“Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The day of the LORD is darkness and not light, as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him. Shall the day of the LORD not be darkness rather than light, even very dark and no brightness in it?” Amos 5:18-20 (read v. 18-24)

Are you ready for the Day of the Lord? Most have little fear of that day or of its consequences for them. Most assume that all is well with their souls, and God’s judgments are far from their minds.

It is much like the days of ancient Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. Israel became strong again and defeated its enemies. It was a time of prosperity. Yet, Jeroboam II continued in the sinful ways of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Instead of it being a time of repentance and returning to the LORD God who had shown mercy upon His people, they continued in idolatry and disregard for God’s commandments. cf. 2 Kings 14:23ff.

So, today, our people – even our churches – live in prosperity and are secure in their sinful ways. They disregard the Bible’s teaching and worship and serve gods fashioned after their own image and manner of thinking. Our nation’s laws are made to protect abortion, euthanasia, immorality, sexual perversion, robbery and theft. People assume all is well and that they are ready for the Day of the Lord but don’t see the judgment of the Almighty which is about to come upon them.

The words of Amos the prophet surely apply (Amos 5:18-24): “Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The day of the LORD is darkness and not light, as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him. Shall the day of the LORD not be darkness rather than light, even very dark and no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your feast days and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer me burnt-offerings and your food-offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. Take away from me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your harps. But let judgment run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

The Day of the Lord for our nation and people will not bring vindication; it will bring judgment and death! Our idolatry and sins will be exposed for what they are, and our people will find that their worship and service to God were shams. God did not accept them because their hearts were far from Him and they paid little regard to His Word (cf. Matt. 15:8-9; Isa. 29:13-14).

And, what about us? Are we ready for the Day of the Lord? Will we be vindicated in God’s judgment? As Amos prophesied, it’s not enough to say all the right words and to offer up all the right forms of praise. God desires the fruits of true faith! God desires that we trust in His mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus and then also live just and righteous lives in accord with His Word. Cf. Isaiah 1:1-20.

What does this prophecy call upon us to do? To examine our ways, to repent of our sins, to turn to the LORD God for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Christ Jesus our Savior, and then to amend our lives and live for the LORD God in obedience to His Word.

Going through the right motions, saying the right words and singing the right hymns are not enough! God calls upon us – each and every one of us – to examine our ways and repent, looking to Him for mercy in Christ Jesus and for His help and strength to amend our sinful ways in accord with His perfect Word. Cf. Psalm 139:23-24; 2 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 1:7 – 2:6; Micah 6:8; Deut. 10:12-13.

O just and merciful God, we know that the day of Your judgment is coming and that we too are deserving of Your wrath and punishment. Have mercy upon us for Jesus’ sake and forgive our sins, and lead us to walk in Your ways and to live in accord with Your perfect Word. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Common Version of the Bible.]

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, to your children, and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39

How is it that one can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? How can one “not be drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:18-21)?

Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, gives to us the answer: “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

To be filled and led by the Spirit of God does not require any great spiritual work on our part. It does not require a specific prayer or a holy and sinless life before the Holy Spirit enters into us.

Through the good news of Christ’s innocent sufferings and death on the cross for the sins of the world, God graciously calls us sinners to turn from our sins to Christ Jesus for forgiveness and life everlasting (cf. 2 Thess. 2:13-14).

The Holy Spirit reveals our sinfulness and utter failure to live up to the demands of the perfect Law of God (cf. John 16:7-11; Rom. 3:9-20,23); but then the Holy Spirit comforts us with the assurance that atonement has been made for our sins in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again, and that we are forgiven and counted righteous by God through faith in Jesus’ name (cf. Rom. 3:24-26; Psalm 32:1ff.; 51:1ff.).

When, by the grace of God, we believe this and trust in Christ as our Savior, being baptized into His name and according to His command for the remission of our sins (Matt. 28:19; Gal. 3:26-27), we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He takes up residence in our hearts, teaches us of Jesus from God’s Word, and strengthens and keeps us in the true and saving faith (cf. John 14:16-18, 23-28; 16:13-15; Titus 3:3-7).

And He who has “begun a good work” in us will dwell in us and “perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, our risen and ascended Savior, we thank You for granting to us the gift of the Holy Spirit — for bringing us to turn from our sins to You for forgiveness, being baptized in Your name, and for dwelling in us by Your Spirit that we might be kept and preserved in the true and saving faith unto life everlasting. For the sake of Your bitter sufferings and death in our stead, and Your glorious resurrection, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Common Version of the Bible.]

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3

The Bible tells us: “For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only-begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him, should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We see this love in the following:

• Our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He humbled Himself, suffered and died on the cross for the sins of all, and rose again on the third day, having won forgiveness of sins and life everlasting for all mankind. Cf. Gal. 4:4-5; 1 Tim. 1:15-16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4.

• He now — through the preaching of His Word — calls sinners to repent of their sinful ways and trust in Him and His shed blood for full and free forgiveness and for the everlasting joys of heaven. Cf. Luke 24:46-47; Acts 3:19; Rom. 10:17.

