Sermon for Reformation Sunday: "The Truth Sets Us Free" (John 8:31-36)

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[The Goose and the Eagle]

As the official executioner was about to light the pyre at the feet of the reformer, he said, “Now we will cook the goose.” 

This condemned man replied: “Yes, but there will come an eagle in a hundred years that you will not reach.”

Truth may be suppressed for a time, but it always wins the day.

This cooked goose was Jan Huss, for “Huss” is Bohemian for goose. Huss was condemned by the Roman Church as a heretic for his attempted reformation. But, as Huss felt the heat of the flames, he spoke of an eagle who would not be condemned to death.

This eagle that the Roman Church was unable to reach was, of course, Martin Luther.

Today, we celebrate the reformation that brought back the importance of God’s Word.

[God Provided for Luther]

We, as Lutheran Christians, should have much pride this day. We don’t have pride in Luther, but in how the Triune God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – used Luther and protected Luther in order to bring the truth of Christ out of the darkness.

Now, the gospel was not totally hidden in Luther’s time, for there were attempted reformations, but much of the gospel was repressed from God’s people, including from most priests. 

You see, very few priests had a Bible in their possession or if they had a Bible they likely couldn’t read it, so they just took orders from their bishop, who took orders from their cardinal, who took orders from the pope.

For Luther, the Triune God lined up everything for him. God gave Luther the proper friends and the protection needed to proclaim the good news of Christ that had been repressed from the people.

• Because of the Lutheran Reformation, lay people are able to participate in the Divine Service. 
• Because of the Lutheran Reformation, lay people are able to receive both the body and the blood of Christ at the Lord’s Supper for forgiveness of sins. 
• Because of the Lutheran Reformation, we are able to read God’s inerrant Word in our common language. 
• Because of the Lutheran Reformation, we are reminded that we are not saved by works, but we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
• And, because of the Lutheran Reformation, we do good works for the benefit of our neighbor.

The Reformation can be summed up in the four solas: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), and Sola Christus (Christ Alone).

The Reformation can also be summed up into one word: Loyalty. So, who or what are you loyal to?

[Loyalty]

In our gospel lesson, Jesus spoke to the Jews who had believed in Him. He said to them: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

What Jesus is saying is a hard teaching for many of us in the pews today.

What Jesus is saying to us – His followers – is not to be superficial. He requires all Christian disciples to be genuine. So, in order to be a disciple of Jesus, you must accept all of Christ’s teachings and remain faithful to it.

This means to be a Christ follower – a Christian – we are to at all times and in all places abide in Christ’s Word. For Jesus never said, “My disciples can pick and choose what they want to believe.”

Here, Christ is speaking of the First Commandment: You shall have no other gods.

For which Martin Luther says: “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

This teaching of God has been tough since Man’s Fall into Sin. From that time, we have become confused in what we fear, love and trust in above all things.

You see, we often listen to our sinful self-centered self, rather than God. 

Or, if we believe in God, then face a challenge in our life – such as loss of a loved one, loss of employment, or a friend or family member demeaning you for your Christian faith – sometimes we may just give up on God, and instead seek refuge in a false god.

Martin Luther even speaks of this:

“I dare say I, too, would gladly be a Christian and have the Gospel if no danger were connected with it but one might expect only good days upon its acceptance; for not everybody is able to bear hatred, envy, contempt, and ingratitude in the world. But when one undertakes to become a pupil of this Man (Jesus Christ), the devil and all the world rise in opposition. Stand fast, then, hold on, do not flee, do not draw back. If you have begun to believe, carry it through to the end. There are many who stay with it, who shed their blood and boldly stake and risk everything. These are the true disciples, and they remain constant.”

As Christians, we should remember that we walk in danger all the way as Satan assails us, but when we abide in Jesus, His guidance never fails us. You see, Christ leads us on the right path. (LSB 716: I Walk in Danger All The Way)

So, who is your master? Jesus or sin?

[Our Master]

As we heard in the gospel today, those Jews responded to Jesus saying: “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” (John 8:33)

At this moment, Jesus had to have chuckled, at least a little bit. 

Are these Jews serious?! Is this a joke?!

As we all know, it was God who led the Jews out of bondage in Egypt. And since the exodus, the Jews had become enslaved or taken over numerous times.

In fact, at that very moment, Rome had control over the Jewish land.

Jesus responded to the Jews saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34).

