In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     When I sent out an e-mail asking our other clergy here at Saint Lukes which of the Seven Heavenly Virtues they might be willing to tackle in our Lenten Vespers, Pr. Baese, in usual form, responded by asking, "could I have prudence? The others seem too easy." And indeed, that might seem to be the case. Prudence? What does one say about that-as a heavenly virtue? Faith, which I'm dealing with this evening-there's so much one can say about faith-isn't there? There are so many references in Holy Scripture related to Faith, one doesn't know where to start. And in my Anthology of Luther's writings, there are no less than forty pages of Luther on "faith". But the more I got into it, the more I realized how truly difficult this topic is-the heavenly virtue, "faith". And it seems almost odd to say that. Faith is at the center, not just of Lutheranism, but of Christianity! We talk about faith all the time in church, and surely in the home, and probably in everyday conversation. Everybody talks about faith-and everybody in the church claims to have faith-and we say we are saved, justified by grace through faith. We use faith language so much, one would think there's no need to go into much depth regarding faith, as a heavenly virtue. I should just say, "faith"-and sit down. But, the more we really consider faith, the more we try to explain it, or understand it, the more difficult it is. Of course, we read in Hebrews, "now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." And that sounds nice, but what does that really mean? I'm not sure we have a clue. Luther himself said, "do not think lightly of faith. It is a work that is of all works the most excellent, and the most difficult." Luther says that, and yet, elsewhere Luther points out that faith is not a work at all-at least, not our work. So, that just clouds the waters. Luther says faith isn't our work, and yet he says it is a work that for us, is the most excellent and the most difficult. And truly, faith can be said to be a work, for us-not in the sense that it is a saving work-it doesn't bring to us salvation and eternal life, in the sense that we have achieved faith. But it is a work, in the sense that we have faith, belief, or we don't. Certainly, we strive to have this faith that is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It is, a quality, an essence, a virtue that we want to have. For the opposite is unbelief, and lack of faith-and that, we don't want. So, what is faith-and how does it come to us, and what is the character and nature of faith?

     There are certainly those who like to think of "faith" and talk about faith, as if it is something you develop within yourself, as if it is a state of mind, or acquiring of understanding, or mental exercise that brings one to the place called, "faith". And there are certain aspects of that which do relate to faith. But there is a danger in this regard as well, in considering "faith" as almost a philosophical exercise-because it can be more thinking about God, than faith in God; it can be more a reasoning in the mind about God, than trust, conviction of things not seen-God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Luther said about this temptation, "an imaginary faith is one that hears about God, Christ, and all the mysteries of the incarnation and redemption, comprehends all the things it has heard, and knows how to speak about them beautifully. Yet it remains mere imagination and a pointless hearing, because it leaves in the heart only a sound, an echo of that Gospel about which it chatters a lot. But in reality", writes Luther, "this is not faith; for it does not regenerate and does not change the heart-it does not make a new man of the person, but leaves him in his former view and way of life. This sort of faith is, moreover, very harmful. It would be better not to have it all. A philosopher who is moral," says Luther, "is better than a hypocrite who has such an imaginary faith." You see, there is quite a difference between imaginary, or philosophical faith, and faith in God that brings about change in life, regeneration and transformation of the heart-making of us new persons in Christ. And what is the difference? How do we know whether we have an imaginary, philosophical faith, or faith that is faith in God, the assurance of things not seen? Again, Luther liked to relate the faith of Christians, to that faith of the Israelites at the foot of Mt. Sinai, who were commanded to look to the bronze serpent lifted upon on a pole, to save them from the poisonous serpents at their feet. They did not know whether they would be saved, but they had faith in God, that they would be saved-by what? By good works? By doing thus and so? By making a contribution to the priests, or doing good deeds? No, but only by looking at the bronze serpent that God had commanded to be raised up on a pole. And this faith, this trust, this belief that God would do what God said He would do-this is faith. The assurance that God would save them. The conviction that what was not seen, would still come true. And every Israelite who merely looked at the serpent on the pole, was saved. And just so, says Luther, "faith is an unceasing and constant looking, which turns the eyes upon nothing but Christ, the Victor over sin and death, and the giver of righteousness, salvation and life eternal. This is why St. Paul in his epistles, sets Jesus Christ before us and teaches about Him in almost every single verse. But he sets Jesus for us through the Word, for in no other way can He be apprehended, except by faith in the Word." So, faith in God, is also faith in the Word of God-which, in every page and every verse, in Old Testament and New alike, preaches Christ, lifts Christ up before us, like the serpent on the pole, so that might only look to Him-unceasingly and constantly-turning our eyes upon nothing but Christ-that we might be saved-because God has promises it will be so! And are we saved, then, by our looking? Is looking, the work that saves? No. It is the one to whom we look, that saves. It is not our faith that saves us, transforms us, redeems us, but our faith in Jesus Christ, who is the Victor over sin and death, and the Giver of righteousness, salvation and life eternal. Faith, that is faith in ourselves, or faith in the goodness of man, or faith in human nature, or faith in the political process or faith in governmental agencies, will not save us. Faith that is confidence, or optimism, or good intention, will not save us. But only faith that looks to Jesus Christ alone, saves, because just as the world was created by the word of God, so are we recreated, only by the Word of God, which is Jesus Christ, proclaimed through Holy Scripture. So that, in this sense, one is saved, not by how strong or weak is their faith-but by the object of their faith, alone. For example, two persons may hold goblets of wine in their hands, and the hands of one tremble, while the other's hands are firm and unwavering-yet still, both hold the glass of wine, and may drink of it and receive its benefits. Two persons may hold purses full of money, one with strong hands, the other with weak, yet both possess the great treasure in the purse. Whether the hand is strong or weak neither increases nor decreases the value of the contents of the purse. And this is so, because what saves, is Christ, and not us. What saves is faith in Christ that looks to Him, rather than to ourselves. What saves is the object of our faith, not the strength or weakness of our eyes, our sight, our ability to focus or not to focus. So that, as Scripture teaches, even the blind, who hear Jesus proclaimed and made present in the Word and in the Sacrament of the Altar, can look to Jesus, while those who claim to see Him, can be blind. And the difference is, are we truly looking to Jesus, or are we just glancing in His direction? Are we trusting God in faith, or are we studying God, as a philosophical exercise-as one examines a dead cat, or as one mulls over an academic proposition?

     Without a doubt, there are both kinds here tonight-and perhaps, we are all, at one time or another, both kinds-sometimes exhibiting more an imaginary faith, while at other times looking to Jesus unceasingly and constantly, for life and salvation. Which you are, tonight, is between you, and God. You know, and God knows-whether you have heartfelt faith in God, or a philosophical, academic curiosity about God. Either way, Lent is the time to refocus, on Jesus Christ-the Word made flesh. Either way, Lent is the time to hear again, and anew, the Jesus, proclaimed and made present in Holy Scripture. Either way, now is the time to turn to Him, again, to make Him the center of our lives, that we may trust in God, and rely on God, at all times, in all ways-drinking deeply of the new wine that is faith in Jesus Christ, cherishing the true treasure of the Church, that is, Jesus Christ, and faith in His victorious death and resurrection, that transforms, and redeems and saves-as Hebrews says, "looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Faith is, looking to Jesus. And Lent is, turning once again, to look to Jesus.

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.