• When by the grace and mercy of God, we are brought to see our sinfulness and to turn in faith to Jesus for forgiveness and life in Him, we become children of God — saved by His grace alone. We have an inheritance in heaven and look forward to the day when Jesus our Savior returns to take us to live with Him in holiness and righteousness, forever with our God and Savior. Cf. John 3:14-18; Rom. 3:19-26; 5:1-2; Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 2:8-9.

We can’t even begin to understand what it will be like when we are raised up in — or changed into — His image. The Bible tells us: “Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2; cf. Rom. 8:29).

Now, as believers, we are faultless before our heavenly Father because of Christ’s righteous life and atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world (cf. Col. 1:19-23; Eph. 1:6-7), but we look forward to that day when we are free of all sin and can indeed serve our God in righteousness and purity forever.

We confess in our catechism (Luther’s explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed): “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, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.”

While we await that day, we strive — led and aided by God’s Holy Spirit — to be more and more like our Savior. The Bible says, “And every man who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).

St. Paul describes it this way in his letter to the Philippians (Phil. 3:8-14): “Indeed, I even count all things to be loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have suffered the loss of all things and count them to be dung so that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead. It is not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect, but I pursue, if that I may obtain that for which Christ Jesus also obtained me. Brothers, I do not count myself to have obtained, but this one thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

But the day will come, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52; cf. Phil. 3:20-21).

When that day comes, we shall be changed into the image of our Lord Jesus. As John wrote in his first epistle, “We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

As believers in our Lord Jesus, we can join with David in his psalm and say: “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied with your likeness when I awake” (Psalm 17:15).

What a day that will be!

Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for redeeming us with Your holy and precious blood and for graciously bringing us to repent of our sins and trust in You for forgiveness and life. By Your Spirit, keep us in the faith and move us to seek to be more and more like You until that day when You return and we are changed into Your likeness and dwell with You forevermore. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the Revised Common Version of the Bible.]

“And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11 (Read 1-11).

This Word of God, which was spoken by angels to the disciples who had just witnessed Jesus’ ascension into heaven, teaches us that Jesus Christ will return visibly in the clouds of glory on the Last Day.

The Bible says: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Rev. 1:7).

As Jesus ascended into heaven, so He shall also return on the Last Day, the Day of Judgment. Those who do not trust in Him for salvation will wail in sorrow at His return because they stand condemned for not trusting in the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). But those who do trust in Him as their Savior – believing that they have pardon for their sins and peace with God for the sake of Christ’s innocent sufferings and death in their stead – will rejoice at His return because He comes to take them to be with Him forever in the mansions of heaven (cf. Luke 21:27-28; Heb. 9:27-28; John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18).

What about you? Do you repent of your sinful ways and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for mercy and forgiveness? Or do you refuse to repent and look to Jesus for pardon and forgiveness?

The Bible tells us: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, as You have ascended up into heaven to the right hand of God the Father, so come again and take us to be with You forever. Graciously keep us in the true faith so that, on that Day, we may greet You with joy and not with sorrow. Grant this to us for the sake of Your holy life and bitter sufferings and death on the cross in our stead. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus said to His disciples (and to us too since His promise is to be with us unto the end of this world): “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus suffered and died for the sins of the world and is risen again and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. He has all power and authority in heaven and earth. As the risen and exalted Christ, He is over all things and works to build His Church through the preaching of His Word and the right administration of His Sacraments (cf. Eph. 1:20-23)!

Having all power and authority, He commands us (with one active verb and three participles in the Greek): “Going, therefore, teach (or disciple) all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (literal translation of the Greek text).

What Jesus commands us to do is to disciple, or make disciples of, all the nations and peoples of this world. (The word translated “teach” in verse 19, μαθητευσατε, is different than the participle translated “teaching” in verse 20, διδασκοντες, the first meaning to disciple and the second to teach and instruct.) The way that we are to do this is by going out to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them to observe all that Christ taught and commanded.

This great commission of Jesus is not complete when a child or adult is baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or even when confirmed by publicly professing his or her faith; those who are baptized into Christ Jesus are also to be taught Jesus’ doctrine – all that He taught and commanded – that they might observe it and continue in the true and saving faith until death or Christ’s return.

Thus, the work of parents, sponsors, and the entire church continues far past the day of Baptism. We carry out Christ’s commission as we continue to teach and explain the truths of God’s Holy Word that the Spirit of God, through the Word, might preserve and strengthen faith in Christ Jesus. We continue this work as we celebrate together Christ’s Supper and partake of His atoning sacrifice so that we and our fellow believers might be assured of forgiveness and life through faith in Christ Jesus and His death and resurrection in our stead.

And, as Jesus said, we are not left to ourselves with this task. Jesus gives us the added assurance that He is present with us always, “even unto the end of the world.”

O Jesus, our Savior, grant that we be Your disciples through Baptism and continuing in Your Word, and grant that we too disciple the nations by going out, by baptizing, and by teaching Your life-giving Word. Amen.

[Except as otherwise noted, Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]