Now, when Jesus says, “Truly, truly,” He is saying that you better listen, because what follows is very important.

So, who is your master? Jesus or sin?

[The Truth]

So, if we abide in Christ’s Word, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

We may believe that we have freedom living in the United States of America, but this is not true freedom. Here we pay taxes, or else the IRS will come after us.

True freedom is only found in Jesus. It is only in Jesus and His teaching that we are free from sin, death, and Satan’s rule.

The truth is that everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22b-23).

But there is good news! There is a way out from the grips of sin and that is through Jesus Christ alone. He is the truth that sets us free!

The Apostle Paul tells us of this good news: “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (Romans 3:22a)… “And (we) are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

You see, although everyone has fallen short of the glory of God, God has not forgotten you. He still loves you – despite your sin.

Now, are we to sin all the more since we have been given this grace? Paul gives us the answer: “By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law” (Romans 3:31b).

The law that Paul is referring to is Moral Law.

You see, a Christian should be easily identified from society. We should not be following the waves and winds of the sinful culture, but abiding in God’s Word.

God reminds us that one day we will all have to give an account of ourselves to God. This is something we should remember when we do our civic duty to elect people to represent us. When we vote, will you do so with your Christian faith in mind, or will you vote according to the sinful desires of men?

You see, if we are no different than the culture, then we have replaced the one true God with a false god and we are still under the bondage of sin.

Instead, non-Christians should notice that we are different from the rest of society and ask us why we live as we do?

And that answer is that we are free through Jesus Christ.

[The Truth is Jesus]

We are free because we know the Truth and the Truth is Jesus Christ. Jesus alludes to this when He says, “The truth will set you free.”

This is Him. 

In fact, He even says He is the Truth outright later in John’s gospel: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

So, how does the Truth set us free?

We were set free when the Triune God adopted us at our Baptism. You see, when we were baptized, we were baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. We were cloaked in Christ’s righteousness. Now, we share in what Christ has done.

And why does our Baptism matter?

Jesus set us free when He died nailed to the cross on that Good Friday and when He rose from the dead on that Easter Sunday. This is how we were set free.

It is only through Christ that we are set free from the powers of sin, death and Satan. And in return, Jesus gives His disciples: forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

You see, through the Truth of Christ we are free! Instead of living in sin, we are forgiven and made clean. We are free when Christ says: “You are forgiven, now go and sin no more.” We are free when Christ says: “Take, eat; this is my body. Take, drink this is my blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of your faith.”

We are free by God’s grace through our faith in Christ, we are redeemed through Christ’s death and resurrection. We are covered in the blanket of Christ’s righteousness.

For it is Christ alone, who is the Truth who sets us free.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Sermon for Pentecost 13: "Filled with Wisdom, Light and Life" (Ephesians 5:6-21)

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

As our days become shorter and shorter, and our nights become longer and longer, many of us will be driving more at night.

If it wasn’t for headlights on these nightly drives, it would be difficult to see the road, but thanks to technology, we can. But, headlights can’t show us everything around us. For darkness still is more overpowering than the headlights.

I remember driving through the Missouri Ozarks one evening. It was a windy road and I could only see what was up to that next curve. Since I was unfamiliar with the landscape, I drove slower and I’m glad I did.

You see, just down a few more turns were a few deer crossing the road.

If I was going a bit faster, I wouldn’t have had time to slow down.

Even with headlights leading us on our way, we can’t see everything, so we should be prepared for anything.

[Darkness]

Today, there is more darkness than there is light. Now, I’m not saying that the sun is burning out. I’m talking about darkness in the world today. Darkness is following the world’s values, rather than the wisdom given to us from the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In today’s epistle, the Apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write again to the Church in Ephesus and also to us.

Paul wrote, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6).

So, what is Paul talking about? Well, to get the full context, we have to go back to the verses that immediately lead up to today’s reading.

Paul wrote, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:3-4).

You see, the Church at Ephesus has had a lot of problems, especially with sexual sins and being crude. And, there were many who were saying that those who committed those sinful deeds would not be punished by anyone, including the one true God.

Before Paul came to Ephesus, the Ephesians worshipped the goddess Artemis, the Greek fertility goddess. In fact, her monumental temple in Ephesus was one of the chief wonders of the ancient world. It was so monumental that this temple spanned an area three or four times as large as the Parthenon in Athens.

