Holy Cross Day – September 14, 2025

Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Why does the church celebrate Holy Cross Day on September 14th?

Well, in the 4th century, St.

Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, she sought to locate and authenticate

the many places in Jesus' birth, his life,

his death, and his resurrection.

Constantine later built churches on many of these sites.

Legend tells us that on September 14, 320 AD, Helena claimed to find the cross of Christ.

Eventually, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built on that location in Jerusalem.

Yet on this day, we do not celebrate the recovery of a relic.

Whether the legend is true or not.

Instead, we thank God today that

the cross was the very instrument which Jesus used to pay for our sins.

He was lifted up high on the cross to bear the sins of the world and to draw all people to himself.

The cross was once a shameful instrument of death, yet it has become for us

our sign of peace and reconciliation with God the Father.

By God's grace, we too are called to take up our cross, to confess Christ as

our one and only Savior, and to follow him on his path of righteousness all the way to heaven.

Our Holy Gospel for today from John chapter 12 took place during Palm Sunday.

John 12 · chapter mention

Jesus was in Jerusalem, and some Greeks, namely God-fearing Gentiles,

Gentiles who believed, wanted to see Jesus.

They said to the disciples, we wish to see Jesus.

Well, later that week, on Good Friday, they saw him nailed to a cross.

And that was the hour of Jesus's glorification.

We normally don't think of the cross as a place of glory, but it was a place

of glory because Jesus did what the Father wanted him to do,

to die upon the cross for the sins of the world.

So that hour is an hour of glory because Jesus faithfully died upon the cross for our sins.

Jesus said in our gospel, truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat

falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone.

But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

As you know, a seed must die first, then it's planted, let's say,

in the garden, and then it grows to bear fruit, right?

This is a picture of Jesus' death and his resurrection.

If he will not die, then he can't defeat death.

And so Jesus must die, and he did.

On Good Friday, he said, it is finished, and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

He was then planted, if you will, in the tomb.

And three days later, he, quote, sprouted, if you will, and he rose from the dead.

And from Christ bears fruit.

You are the fruit of Christ.

Jesus said, I am the vine and you are the branches.

And the fruit that he produces in you is love for one another.

You bear fruit in your life, in your vocations or various stations in life.

When you are a faithful spouse, parent, or child, when you are faithful in family,

in your education, in your employment, when you support the gospel,

and when you care for the poor and needy.

In Holy Communion this morning, you will receive the fruit of the cross,

namely the body and blood of Christ.

Jesus also said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people

to myself. No, he said this to show us by what kind of death he would die,

namely a death by crucifixion.

And sure enough, on Good Friday, Jesus was nailed to a cross.

The cross then was lifted up in the air for all to see his shame.

He went through, the Roman crucifixion was reserved for slaves and criminals and murderers.

It was a very shameful and humiliating death.

Jesus endured not only the physical agony there on the cross,

but he also bore the wrath of God.

He said, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Jesus bore our sin and our transgression there on the cross.

In our Old Testament reading for today from Numbers chapter 1,

Numbers 1 · chapter mention

we learn that the people of Israel complained against not only God, but also against Moses.

And as a way to discipline them, God sent fiery serpents to bite them.

The people then repented of their sin and they asked God to take away the serpents.

God did not take away the serpents, but he had Moses make a bronze serpent and put it up on the pole.

And if the people who were bitten looked at the bronze serpent with faith in

God's promise, they would live.

Just as, so also, Jesus looked like us.

The bronze serpent looked like a serpent, but had no venom. So also Jesus looked

like us, but he had no sin of his own, but he bore our sin and transgression.

And just as the Israelites were saved through faith in God's promise,

so also we are saved through God's promise of salvation through faith in Christ.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan was in a tree bringing sin and death to our world

by tempting Adam and Eve. So Satan used a tree to overcome Adam and Eve.

Yet by the tree of the cross, Jesus brought life and salvation into our world.

Jesus used the tree of the cross to overcome our enemy, Satan.

Charlie Kirk's death was unexpected. Sadly, his life was taken away by a violent act of murder.

But Jesus' death on the cross did not happen by chance.

He knew from the beginning that he would be lifted up on a cross to atone for

the sin of the whole world.

Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, confirming that sin is paid for,

death is defeated, and the devil is defeated as well.

And in Christ there is for you forgiveness, life, and salvation.

On the evening of the first Easter, Jesus appeared before his disciples,

and he showed them his pierced hands and his wound in the side.

