejoice To Confess His Name! (Vs.9-11).
Saul persecuted those who confessed Jesus as Messiah. He arrested, beat, and imprisoned them for trial and death. Jesus of Nazareth stopped his murderous journey to Damascus, called Paul to repentance, blinded him. After three days our risen and ruling Lord Jesus sent Ananias to baptize this great persecutor of Christians. Jesus told objecting Ananias, Act 9:15-16 ..."Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. (16) For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." Jaxson, from the day of your baptism, our Lord Jesus calls you and every baptized follower to “take up your cross daily and follow Him!” Your baptismal life is preserved under the cross. The world treats you as it treated Jesus. Satan rages against you as it did Jesus. Your flesh will fail you - Christ’s body and blood never will.
Paul is in chains, imprisoned by the government of Rome - his offense He preached the Gospel of Christ. From prison Paul doesn’t complain, instead he teaches us to rejoice in the Lord always! Jails, chains, gulags, de-plat forming, never separate us from the Truth and freedom we have in Christ Jesus and His Word. Listen! (Vs. 5-6) God the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth - renews our minds under the cross, as we are counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s Name - to have the mind of Christ.
What is Jesus of Nazareth’s mindset. He is the eternally begotten Son of God the Father from all eternity. From Him and the Father God the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds. He isn’t robbing God when He in our flesh preached that, ‘I and the Father are One.” or “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” or breathing upon His disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit, as the Father sent Me, so I am sending you.” Jesus is truly God who has become one with us - mankind - His creatures. Satan, a created angel, grasped to be equal with and displace the Triune God from His rule. Satan failed - he is the source of all evil, sin, suffering, rebellion, corruption, and death in this world.
Jesus of Nazareth is the God/Man. Confess: I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. (Vs.5-8) If you had all the power in the universe in your flesh - what would you do? Satan’s temptation captured us all - we long to be our own gods - to be autonomous - doing what we want, feel, think - serving self. We love to worship the idol called, “ME!” Jesus, as Man, had absolute power - it didn’t corrupt Him - He humbled Himself to become a slave. The Slave under your sin, my sin, the world’s sin. He is conceived without sin bearing our sinful conception. He is born without sin, to be the Lamb of God - the Scapegoat for my rebellion, your rebellion, the world’s rebellion. He lives a perfect life - slaving to fulfill the Law God - FOR YOU! He is baptized into your cesspool of selfishness and rejection of your Creator FOR YOU! He is obedient to God the Father as the Slave for your disobedience to God, your parents, and other authorities. He follows God the Father’s Will to rescue you from all sins, from death, and from the devil. He slaves under the Hell you deserved - pouring out His holy precious blood and paying your debt with His innocent suffering and death - that you might be His own.
Daily humble yourself beneath His cross. Begin each day with His Word and Promise that brought you to life through water - “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”“This is most certainly true!” Inscribe the sign of the cross on your body - you are not your own - God the Father created you. God the Son slaved to redeem you. God the Holy Spirit claims your body, mind, reason, and strength as His temple. Confess the Truth of reality - the Apostles’ Creed. Pray with Jesus, “Our Father..” Go joyfully to the days tasks singing the faith as your morning readings from Jesus’ Word suggest. Humble yourself - a sinner - you crucified the Lord of Life - place your sins where they belong - on Jesus crucified the Slave for your sins. Live a new creation resurrected in Him.
II. History records the song of victory: Psa 18:1-2 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David The Servant of the LORD, Who Spoke to the LORD The Words of This Song on the Day that the LORD Delivered Him from the Hand of All His Enemies and from the Hand of Saul. And He Said: I will love You, O LORD, my strength. (2) The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Sing King David’s song through David’s Son and Lord - Jesus. The second verse is your confirmation verse. Learn to pray it as you memorize this entire Psalm and live it by the power of the Holy Spirit in your baptism.
