2nd Sunday after Pentecost 5/29/05 Text: Romans 3: 21-28 Title: All The Differance In The World!
Second Sunday after Pentecost
05/29/05
Text: Romans 3:21-28
Title: All The Difference In The World!
My fellow Missionaries, please join me in prayer. Eternal God, pour out your Spirit upon us that we might be aware of your presence in our midst, that we might be attentive to your Word, and that we might be faithful always to your way, through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen
Today we start what is called the green period of the church year. As this non-festival half of the church year begins, our focus shifts from the incarnational, that is that period of time when we focus on Jesus’ life on earth, to the Sacramental presence of Christ, where we see him at work in Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and the Word.
I cannot think of a better way to set the stage for the Pentecost season than our readings for today, especially the Epistle lesson, for it tells us of the beginning and the foundation of Christian life and growth, our redemption in Jesus Christ.
In our Old Testament reading Moses is speaking to the people before they enter the Promised Land. They have seen the strong arm of the Lord and have also endured his discipline. The question our text brings out, is yet to be answered. Will they remember and teach their children the Word of God, or will they turn aside from it?
In the New Testament reading, the Gospel depicts the rock upon which the church stands or falls. At first glance it appears that the text is about the wisdom of the builder that built his house on rock. But, closer examination shows that the text is not about the wisdom and workmanship of the builder, but the foundation on which the house was built, the foundation of Jesus Christ.
Our Epistle reading starting in Verse 21 focuses our attention on justification, a judicial term in the Greek culture that meant one is found to be not-guilty. It is a term that is understood in Christianity, particularly in Lutheranism as being found not-guilty because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
In verse 22 and 23 we find clear proof that righteousness cannot come from ourselves as Paul writes, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God or as the Greek says, the “righteousness” of God.”
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” When you think about it that might not be so bad for that means we are all in the same boat. It is just the way we are. Heaven knows none of us is perfect. Paul is right. We all have fallen short of the righteousness of God.
We think and rightly so that we have fallen short of God’s righteousness, but we certainly are not as bad as some people. You know those really bad sinners, and we all know who they are don’t we?
We certainly have got to be closer to attaining God’s righteousness than those who only come to church on Easter and Christmas. We have got to be better than them, for we attend church almost every Sunday. That must count for something, should it not?
We, the faithful, certainly have not fallen as short as others have. We know we are not the best, but we also know that we are not the worst. We probably fall somewhere near the upper end of the middle group of those missing the mark, and we think that is not too bad a place to be. God has got to be happy with our effort, our attendance, our giving. After all, we are pretty good aren’t we?
There is just one small problem with that thought though. There is that pesky little verse we just read, “There is no difference.” or as another translation puts it, “There is no distinction.”
You see the problem is that we are always making distinctions, like the distinctions we just got through making as we compared ourselves with others. You know, who is the greatest sinner? What is the greater sin? Who is closer to the glory of God? Who is more worthy? Which of us have fallen just a little short, and which of us has fallen a lot short? Who needs just a little forgiveness, and who needs a whole lot?
The problem is that the measuring stick that we use to see how sinful we are, or it might be better to say how righteous we are, is not the same measuring stick that God uses. In fact I would say our measuring stick is more like a rubber band. It is flexible when we need it to be, like when we are measuring our behavior, or the behavior of those who agree with us, and short and rigid when we measure the behavior of others as compared to ourselves.
God does not use that type of measure stick, for it does not matter how close you think you come, how well you think that you are doing, or how much you think you are improving. It does not matter, for with God’s measuring stick you are either a sinner or your not, and to fall short means you are out. You are finished. You are done, you did not make it. It really is quite simple, if you are sinner and we all are, you have missed the mark and you are out, no exceptions.
Do you believe what I just said? You should, for that is what God tells us, or are you still clinging onto the hope that God might find enough good in you to forgive you, to accept you? Do you? Well if you do you are wrong, for there is no good in any one of us. Left to our own our very best is but filthy rags before God.
Pretty hopeless would you not say? Some of you here this morning might be thinking, what chance do I have? And you would be right for left to your own efforts it is hopeless.
Hopeless, except for one thing, and that one thing is that our righteousness does not depend on how well we follow instructions, how far we have come in self improvement, or any thing else we do.
Our righteousness comes from God, apart from the Law. It comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ to all that believe. We are forgiven freely by God’s good will toward us though the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.