And this proved that he who was crucified is risen from the dead and is alive forevermore.

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me,

though he were dead, yet shall he live.

And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

Charlie believed in Christ. He died an unfortunate and unexpected death,

yet he is with our Lord. You live now.

You have faith in Christ. And someday you will die a physical death,

but you will not die an eternal death.

Through faith in Christ, you will live forevermore. Violent people can take

away life Can take away our life But they can never take away our salvation in Christ St.

Paul says in our epistle reading for today We preach Christ crucified And even today,

preaching is about our Savior Who was crucified for us and for our salvation

Christianity is about Jesus his life, his death, and his resurrection.

Preaching is about repentance and the forgiveness of sins, law,

and gospel, but it is primarily a preaching of Christ crucified for our salvation.

Preaching then is Christ-centered, focused on Christ alone.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, the only way to heaven.

He is our source of truth, and he is our source of eternal life.

St. Paul goes on to say that the word of the cross is foolishness to those who

are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

The world sees the gospel as foolishness.

The world refuses to believe in the one true God. It rejects the Bible as a source of truth.

The world will do everything to fight against the church.

The world does not like traditional marriage and does everything to destroy it.

The world loves immorality, adultery, fornication, murder, and the list goes on and on.

The world hates the Christian and seeks to destroy him.

Jesus once said, If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake,

because they do not know him who sent me.

Does the gospel meet opposition here in America? Yes, it does.

Is Christianity ridiculed? Yes, it is. Do people suffer for the faith? Yes, we do.

The unbelieving world fights hard against Christianity and the truth of God's

word. Evil is all around us.

Yet Jesus never promised that our Christian life would be a bed of roses.

He said, in this world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer.

I've overcome the world. The devil is our real enemy.

He attacks God's word. He attacks the church.

He wants to destroy marriage, family, and society. and he causes our world to

become increasingly pagan and immoral.

We are in a spiritual battle, fighting against the spiritual hosts of wickedness.

But nevertheless, Christ won the victory.

Sins are paid for in full by Christ's righteous death upon the cross.

Jesus overcame death by rising from the dead.

The devil is defeated, and in Christ there is forgiveness, life,

and salvation. Heaven is open for all who believe, and there is peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When you were confirmed, you were asked the question, Do you intend to live

according to the word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to

God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?

And you answered, I do, by the grace of God.

And you were also asked this question, Do you intend to continue steadfast in

this confession and church, and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?

And you answered, I do, by the grace of God.

So living in a fallen world, what should we do? Always live a life of repentance,

confessing your sin before God and receiving the forgiveness in Christ.

We are not perfect and we have a sinful nature and we will always need the gospel.

So go to church every Sunday to hear God's word and to receive the Lord's Supper.

Furthermore, by God's grace, don't throw in the towel. Don't compromise with

the devil or false doctrine.

By God's grace, remain faithful.

Christ will give you strength to persevere in the midst of hostility. Love your enemies.

Pray for them and pray for them and speak the truth in love so that someday

by God's grace, they may be converted to faith in Christ.

Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering persecution.

When one member of the body suffers, then we all suffer together with them.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, Jesus gave up his life for you on the cross and

he rose again on the third day.

He rescued you from sin, death, and the devil. He has given you his righteousness and the crown of life.

Therefore, by God's grace, remain faithful unto death.

Continue to be a light in a dark world. confessing Christ as your one and only Savior.

The cross was once a shameful instrument of death.

Yes, it has become for us the sign of peace and reconciliation with the Father

because of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

We are proud to display the cross as a sign of our salvation.

Here in Christ's earth and church, there's a cross on the stained glass window.

There's a cross on the altar.

There's a cross here by the pulpit. And there's a crucifix by the narthex.

We even have crosses displayed in our homes, and people wear it as jewelry.

We are not ashamed of the gospel.

We are not ashamed of the cross. This morning, you made the sign of the cross during the invocation.

After absolution, the word of forgiveness, the sign of the cross was put upon you.

When you are baptized the

sign of the cross was put upon your forehead and

upon your heart when the elements on

the altar here will be consecrated a cross

will be given over them and when you leave the altar for communion you will

also see a cross signed upon you and during the benediction you will see the

cross as well So by God's grace,

may we bear our cross of sufferings, confess Christ as our one and only Savior,

and follow him on his path of righteousness all the way to heaven. Amen.