So, worshipping Artemis was a big deal and people came to Ephesus from miles around to worship her and they would spend big money at the local markets, too. 

Paul has had clashes with the people in Ephesus in the past, but now many in Ephesus have become Christian. Paul, here, is writing to those people.

He is writing to people who are in the world, but as Christians are not of the world.

[TED Talk]

More and more these days, sexual immorality is seen as just a choice, rather than a sin against God.

And, there are many who now believe that sexual immorality is not even a choice, but that you are born that way.

Recently, a TED Talk focused upon pedophilia, which is a psychological disorder where an adult is sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children.

Now, TED is a media organization that posts talks online for free distribution under the slogan “ideas worth spreading.” TED Talks focus on scientific, cultural, and academic topics.

In this recent TED Talk event, the speaker said, “Pedophilia is an unchangeable sexual orientation, just like… heterosexuality.”

This speaker was attempting to normalize pedophilia. 

She continued, “Just like pedophiles, we are not responsible for our feelings. We do not choose them...but it is our responsibility to...overcome our negative feelings about pedophiles and to treat them with the same respect we treat other people with.”

This slippery slope of sexual immorality has been slipped on so many times that it has become ice. 

Since that TED Talk, the organization was forced to remark, because of negative comments.

TED stated: “After reviewing the talk, we believe it cites research in ways that are open to serious misinterpretation. This led some viewers to interpret the talk as an argument in favor of an illegal and harmful practice. TED would like to make clear that it does not promote pedophilia.”

This is the icy slope that we are on as a culture. This is a culture in darkness, rather than the light.

[Idols]

As we heard in today’s readings, when things get tough, it is easier to just go back to the way it was before you followed the true God.

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel and said to the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods’” (Joshua 24:1-2).

Over and over again, the Israelites would rather serve another god, rather than the one true God. And, over and over again, they would have to pay for that mistake. They were led on the wrong path, they were attacked and they were exiled. 

But, in the end, God was still there for them when they repented of their wrongdoings.

Likewise, many of us today would rather serve another god, rather than the one true God. Many of us would rather serve our political party, rather than God. Many of us would rather take advice from politicians, actors and athletes, rather than the truth of God. Many of us would rather be liked by the sinful culture and forget that we are to be a holy Christian people.

Those Ephesians were no different than the Israelites of Joshua’s time. They wanted to do all the same things. They wanted to be liked by their friends outside the Christian faith, so many began to live like their unbelieving friends.

The same is true about those disciples who left Jesus. When His words became tough, they just walked away.

They said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60).

So, where are you? Are you like the Israelites, the Ephesians and those grumbling disciples, because being a Christian is too tough?

Do you live out your Christian faith? Do you love God with all your heart and mind and love your neighbor as yourself?

[Wisdom]

As we grow up in our lives, we want to become wise. Sadly, many in today’s world argue that becoming wise is to not acknowledge God as the giver of all gifts. But, true wisdom is not found in us, but outside of us.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Psalm 111:10).

We all become wise when we “fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness” (Joshua 24:14).

We fear the Lord when we are in awe and reverence of Him. We become wise when we revere Him and respect Him and His Word.

[Light]

As I have already stated, there is a battle between light and darkness. As Paul wrote, “For at a time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Now, in regard to spiritual and divine matters, Scripture labels people by nature “darkness.” 

We were called “darkness” because we were born with the sin of Adam and Eve, and thus, it is in our nature to reject God.

As our Lutheran Confessions say in the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord: 

“The light shines in the darkness (that is, in the dark, blind world, which does not know or grasp God), and the darkness did not comprehend it.” 

(FC-Solid Declaration, 545.10)

Like the Ephesians, we were in darkness, but now, we have been brought to the marvelous light. We have become light through our baptism when we were adopted by the Triune God. In remembering our baptism, we remember that there is a divine defense against the spiritual dangers around us, since God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is always with us. 

In this way, an appeal to baptism serves as an “encouragement” that enables Christians to step forth along the path of Christ, rather than following the sinful world.

As “children of light”, we are to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead to expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).

We expose the darkness, so we know how to walk, not as unwise but as wise. Instead of being foolish, we are to do as Paul does: follow the functions of God’s Law.

Paul, here, is concerned with the Ephesians’ holiness – which is not a matter of behavior, but of their closeness to the one true God, since being unclean – being sinful – separates people from God.

