Today is Mother's Day; Happy Mother's Day, Moms But Dads and kids, what will you get Mom today? A nice dinner out? Some flowers? A sweet or funny card? Maybe the kids will do all Mom's work today so she can relax? In the Holy Gospel today, Jesus teaches us that because He has faithfully carried out the work of salvation, we can once again call God our Father. And then Jesus teaches us to ask that Father anything in His name and the Father will grant it. So, with that confidence, Dads and kiddos, are you going to give Mom the best gift? Will you pray for her? Will you drum loudly into your heavenly Father's ears pleas and petitions for Mom to be blessed and have all that she needs and that our Father would take care of her? And will you do that EVERY day, not just Mother's Day? Today is Mother's Day. But did you know that last week was Nurses Week? A month ago we had Secretaries Day. Father's Day is coming up. There's even Clergy Appreciation that falls around October sometime. Why do we have these Hallmark holidays? I think in some part it is to overcome our guilt and pretend that, at least for one day or week a year, we really do appreciate and have good things to say about others. That's because most of the time, our lips aren't used for praying for and speaking well of others. They're used for grumbling.
In the wilderness, the Children of Israel had all the manna they could eat. God supplied them this heavenly bread to keep them from dying in the wilderness. But did they thank Him? Did they praise Him for this gift? Did they glorify God because they didn't even have to provide for themselves but received food directly from the Lord? No! They LOATHED the manna. They were sick and tired of it. They hated it. And they did nothing but complain against God and Moses. What about you? Today you have only nice things to say about Mom. What about the other 364 days of the year? Do you grumble and complain about her? She doesn't give you what you want. She makes you do things you don't want to do. She meddles in your life. Or she doesn't pay attention when she should. Not just moms. Kids, do you complain about both your parents? Parents, do you speak to your kids to build them up and bless them or tear them down and run them off? Wives and husbands, what do you have to say about each other? Is your every comment one of complimenting and praising and praying for them or is it a nitpicking of all their faults? What about the people you work with? What about your pastor? Pastor, what about your people and other pastors? On and on it goes. You know exactly what I mean. Most of the time each day that our mouths are open and words are coming out, they are not words that build others up but tear others down and grumble and complain about what the Lord has given us. When we open our mouths, it is not to pray and ask God's blessing upon others but to say how awful they are. Brothers and sisters, beware! Repent! When the Israelites did that, God simply would not put up with it. If the children of Israel would not glorify Him and give Him thanks, and speak well of each other, then they were useless people, a people worth nothing but destruction. And so the fiery serpents came to bite and kill them. Watch out! Keep running with your mouths the way you do and you can expect the bitter judgment of God against your useless tongue!
So what hope is there for such sinners who speak like we do? For the children of Israel, a bronze serpent was lifted up. When they looked at it they were saved from their snake bites. This bronze snake points us to Christ who is lifted up on the cross for the sins of the world. Look to Him and be saved. Christ, with lips that spoke only purely and perfectly, carried upon Himself the sins of the world and every useless and worthless word we have uttered. He whose Word is Truth saves us whose words are filthy rags. On the cross, Christ's blood and water flow into the cup and into the font so that we are saved. Now, when we are bitten by the snake, pierced by our sins, betrayed by our wagging tongues, we look to Christ at the font, upon the altar, in the pulpit to be saved. There, where Christ's Word and gifts are given, we may be certain that the Father of Jesus is now our heavenly Father too. There, where the water and blood and Spirit are given to us, we can be certain that our Father has forgotten our sins and remembers our wasted words no more. Your sins are forgiven. Hear these words of life which save you!
Now because Christ has rescued us from sin and death, He has given us a far better use of our tongues than what we would make of them. Christ has rescued even our tongues for the service of our neighbor. Therefore He tells His disciples, “You won't ask me for anything, you'll ask the Father in My name and He'll give it to you.” Brothers and sisters, pay close attention to those words. “Whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you.” Could there be a more astounding promise than that God Himself has promised to hear us and pay attention to us for the sake of Christ? Do you realize, brothers and sisters, that in Christ, we have been given what the world seeks in vain to find—the ear of God? The religions of the world work overtime trying to figure out and work out just how they can grab God's attention. And you already have His undivided attention because you are in Jesus! Jesus, the Son whom the Father always hears and honors, now gives you the same place as sons of God to call upon the Lord for all that you desire. Here then is an extraordinary opportunity to love and serve our neighbors! How so? By praying for ourselves and others.
Dear children of God, prayer is not some way for YOU to beg God to fix YOUR life for YOUR sake! Ask whatever you like from God yet ask for what will make you a better neighbor. For example: I might pray that the Lord make sure I have enough to eat each day. But that prayer isn't just so that I might be able to sit around satisfied and full. It's so that I will have the strength to go about the day doing what I need to do to serve others. So that I will have the energy and stamina to faithfully take care of my children, help my wife and carry out my calling as a pastor. All your prayers, brothers and sisters, all of your mighty petitions that come before God in the name of Jesus should be directed to the benefit and blessing of your neighbor. Yes, even the prayers you pray for yourself, that your Father would give you something you need or take away something you don't want—yes, even these prayers are not asked for your own sake, but for the sake of those around you, that you may be a blessing to them. And, of course, your prayers for others. Dear Christians, you have this mighty gift from Christ Himself to ask whatever you will of the Father in His name. If this is what Christ has promised, then our lips should have NO time for tearing down others while building ourselves up; no time for grumbling and complaining. Rather, our lips should be employed full time in prayer. Prayer for ourselves, for the sake of our neighbor. Prayers for our neighbor in all of their needs. Prayers of thanksgiving that our Father should send such a Son who would give us life that we might pray and ask Him! Pray, children of God! Pray that the Lord will continue to keep you in the gifts of your Baptism and His Supper. Pray that He would do likewise for your neighbor! Kids, pray for your moms and dads and parents for your children, and people for your pastor, and citizens for your country and leaders and everyone for everyone!
We heard James say todaythat if you think you are a religious person but you can't control you tongue, your religion is worthless! There is much to repent of there. Here we are, gathered in God's house and in an hour we'll be back in the world grumbling and complaining. Repent! Realize that such grumbling against the people and circumstances of your life is really to grumble and complain against God. And such grumbling deserves snake bites! But rejoice! Rejoice that the bronze serpent was lifted up for the children of Israel and that Christ was lifted up for you. When your mouth turns to evil and wickedness, and the Law sinks its teeth deep into your flesh and soul, then look up! Look up and behold Christ! Behold His blood and water in front of you here to cleanse you from your sins and wash the poison of sins from your bites! Then, lift up your lips, cleansed in Christ—lift them up in prayer and thanksgiving. Ask your Father for anything and everything that will make you a good and faithful and useful neighbor to the folks around you. With such a Savior and such holy gifts and such a promise that the Father will hear our prayers, there is no better work we can do for Moms on Mother's Day and for everyone every day of the year. Happy Mother's Day indeed! Because in Christ we have such a heavenly Father! Amen.