Christ Lutheran Church
Cleveland, Ohio
November 9, 2025
by: Rev. Dean Kavouras

Pentecost 22
Sons Of The Resurrection

“But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” (Luke 20:37-38)

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Contrary to reason and irrefutable evidence many people do not believe in the “Living God” of whom our Lord speaks of in today’s gospel. The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob who is our Maker, Redeemer and Sanctifier; our God our Help in Ages Past, our Hope for years to come.

The heavens proclaim the majesty of the immortal, invisible, only wise God. But the unmistakable source of divine knowledge is sacred scripture; as it is interpreted by the church’s creeds and enacted in her worship. And so even a person who has never stepped foot into a church knows about the Living God who sustains all things by the power of His might. Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. And he shall reign forever and ever. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Yes all men are aware of the Living God but all are likewise frightened by his size, scope and, inexplicable might. Because minus the teachings of Jesus they know his power, but they don’t know his name, or his love for mankind.

For the record “the universe” is the latest false god that people hope in, now that the gospel of Jesus Christ has nearly left our shores. Now that our people have given up faith and hope in the Living God and their love has waxed cold.

There is an English quote that goes like this:

“Everything happens for a reason.
Don’t think too much.
Trust the process.
Everything will be ok.
Very, very soon.”

— The Universe.

It is a hopeless and pathetic religion that will not confer grace in time of need.

Now there is a reason for this preamble – namely that the sons of Israel referred to in today’s Old Testament lesson had also lost their religion; and as such they were out of faith and hope as is our current population and so their suffering was unbearable – and they could see nothing more on the horizon except more of the same.

But what a contradiction! Because four hundred and fifty years earlier God saved the sons of Israel from extinction by the Patriarch Joseph, who made them prosperous, powerful and glad in the land of Egypt.

But when Joseph died “a new Pharaoh arose who knew not Joseph,” and that regent became terribly afraid of the burgeoning Israelite nation that was thriving under his nose, in his land. And so a new policy arose with the new Pharaoh: to turn the once shining people of God into a nation of cringing slaves. And it worked. And that was their condition for more than four centuries; before God acted on their behalf through Moses, of whom we hear today.

Do we think that God is taking too long to answer our pleas for mercy? He is not! He knows. He hears. He sees. He remembers. And he takes action on our behalf now, just like he did for the sons of Israel then. Now if you’ve never read the whole story of Moses and the Exodus, or are fuzzy on the details when you go home today read the first three chapters of Exodus which could be called: the gospel according to Moses.

And the thing that we will find there is that the Living God is always aware of our circumstances; and that we can always call on him at all times and in all places. Like enslaved Israel we can raise our cries for mercy up to our God and Savior as we are doing at this very hour. And He will deliver us time and again. Saint Paul says it like this in 2 Corinthians 1:9-10, “We do not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead; who delivered us from … deadly peril … and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” Let us do likewise.

Now to state the obvious Moses is a type of Christ. Moses was a model of our Savior Jesus Christ. And as Moses liberated the sons of Israel from their wretched servitude to Pharaoh and his cruel minions – even so the Living God has liberated us from the slave maker in chief, Satan and from his merciless slave drivers who addict us to sin, lead us into temptation and seek to devour us day by day.

And so let us, too, cry out to God because He remembers His promises to us. Indeed it is within this very divine liturgy in which we are presently engaged; that he hears our prayers, absolves our sins, washes us clean by the renewal of our baptism; instructs us in his Holy Word by readings, hymns, liturgical formulations, creeds. He kindly answers the mighty prayers of his church, and feeds us with the Bread of Life that satisfies the hungry heart; and quenches our thirst for righteousness by this Cup which IS THE New Testament in his blood. Which constitutes and defines us as the church of Jesus Christ; and as the living people of the Living God.

But that is not the end either. Because his benediction he sends us on our way to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. To take of the gifts he gives us here and distribute them to the world about us.

Yes we may be unsure and reluctant on how to do that. But we don’t go alone! As the LORD said to Moses when Moses expressed his reluctance. He said, “I will go with you.” And He did. And God goes with us. It isn’t for nothing that we say: The LORD be with at the beginning, middle and end of our Service.

Who is this “I” who went with Moses, and goes with us?

He is the great “I AM.” The Living God. The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Who will send us back into the world, and bring us back to this mountain to worship him unto the ages of ages. Amen.