Today’s epistle serves as a warning against returning to the deeds of the old life that would deny the Ephesian Christians the blessed enjoyment of God’s presence. Here, Paul aims to prevent, or curb, them from returning to idolatry. He condemns them, or shows them a mirror of themselves, for speaking longingly of the pleasures of their old life. Paul also exhorts them, or guides them, to expose and avoid evil works and to instead follow the goodness, righteousness and truth of Jesus Christ.

All the three functions of the Law – curb, mirror, and guide – serve Paul’s intention of warning the Ephesians – and us – away from what will cause them and us great spiritual harm and direct them and us to what is wholesome in the Lord.

So, as Christians, we are to “look carefully how [we] walk, not as unwise but wise… and to not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15, 17).

[Life]

For in walking in the light of Christ, we receive eternal life. 

As many disciples turned back and no longer wanted to walk in the path of Jesus, Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67).

Simon Peter answered Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

You see, our sinful nature lusts for temporal things, such as bread and material goods, rather than the things of God, which cannot help in spiritual matters. These grumbling disciples were only seeking temporal things, rather than eternal things.

When Jesus was offering His flesh to eat, these grumbling disciples could not understand it.

As people living on the other side of Christ’s resurrection, we know what Jesus was referring to – He was saying that through His death, we have life. So, through His body and blood shed on the cross, we too have eternal life. We receive life as a gift by grace through faith in Him. We receive this grace because we believe Jesus is the Christ like Simon Peter when he said, “We have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69).

Through faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given forgiveness of sins, salvation and life everlasting. We know that Jesus has destroyed the power of sin, death and Satan by His death, resurrection and ascension. 

We receive this forgiveness and strengthening of our faith when we confess our sins to God our Father and when we receive Christ’s true body and true blood at this altar.

So, to whom shall we go? We go to the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – for in Him alone we have wisdom, light and life. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Sermon for Pentecost 11: "Unity in the One True Faith" (Ephesians 4:1-16)

 

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

The best arguers don’t point their fingers. That’s according to a study reported in Psychological Science. The study also said the person who says “we” the most during an argument suggests the best solutions.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied 59 couples. Spouses who used second-person pronouns (you) tended to be negative in interactions. Those using first-person plural pronouns (we) provided solutions to problems.

The study concluded, “‘We’ users may have a sense of shared interest. ‘You’-sayers tend to criticize and disagree.”[1]

[Unified in One True Faith]

In this morning’s epistle, the Apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write to the Church in Ephesus and to all Christians that we are to be unified in the one true Christian faith.

Paul writes: “There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

We are not to be divided, but instead united under one God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

What Paul is writing is for all Christians to hold fast, keep, and treasure the unity we have in the Triune God. He is telling us to not create something new, but to hold on to the one true faith that was given to us through Christ and His apostles.

In today’s culture, we may want to change what we believe in order to gain more people in the pews. But, Paul is saying just the opposite. He is saying to remain true to the faith and to not to change with the culture.

An example of changing in hopes of gaining more people in the pews has been done by seven major mainline denominations, which now say, “Being in full communion and bonding together makes us stronger.”[2]

Instead of holding to God’s Written Word as found in the Holy Bible, they sought unity for unity sake. These church bodies have gone into full altar and pulpit fellowship just because they could.

They say they have a mutual recognition of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which allows for joint worship. But, in reality, they disagree. Each church body has differing opinions on the Lord’s Supper and what the Lord’s Supper does. This spectrum goes from the true body and blood of Christ shed for us for the forgiveness of sins to being a memorial meal or a reminder on what Christ had done, which eliminates the Lord’s Supper as a Means of Grace – a means of forgiveness.

So, in the end, they agree to disagree on fundamental doctrinal statements of belief. But is this what Paul meant by “unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3)?

No, this is unionism. Unionism is joint worship and fellowship among churches that are not in doctrinal agreement. This might sound like a good way on unifying the Christian Church to many of us, but this is exactly what Paul is warning us about.

So, instead of “walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2-3), these churches are choosing to walk together in conflict. Their only agreement is that proper Christian doctrine does not matter.

As Christians, we are united in doctrine. For only in pure doctrine are we are unified in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).

We are unified in one Lord – not many Lords, but one Lord – who is Jesus Christ. We are unified in one faith – not many faiths – which is the true doctrine handed down to us in God’s Written Word. We are unified in one baptism, when we were adopted by the Triune God and thereby joined.