Jesus of Nazareth suffered and died for you - a penniless Slave whose lifeless body had to be laid in a borrowed tomb. Good Friday all seemed lost. The Lord of Life crucified, dead, and buried. Hope gone! Despair - gloom overclouded the disciples. The third day broke - David’s song of victory was fulfilled - Psa 18:46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Salvation is found in no other name! Jesus of Nazareth - the Christ - the Messiah is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life - apart from trusting Him we will spend eternity in darkness, torment, isolation, and weeping separated from our God and Father.
Listen! (Vs.9-11) Three days Satan rejoiced that he had killed the Lord of Life. Then hell’s stronghold was breeched by the God/Man Jesus - risen - marching through death - shattering our graves - and bringing life to our world. Death no longer can hold those baptized into His victory. God has exalted Jesus - our Brother ascends on high and now fills all of this creation. The God/Man is Emmanuel - God with Us! He is present everywhere two or three gather as a congregation confessing His Name. He is present with you always with His baptized as He promises. He draws near to feed, strengthen and nourish you with His body and blood - for as often as you eat this bread and drink this wine - you proclaim His death until He comes again!
Confess His Name! Every Sunday in His Church! Every day in your life - live the Ten Commandments to serve your neighbor, pray for your enemies, confess the truth of reality speaking the Apostles’ Creed boldly. Never fear - like the warrior David - “Psa 18:2 (Christ Jesus)The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” When you fail, fall into sin, as did King David - then humble yourself before His cross. Confess your sins - let His Name be exalted declaring you forgiven by the Holy Spirit daily and richly within His Church.
The world will mock, friends laugh, your flesh will cower confessing the name of Jesus - but when Jesus returns in glory they and all the hellish horde will be forced to confess that Jesus is Truth - though then it will be too late. Today and every day confess His Name to the glory of God the Father.
In a few minutes you will speak the ongoing words of Christ’s life poured into you as a baptized infant. Be faithful! A week ago Saturday, another baptized child of God the Father lay clothed in white. Upon her forehead was traced the Holy Cross with the word and promise of Jesus of Nazareth - In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. She confessed the Faith - the Apostles’ Creed - then as at your baptism a pastor laid his hand on her forehead and Jesus prayed His prayer with her. She fell asleep in death - confessing the Name of Jesus! Now her body awaits the final coming of Christ Jesus judging her alive. Then the Holy Spirit will complete her baptism in the resurrection of her body and the life of the world to come. Confess: On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. Amen.
Sermon Text: Philippians 2:5-11 by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Sermon Theme: “Be Blest With Christ’s Mind!” I. Humble Yourself Beneath His Cross! (Vs.5-8) II. Rejoice To Confess His Name! (Vs.9-11).
I.N.R.I. Last Sunday I stood before the altar in the front of the church asking a young man clothed in white, “Do you renounce the devil?, Do you renounce all his works? Do you renounce all his ways?” Boldly and firmly he answered, ‘Yes, I renounce them!” Then I asked that young man clothed in white, “Do you believe in God the Father - God the Son - God the Holy Spirit?’ Boldly and firmly he answered, “Yes, I believe!”
Today another young man robed in white will stand before the altar in front of Christ’s Church. Soon he will be asked the same questions that I addressed a week ago to the other young man. Lord willing, he will answer the same. The questions are not alien to him. Fourteen years ago Jaxson you answered them on the day of your baptism, most likely clothed in white. Today you answer them anew - not because they didn’t take when you answered them through your sponsors baptized as an infant. God the Holy Spirit who brought your from death to life in Christ on the morn of your baptism, has been breathing those answers through you every day of your new life in Christ Jesus as the Father’s beloved son.
