Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. This Sunday, as we reflect on the conclusion of the church year, we also contemplate the end times and the return of our Lord Jesus in judgment. We remember His victory over sin and death, achieved through His crucifixion and resurrection, assuring us of His eventual return in glory. As we approach Advent, we recall Christ's first coming as a humble infant, destined to bear our sins and secure our salvation. This same Jesus, who first came in meekness, will return as our Judge, yet He remains our Savior, intimately acquainted with our struggles and having cleansed us through His grace. The Scriptures and the liturgical year guide us to see history and our lives as part of a divine romance, culminating in the ultimate wedding feast described in Revelation, where Christ unites with His church. This narrative of love and union frames our understanding of earthly marriage and its spiritual significance, reflecting Christ's sacrificial love for His church. As we live in anticipation of Christ's return, we are called to be vigilant and prepared, embodying faith and righteousness, ready to meet our Bridegroom. Thus, we eagerly await the day of His coming, sustained by His promises and the foretaste of heavenly joy we receive in the sacraments, confident in His unending love and the eternal feast that awaits us.

Today, we delve into the profound lesson of forgiveness as taught by Jesus in Matthew 18, emphasizing the limitless nature of forgiveness we are to extend to our brothers in Christ. Jesus instructs us to confront and reconcile with a brother who sins against us, advocating for a direct and loving approach to resolve conflicts. This process, outlined through a series of steps--private confrontation, involving witnesses, and if necessary, involving the church--aims to restore relationships and uphold community integrity. Jesus contrasts this with the parable of the unforgiving servant, who, despite being forgiven a great debt, fails to forgive a minor debt owed by another, illustrating the hypocrisy and ugliness of unforgiveness. This parable serves as a stark reminder of the necessity of forgiving from the heart, as our own forgiveness by God hinges on our willingness to forgive others. The sermon underscores that forgiveness is not optional but a central command in our Christian life, reflecting God's infinite mercy and forming the basis of our interactions within the body of Christ.

The creation narrative reveals God in a paradoxical manner, showing Himself through the act of creation while simultaneously concealing His full nature, inviting us into the mystery of His triune existence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This narrative is not merely an account of the physical origins but a profound unveiling of God's ongoing relationship with His creation. Through the Word, which was with God from the beginning and through whom all things were made, God later manifests in flesh in Jesus Christ, embodying the physical creation He initiated to redeem humanity and reverse the curse of sin, pointing towards the new creation. This redemption and revelation through Christ illuminate every aspect of creation, from the separation of light and darkness, the expanse of waters above and below, to the formation of land and life, each element reflecting God's intentional design and sovereign purpose. The narrative culminates in the creation of humanity in God's image, a design marred by sin but restored through Christ, who renews and sanctifies us, aligning us once more with God's image. This restoration is not just a future hope but a present reality, initiated through baptism, which daily renews us, and ultimately fulfilled in the eternal rest promised in the new creation, where the former things pass away, and all things are made new in Christ.

These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation, having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Today, we reflect on the profound vision of the Apostle John, who reveals to us a heavenly divine service, a cosmic liturgy where the saints, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, gather before the throne of God. In this gathering, there is no more suffering, hunger, or thirst; all earthly pains and tribulations are transcended. The Lamb, who is our shepherd, guides us to springs of living water, and God wipes away every tear from our eyes. This vision is not just a future hope but intersects with our present reality each time we participate in the Holy Communion, joining the heavenly liturgy where Christ unites us with the saints across time and space. As we celebrate All Saints Day, we recognize that our participation in this divine service is a foretaste of the eternal worship we will experience in God's unmediated presence, where the curse of sin and death is forever broken by the victory of Christ, our Savior.

All humans have sinned and fall short of God�s glory, and no amount of good works can restore us. Sin enslaves and corrupts, but God in His grace has provided redemption through Jesus Christ. Justification�being made right with God�is a free gift received by faith, not earned. Christ�s death and resurrection defeat sin and death, offering forgiveness, eternal life, and the full assurance of God�s mercy.

Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bid'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come. Death, a troubling and unnatural event, brings sorrow and casts a shadow over our existence, reminding us of the fragility of life and the seeming finality of losing a loved one. Yet, in the face of such despair, Jesus offers a profound invitation: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me." This belief is not merely intellectual assent but a deep, trusting faith in the truth of God's word and the reality of Jesus' promises. This trust is our antidote to heartache, anchoring us in the knowledge of God's goodness and the redemptive power of Christ's death, which conquers the permanence of death itself. As we mourn our beloved Phyllis, we are reminded that through Jesus, death does not have the last word; rather, it is a passage to a new existence in God's eternal presence. In this assurance, we find not only comfort but a call to live in the light of eternal truth, trusting that our temporary sufferings pale in comparison to the glory that awaits us in Christ, who prepares a place for us in His Father's house, ensuring that our end is not oblivion but a continuation in His loving embrace.

In the climactic moments of His earthly ministry, Jesus is confronted with a question about the greatest commandment, to which He responds with profound simplicity and depth: Love God fully and love your neighbor as yourself. This interaction, set against the backdrop of impending betrayal and crucifixion, highlights the stark contrast between the religious leaders' theoretical adherence to the law and their actual actions. They profess a commitment to the law but fail to embody its essence, which is love. This hypocrisy is not just a historical note; it mirrors our own struggles. We too often elevate ideals like truth, goodness, and beauty, only to find ourselves falling short in embodying these virtues. The law, which was meant to guide us, ends up revealing our shortcomings and need for grace. Yet, in this realization lies our hope, for the law leads us to Christ, who fulfills the law's demands through His perfect love. On the cross, Christ demonstrates the ultimate love for God and neighbor, absorbing our sins and misgivings, and offering us redemption. This act of love does not abolish the law but completes it, transforming the law from a burden into a witness of divine love. Thus, our Christian life is not marked by our imperfect love but by the perfect and sacrificial love of Christ, which justifies and sanctifies us.

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Self-exaltation, or pride, corrupts our nature deeply, often leading to other sins. Pride was the original sin of the devil, leading to his fall, and similarly corrupted Adam and Eve. This root of pride is in every human heart, which is why Jesus emphasizes repentance--to humble ourselves, confess, and be reconciled to God. Humility softens the heart and fosters love for others, exemplified by Jesus washing his disciples' feet, showing his readiness to serve and cleanse us from all sins. In contrast, the Pharisees' pride led them to use a man with dropsy as a trap for Jesus, showing their disregard for human dignity. Jesus, however, healed the man and challenged the Pharisees' hypocrisy, highlighting their misplaced values. He taught that seeking humility leads to true exaltation, unlike the Pharisees who sought honor at a wedding feast. True humility recognizes and respects hierarchy without arrogance, and it involves a confident submission to God's word over personal feelings. Jesus, in perfect humility, embraced a lowly birth and a humiliating death on the cross, cleansing us from sin and modeling the humility we should embody. As we humble ourselves, we anticipate being exalted with Christ, reflecting on how his humility is intertwined with his exaltation, guiding us in our daily lives to serve others humbly, knowing this service is our glory and exaltation in God's sight.

Young man, I say to you, arise! Today, we delve into the profound reality that Jesus Christ has power over death, a cornerstone of our faith that reshapes our entire existence. Death, as we understand from Scripture, is unnatural, an intruder in God's perfect creation, brought forth by humanity's disobedience. Yet, in the face of this dire consequence, God did not abandon us to the grave. Instead, He enacted a plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, who, by His death, destroyed death itself. This truth is vividly illustrated in the Gospel account where Jesus interrupts a funeral procession and raises a widow's son. This act is not just a miracle but a declaration that death does not hold the final say. In Christ, death is transformed from a final end into a passage to a renewed life, prefiguring the ultimate resurrection where all who are in Christ will be raised and restored. This transformative power of Jesus assures us that we can face life and all its challenges, including death, with hope and courage, knowing that in Him, death becomes a gateway to eternal life.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. This Proverb teaches us the essence of true faith--relinquishing our control and trusting in God's plan. It challenges us to look beyond our limited perspective and to embrace the vastness of God's wisdom and guidance. As we navigate through life's complexities and uncertainties, let us hold fast to this divine trust, knowing that God is not only the creator but also the sustainer and director of our lives. By submitting to His will, we find not only guidance but also peace, as He leads us along paths that we could not have foreseen, toward outcomes that align with His perfect will.