[Early Creedal Statement]

Well before Christians began memorizing the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, there were other creedal statements being memorized by Christians.

One such creed is in today’s epistle. In fact, I have already said it.

“There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

Here we read God’s Triune Name, but only backwards: Holy Spirit, Son, Father.

And, this creedal statement could even be seen as a creed within a creed, when Paul writes: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

You see, creedal statements were important to the early Christians and are equally important to Christians today.

These statements of faith say what we believe as a Christian. Statements such as these help us understand the Christian faith in just minimal words. These statements of faith also guard us against false teachings that float around in the culture.

You see, creeds such as “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” were written for one essential purpose: to unite Christians.

[One Faith]

During the time of the Reformation, there were many ideas floating around from the various reformers. Some reformers wanted to throw out everything connected to the historical Church.

Martin Luther, on the other hand, argued against throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Luther made some changes, but only changes created by man, rather than the Triune God.

As many other reformers were “tossing to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14), Luther remained faithful to the one true Christian faith as handed down by the Creeds.

Luther said, “[The Creed] holds together the Christian community, preventing factions and schisms. So Paul here [in Ephesians 4] admonishes men to be careful for harmony, making every endeavor to preserve it. [Paul] thus emphasizes oneness of doctrine – the one true faith.

“Above all things, then, the effort must be to preserve, in the Church, the doctrine of the Scriptures, pure and in its unity.”[3]

So, why is the Creed so important?

Well, for those who do not have the entire Word of God memorized, the Creed is the next best thing, since everything from the Creed is from God’s Word.

The Creed also reminds us on what is taught in God’s Word.

We are reminded that “there is one body”, which is the one holy Christian and apostolic Church.

According to God’s Word, the Church is the assembly of all those on earth who believe in Christ, just as we pray in the Creed. “Hence, although they be a thousand miles apart in body, they are yet an assembly in spirit because each one preaches, believes, hopes, loves, and lives like the other.”[4]

Pure doctrine is what unites the Christian Church.

Now, you may be thinking: “Does doctrine really matter? Don’t we want to be more appealing to those outside our church walls?”

Well, as Luther puts it, “Doctrine saves” because through proper teaching we learn about what Jesus has done and continues to do for us.

[Baby Food and Steak]

Now, as Christians it is difficult to comprehend pure doctrine depending on what stage of life you are in as a Christian.

When we were infants, we didn’t eat steak. As adults, we don’t eat baby food.

Likewise, when we are young in the faith, we can only comprehend what we can handle, but the goal is to mature and thus grow deeper in the one true faith.

Paul tells us that Jesus “gave us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints” (Ephesians 4:11-12) – to outfit all Christians as a soldier for battle against false teachings.

In being handed down pure doctrine, we are able to know what is correct and wrong and thus we know how to defend ourselves and others from wicked teachings.

As our Lord Jesus Christ said in today’s gospel lesson, “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27).

Then the crowd, which just witnessed the Feeding of the 5,000, asked Jesus, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” (John 6:28)

Jesus replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29).

You see, the Holy Spirit gives us faith so we can believe in Jesus as our Lord, so we can be saved through Him.

[Jesus Unites Us to Him by Grace]

Today, we receive a foretaste of “the food that endures to eternal life” in the Lord’s Supper.

In this Supper, our faith is strengthened and our sins are forgiven.

All other food perishes, but Jesus is the “bread of life” who gives us life through His death on the cross, His resurrection from the grave, and His ascension to heaven where He lives and reigns to this day.

He alone gives us food so we shall not hunger. He alone gives us drink so what we shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

We have received this gift by grace through faith in Him – our Lord Jesus Christ, who alone “is the head” (Ephesians 4:15) of the whole body that unites us in the one true faith. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

 

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Preached at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

---

[1] 1001 Illustrations That Connect, “The Best Arguers” (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2008), 328.

[2] “Stronger Together: ELCA congregations find vitality through full-communion partnerships,” Living Lutheran (official ELCA magazine), August 2018, p. 14-19.

[3] Thomas Winger, Concordia Commentary: Ephesians (Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, 2015) 489-490,

[4] What Luther Says, #767, 260

Sermon for Pentecost 8: "Blessed, Chosen and Sealed" (Ephesians 1:3-14)

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

After five years of trying to have a child of their own, Aunt Ruby and Uncle Arnie adopted a baby boy. To their surprise, a short time after the adoption, Aunt Ruby discovered she was pregnant, and she would later give birth to a boy.