What is confirmation? Confirmation is not a sacrament. “A sacrament is a sacred act, instituted by the command of Christ; in which Christ joins His Word of promise to a visible element; by which He offers and bestows the forgiveness of sins He has earned for us by His suffering, death, and resurrection.” Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacraments. In baptism water is joined with Christ’s Word offering giving and sealing to infants forgiveness of sins, rescue from death and the devil, eternal salvation and faith to believe Jesus’ Words and promises. In the Lord’s Supper Jesus’ Word is joined to bread and wine so that each communicant receives Jesus’ body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine with the mouth of their bodies for the forgiveness of their sins, life, and salvation. Jesus’ Word and promise are clear - “Take eat, this is My Body”; “Drink, you all if it, for this is My blood of the new covenant”; “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”. Holy Absolution the reality of living your baptism by private repentance and receiving forgiveness from the pastor as from Christ Himself is gifted to us by our Risen Lord in His Church.
What then is confirmation? Something we must suffer through like our parents. Is it only a meaningless rite of passage - we get a catechism - memorize parts for a day, then forget the next - then toss the book away and forget about it after we are confirmed. Dr. Martin Luther never finished praying, studying, meditating upon the texts of the Small Catechism. He never grew bored of learning that which the Triune God never stops teaching. If the first time you’ve learned the Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, Christ’s promises in baptism, absolution, the Lord’s Supper - was in 6th grade when you HAD to take confirmation - we’ve failed you as parents and as a congregation. If the last you read and study them is before you are confirmed and then shelf the book and forget it - you’ve failed and Satan, the world, and your flesh has reclaimed you from Christ.
Therefore this Palm Sunday morning, my prayer is for you Jaxson as our catechumen - “Be Blest With Christ’s Mind!” I. Humble Yourself Beneath His Cross! (Vs.5-8) II. Rejoice To Confess His Name! (Vs.9-11).
Saul persecuted those who confessed Jesus as Messiah. He arrested, beat, and imprisoned them for trial and death. Jesus of Nazareth stopped his murderous journey to Damascus, called Paul to repentance, blinded him. After three days our risen and ruling Lord Jesus sent Ananias to baptize this great persecutor of Christians. Jesus told objecting Ananias, Act 9:15-16 ..."Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. (16) For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." Jaxson, from the day of your baptism, our Lord Jesus calls you and every baptized follower to “take up your cross daily and follow Him!” Your baptismal life is preserved under the cross. The world treats you as it treated Jesus. Satan rages against you as it did Jesus. Your flesh will fail you - Christ’s body and blood never will.
Paul is in chains, imprisoned by the government of Rome - his offense He preached the Gospel of Christ. From prison Paul doesn’t complain, instead he teaches us to rejoice in the Lord always! Jails, chains, gulags, de-plat forming, never separate us from the Truth and freedom we have in Christ Jesus and His Word. Listen! (Vs. 5-6) God the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth - renews our minds under the cross, as we are counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s Name - to have the mind of Christ.
What is Jesus of Nazareth’s mindset. He is the eternally begotten Son of God the Father from all eternity. From Him and the Father God the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds. He isn’t robbing God when He in our flesh preached that, ‘I and the Father are One.” or “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” or breathing upon His disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit, as the Father sent Me, so I am sending you.” Jesus is truly God who has become one with us - mankind - His creatures. Satan, a created angel, grasped to be equal with and displace the Triune God from His rule. Satan failed - he is the source of all evil, sin, suffering, rebellion, corruption, and death in this world.
Jesus of Nazareth is the God/Man. Confess: I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. (Vs.5-8) If you had all the power in the universe in your flesh - what would you do? Satan’s temptation captured us all - we long to be our own gods - to be autonomous - doing what we want, feel, think - serving self. We love to worship the idol called, “ME!” Jesus, as Man, had absolute power - it didn’t corrupt Him - He humbled Himself to become a slave. The Slave under your sin, my sin, the world’s sin. He is conceived without sin bearing our sinful conception. He is born without sin, to be the Lamb of God - the Scapegoat for my rebellion, your rebellion, the world’s rebellion. He lives a perfect life - slaving to fulfill the Law God - FOR YOU! He is baptized into your cesspool of selfishness and rejection of your Creator FOR YOU! He is obedient to God the Father as the Slave for your disobedience to God, your parents, and other authorities. He follows God the Father’s Will to rescue you from all sins, from death, and from the devil. He slaves under the Hell you deserved - pouring out His holy precious blood and paying your debt with His innocent suffering and death - that you might be His own.