Folks, we just need to quit comparing ourselves to others. We need to realize that is not how God works. It does not make any difference if you have never stolen, lied, or cursed; left on your own you are lost.
It does not make any difference if you know more, give more, volunteer more, or love more. It just does not make any difference.
Our forgiveness, our salvation, our eternal life with God rests only on one person, Jesus Christ. He was the one who, although like us in every way did not miss the mark. He was born without sin and had no sin in his life. When God measured him, he was found to be perfect and innocent of any wrong doing. He of all people should have been rewarded and blessed by God.
But he was not. Instead of being rewarded and blessed by God he was crucified. God punished him in our place as we read in the first part of verse 25, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” We received his righteousness which is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all that believe. So by faith we have established a new foundation, on a new rock to build our faith. The faith that is given to us in Holy Baptism, the faith that is strengthened in us through the Word of God, the faith that renews us through absolution, the faith we receive when we are fed by the body and blood of our Savior.
You see this faith in Jesus Christ makes all the difference in the world. For now among us, in who there is no difference, there is now a difference. That sounds confusing doesn’t it? But it really is not, for there is a difference between those who believe in Jesus as their Savior and those who do not.
There is a difference because through faith in Christ we are made right with God. By faith in Christ we are forgiven. By faith in Christ, we are no longer counted among those who miss the mark or fall short. We are now among those who are redeemed, purchased, and bought with the blood of our Savior that was shed on the cross, for the forgiveness of our sins.
Too many times I am afraid though that we think that the forgiveness of sins is merely a past event in the life of a Christian. It isn’t, for the forgiveness of sins encompasses our whole relationship with God in Christ. Jesus Christ is still our mediator in the presence of God’s Law, which always accuses us.
As a Christian you live in forgiveness, just as you live in Christ and in the Gospel. Without the daily assurance of forgiveness for Christ’s sake our life in Christ would wither and die. Through the life giving word and sacraments God nourishes and sustains the relationship expressed by the word, Justification.
There is a difference for what motivates us is not the law which can only condemn. No it is not the law but the Gospel that motivates us, for it alone gives us the power to live our lives to the fullest. It alone gives us hearts of love and tongues on fire to tell others about Jesus Christ and his redeeming work. Amen
05/29/05
Text: Romans 3:21-28
Title: All The Difference In The World!
My fellow Missionaries, please join me in prayer. Eternal God, pour out your Spirit upon us that we might be aware of your presence in our midst, that we might be attentive to your Word, and that we might be faithful always to your way, through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen
Today we start what is called the green period of the church year. As this non-festival half of the church year begins, our focus shifts from the incarnational, that is that period of time when we focus on Jesus’ life on earth, to the Sacramental presence of Christ, where we see him at work in Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and the Word.
I cannot think of a better way to set the stage for the Pentecost season than our readings for today, especially the Epistle lesson, for it tells us of the beginning and the foundation of Christian life and growth, our redemption in Jesus Christ.
In our Old Testament reading Moses is speaking to the people before they enter the Promised Land. They have seen the strong arm of the Lord and have also endured his discipline. The question our text brings out, is yet to be answered. Will they remember and teach their children the Word of God, or will they turn aside from it?
In the New Testament reading, the Gospel depicts the rock upon which the church stands or falls. At first glance it appears that the text is about the wisdom of the builder that built his house on rock. But, closer examination shows that the text is not about the wisdom and workmanship of the builder, but the foundation on which the house was built, the foundation of Jesus Christ.
Our Epistle reading starting in Verse 21 focuses our attention on justification, a judicial term in the Greek culture that meant one is found to be not-guilty. It is a term that is understood in Christianity, particularly in Lutheranism as being found not-guilty because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
In verse 22 and 23 we find clear proof that righteousness cannot come from ourselves as Paul writes, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God or as the Greek says, the “righteousness” of God.”
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” When you think about it that might not be so bad for that means we are all in the same boat. It is just the way we are. Heaven knows none of us is perfect. Paul is right. We all have fallen short of the righteousness of God.
We think and rightly so that we have fallen short of God’s righteousness, but we certainly are not as bad as some people. You know those really bad sinners, and we all know who they are don’t we?
We certainly have got to be closer to attaining God’s righteousness than those who only come to church on Easter and Christmas. We have got to be better than them, for we attend church almost every Sunday. That must count for something, should it not?