One day when the two boys were eight and nine years old, a woman asked Ruby, “Which boy is yours Ruby?”

Ruby replied, “Both of them.”

But I mean, “Which one is adopted?”

Ruby said, “I’ve forgotten.”

[Blessed, Chosen and Sealed]

In this morning’s epistle reading, the Apostle Paul reminded the Ephesians and us that we are indeed blessed, chosen and sealed through the grace of Jesus Christ.

We are blessed, because God the Father “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.” (Ephesians 1:3)

We are chosen, because God the Father “chose us in (Christ) before the foundation of the world.” (Ephesians 1:4a)

We are sealed, because God the Holy Spirit sealed us in our baptism, which “guarantees our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.” (Ephesians 1:14)

This is some great news! We are blessed, chosen and sealed!

Through all of this, everything is granted to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no longer any darkness between us and God. For all the darkness has been taken away through Christ’s light, which is the Gospel.

[No More Mystery]

Now, when Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians, there were ideas floating around about secret knowledge that was being kept from Christians.

This secret knowledge, or gnosis, was no secret at all, but only served a way to divide Christians and cause conflict between them. This is where we get the false teaching of Gnosticism, which proposed that Christ didn’t do enough for us and stated that our human bodies were evil, and our soul is only what matters. 

This led many to deny the importance of the human body relative to the soul.

Today, this Gnostic heresy has returned. So, instead of knowing the truth that we were born as a boy or girl, we now argue over what is a boy and what is a girl. We argue about gender rules and norms. This is denial of truth in favor of Gnosticism.

You see, the goal of the Christian life is not to be liberated from the body, but to live as who God created you to be. After all, when Jesus ascended into heaven, he did so with His body. He still has His body as He lives and reigns until He returns again – again with His body.

True wisdom is found only in Christ and not in any false teaching. For Christ gave us all knowledge through the Gospel. All we have to do is repent and believe and salvation is given to us.

[Holy and Blameless]

Through Christ’s blood shed on the cross, we are “holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4) and “in love he predestined us for adoption” (Ephesians 1:5).

Now, some people misconstrue this. They say that since we are “holy and blameless” through our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection, we can sin all the more without any penalty, because we are predestined to heaven anyway.

They say, “Since God has foreseen his elect to salvation ‘before the foundation of the world’ and since God’s foreknowledge does not fail, nor can anyone change or impede it, if then I am foreseen to salvation, it cannot harm me if I practice all kinds of sin and vice without repentance, despise Word and Sacrament, and have no concern for repentance, faith, prayer or godly living.” (FC-SD, Art. XI: Election, p. 642-643)

Well, even when we are chosen, we can still reject God’s eternal promise. When we choose full well to sin and continue sinning with no concern for repentance, we are choosing sin over God’s grace.

You see – for some – they see Baptism as a “free pass into heaven” card. In reality it is not. Yes, Baptism saves you, for you receive faith in this Sacrament. But, Baptism is not a guarantee into heaven. For if you deny the Christian faith, you are denying your Baptism.

But, if Baptism isn’t a guarantee, what is? Following God’s Word is the guarantee.

You see, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Scripture presents this teaching for no other purpose than to point us to the Word, to admonish us to repent, to encourage godliness, to strengthen our faith and assure us of our salvation. (FC-SD, Art. XI: Election, p. 643)

And as Christ says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).

You see, the sheep that follow Christ are His flock. They are the elect. 

Everyone is predestined to adoption through Jesus Christ, but it is those who respond to His Word, who follow His Word, these are the people who are His flock.

[God’s Grace]

Our Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – desires everyone to be saved. He does not desire anyone to damnation. 

This is why Jesus the Christ came in the first place. He came to save.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

This was God’s plan from the very beginning – before the foundation of the world.

The Triune God foreknew that we would need a savior, for we could not be “holy and blameless” through our own merit. So, God the Father sent His one and only Son, so we could be “holy and blameless” through Christ’s blood shed on the cross and through Christ’s victory over sin, death and Satan.

Only through Christ are we blessed, chosen and sealed.

So, like Aunt Ruby and her two sons, God chooses to forget our sins, to forget our wayward past, and gives us the full inheritance of salvation, life everlasting and forgiveness of sins through Christ, our Lord.

By grace through faith, we are blessed, chosen and sealed as God’s holy people. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T