Daily humble yourself beneath His cross. Begin each day with His Word and Promise that brought you to life through water - “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”“This is most certainly true!” Inscribe the sign of the cross on your body - you are not your own - God the Father created you. God the Son slaved to redeem you. God the Holy Spirit claims your body, mind, reason, and strength as His temple. Confess the Truth of reality - the Apostles’ Creed. Pray with Jesus, “Our Father..” Go joyfully to the days tasks singing the faith as your morning readings from Jesus’ Word suggest. Humble yourself - a sinner - you crucified the Lord of Life - place your sins where they belong - on Jesus crucified the Slave for your sins. Live a new creation resurrected in Him.
II. History records the song of victory: Psa 18:1-2 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David The Servant of the LORD, Who Spoke to the LORD The Words of This Song on the Day that the LORD Delivered Him from the Hand of All His Enemies and from the Hand of Saul. And He Said: I will love You, O LORD, my strength. (2) The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Sing King David’s song through David’s Son and Lord - Jesus. The second verse is your confirmation verse. Learn to pray it as you memorize this entire Psalm and live it by the power of the Holy Spirit in your baptism.
Jesus of Nazareth suffered and died for you - a penniless Slave whose lifeless body had to be laid in a borrowed tomb. Good Friday all seemed lost. The Lord of Life crucified, dead, and buried. Hope gone! Despair - gloom overclouded the disciples. The third day broke - David’s song of victory was fulfilled - Psa 18:46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Salvation is found in no other name! Jesus of Nazareth - the Christ - the Messiah is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life - apart from trusting Him we will spend eternity in darkness, torment, isolation, and weeping separated from our God and Father.
Listen! (Vs.9-11) Three days Satan rejoiced that he had killed the Lord of Life. Then hell’s stronghold was breeched by the God/Man Jesus - risen - marching through death - shattering our graves - and bringing life to our world. Death no longer can hold those baptized into His victory. God has exalted Jesus - our Brother ascends on high and now fills all of this creation. The God/Man is Emmanuel - God with Us! He is present everywhere two or three gather as a congregation confessing His Name. He is present with you always with His baptized as He promises. He draws near to feed, strengthen and nourish you with His body and blood - for as often as you eat this bread and drink this wine - you proclaim His death until He comes again!
Confess His Name! Every Sunday in His Church! Every day in your life - live the Ten Commandments to serve your neighbor, pray for your enemies, confess the truth of reality speaking the Apostles’ Creed boldly. Never fear - like the warrior David - “Psa 18:2 (Christ Jesus)The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” When you fail, fall into sin, as did King David - then humble yourself before His cross. Confess your sins - let His Name be exalted declaring you forgiven by the Holy Spirit daily and richly within His Church.
The world will mock, friends laugh, your flesh will cower confessing the name of Jesus - but when Jesus returns in glory they and all the hellish horde will be forced to confess that Jesus is Truth - though then it will be too late. Today and every day confess His Name to the glory of God the Father.
In a few minutes you will speak the ongoing words of Christ’s life poured into you as a baptized infant. Be faithful! A week ago Saturday, another baptized child of God the Father lay clothed in white. Upon her forehead was traced the Holy Cross with the word and promise of Jesus of Nazareth - In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. She confessed the Faith - the Apostles’ Creed - then as at your baptism a pastor laid his hand on her forehead and Jesus prayed His prayer with her. She fell asleep in death - confessing the Name of Jesus! Now her body awaits the final coming of Christ Jesus judging her alive. Then the Holy Spirit will complete her baptism in the resurrection of her body and the life of the world to come. Confess: On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. Amen.
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