We, the faithful, certainly have not fallen as short as others have. We know we are not the best, but we also know that we are not the worst. We probably fall somewhere near the upper end of the middle group of those missing the mark, and we think that is not too bad a place to be. God has got to be happy with our effort, our attendance, our giving. After all, we are pretty good aren’t we?
There is just one small problem with that thought though. There is that pesky little verse we just read, “There is no difference.” or as another translation puts it, “There is no distinction.”
You see the problem is that we are always making distinctions, like the distinctions we just got through making as we compared ourselves with others. You know, who is the greatest sinner? What is the greater sin? Who is closer to the glory of God? Who is more worthy? Which of us have fallen just a little short, and which of us has fallen a lot short? Who needs just a little forgiveness, and who needs a whole lot?
The problem is that the measuring stick that we use to see how sinful we are, or it might be better to say how righteous we are, is not the same measuring stick that God uses. In fact I would say our measuring stick is more like a rubber band. It is flexible when we need it to be, like when we are measuring our behavior, or the behavior of those who agree with us, and short and rigid when we measure the behavior of others as compared to ourselves.
God does not use that type of measure stick, for it does not matter how close you think you come, how well you think that you are doing, or how much you think you are improving. It does not matter, for with God’s measuring stick you are either a sinner or your not, and to fall short means you are out. You are finished. You are done, you did not make it. It really is quite simple, if you are sinner and we all are, you have missed the mark and you are out, no exceptions.
Do you believe what I just said? You should, for that is what God tells us, or are you still clinging onto the hope that God might find enough good in you to forgive you, to accept you? Do you? Well if you do you are wrong, for there is no good in any one of us. Left to our own our very best is but filthy rags before God.
Pretty hopeless would you not say? Some of you here this morning might be thinking, what chance do I have? And you would be right for left to your own efforts it is hopeless.
Hopeless, except for one thing, and that one thing is that our righteousness does not depend on how well we follow instructions, how far we have come in self improvement, or any thing else we do.
Our righteousness comes from God, apart from the Law. It comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ to all that believe. We are forgiven freely by God’s good will toward us though the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.
Folks, we just need to quit comparing ourselves to others. We need to realize that is not how God works. It does not make any difference if you have never stolen, lied, or cursed; left on your own you are lost.
It does not make any difference if you know more, give more, volunteer more, or love more. It just does not make any difference.
Our forgiveness, our salvation, our eternal life with God rests only on one person, Jesus Christ. He was the one who, although like us in every way did not miss the mark. He was born without sin and had no sin in his life. When God measured him, he was found to be perfect and innocent of any wrong doing. He of all people should have been rewarded and blessed by God.
But he was not. Instead of being rewarded and blessed by God he was crucified. God punished him in our place as we read in the first part of verse 25, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” We received his righteousness which is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all that believe. So by faith we have established a new foundation, on a new rock to build our faith. The faith that is given to us in Holy Baptism, the faith that is strengthened in us through the Word of God, the faith that renews us through absolution, the faith we receive when we are fed by the body and blood of our Savior.
You see this faith in Jesus Christ makes all the difference in the world. For now among us, in who there is no difference, there is now a difference. That sounds confusing doesn’t it? But it really is not, for there is a difference between those who believe in Jesus as their Savior and those who do not.
There is a difference because through faith in Christ we are made right with God. By faith in Christ we are forgiven. By faith in Christ, we are no longer counted among those who miss the mark or fall short. We are now among those who are redeemed, purchased, and bought with the blood of our Savior that was shed on the cross, for the forgiveness of our sins.
Too many times I am afraid though that we think that the forgiveness of sins is merely a past event in the life of a Christian. It isn’t, for the forgiveness of sins encompasses our whole relationship with God in Christ. Jesus Christ is still our mediator in the presence of God’s Law, which always accuses us.
As a Christian you live in forgiveness, just as you live in Christ and in the Gospel. Without the daily assurance of forgiveness for Christ’s sake our life in Christ would wither and die. Through the life giving word and sacraments God nourishes and sustains the relationship expressed by the word, Justification.
There is a difference for what motivates us is not the law which can only condemn. No it is not the law but the Gospel that motivates us, for it alone gives us the power to live our lives to the fullest. It alone gives us hearts of love and tongues on fire to tell others about Jesus Christ and his redeeming work. Amen
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 12:43 PM
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