Reformation Freedom

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:34-36

Are you free? Sometimes we’re not sure how to answer that question. We live in a “free” country but there always seems to be something that has a hold on us. Professor Higgens, in the movie “My Fair Lady,” has this line: “I am an ordinary man who desires nothing more than just an ordinary chance to live exactly as I like and to do precisely what I want.” That’s what freedom means to most people. The chance to do whatever we want, whenever and however we want to do it.

Which is more frightening to you – slavery or freedom? Why would freedom be frightening? Because it involves the most change. As frightening as slavery is, especially slavery to sin which causes death, it seems safe because we’ve been down that road before. The road looks something like this: we sin, we feel guilty, we promise to do better next time, we sin again, we feel guilty, and after many times down this road, we come to the resolution: maybe it’s just the way I am. I just wasn’t cut out to be what God calls me to be.

Freedom from and freedom to are often in conflict. Christian freedom is freedom from the bondage of sin, death and the power of the devil but not freedom from God. Christian freedom is freedom to live according to God’s will, not freedom to do whatever we please.

The Pharisees said, “We are free! But were they really? All slavery is bad, but a slavery that parades around as freedom is worse. Like the Pharisees, we too will listen to Jesus about many things. We love to hear of eternal life, about God giving us our daily bread, about Jesus being with us always and we like the idea of His judging those wicked people - but confront us with our grudges, our lack of stewardship, our lack of daily devotions and Bible Study - and we put up our defenses. It has been said, “You can tell a Lutheran from far off, but up close, you can’t tell them anything.” It’s not that we deny our sins. But being slaves to sin? Never. And yet, whenever we sin, we do not do what we freely choose, but we have done what sin demands.

One of the tools of slavery is legalism. Legalism is slavery made easy. If the sermon today had a list of 10 rules to make you free – that would be so easy. You could go home today and begin working on completing the list. But what would be the result? Your outside would sparkle. But inside, something would be missing. Legalism is a slow torture - suffocation of the Holy Spirit and an amputation of the cross. And the question will always be - have I done enough to be set free? 

We know that there is no way we could ever do enough to earn freedom on our own. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3:20 says, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” But thanks be to God, for he gives us the free gift of redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is the pathway of the most resistance. The Gospel meets the resistance of sin head on with the cross of Christ. The Law shows us our sinfulness but the Gospel shows us God’s freeing rescue from that sinfulness. You know why roads and rivers so crooked. It is much easier to avoid confrontation than to burrow through the obstacle. This is especially true when it comes to sin – but Jesus leads us on the pathway of the most resistance: freedom!

The freedom Jesus had shows us our bondage. John chapter 8 begins with a mob bringing a woman to Jesus who had been caught in the act of adultery. The mob wanted to stone her, but here Jesus reveals freedom. “Let him who is without sin throw the first stone to condemn her.” Freedom is grace. Our freedom is found in what Christ has already done for us and gives to us.

Martin Luther knew all about the chains of sin, legalism and slavery. He was a serious young man but was bound by the terrible chains of guilt and the compulsion to save himself. He tried to break the chains with hours of study, becoming a monk, training to be a priest, begging, fasting, and praying.

Luther discovered that God pronounced us free. Luther stated that before this discovery through the Holy Spirit, he had looked on Jesus as an angry judge and taskmaster ready to strike him down in his sin, rather than a Savior who had become man to set him free from that sin. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul gave the assurance that Luther cherished: “We hold that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.” This is the heart of the Reformation - receiving the gift of freedom through the saving work of Christ.

God’s freedom is ours by grace alone. Grace is God’s idea, God’s work and His expense - His Son on the cross. He offers grace to everyone who believes – not everyone who achieves; not everyone who succeeds - but everyone who believes. We are now free to forgive rather than hold a grudge; free to pray rather than worry; free to love rather than squabble; free to face temptation head on rather than fall into sin.

God’s freedom is ours by faith alone. God wants us to be “at home” in His freedom. Knowing that the devil is always seeking to lead us astray, to attack the freedom God gives - faith leads us to stand on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Faith clings to the cross alone and rests in Jesus’ strength and refuge, not our own.

God’s freedom is ours by Scripture alone. To keep us steadfast in the Truth, God has given us His Word. Freedom for God’s people always came from getting back into the Word. The Word reveals God’s will and plan for us as His people - to be His people enjoying the quality of freedom that lasts.

Freedom has the last word: Truth! Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. And that Truth supercedes all that we have learned, all the traditions we have followed, all the ways that have been practiced in the past. It is the place where we begin our new life of freedom.

The Truth of the entire Scriptures is the source of our faith and life. When we are faced with illness, tragedy, dissension, or weakness; we can look to our Heavenly Father through the Cross of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We were not made for the bondage we keep living in.

The walk of freedom happens on the narrow road of continuing in God’s Word. John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus says that, by abiding in His Word, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Note the word – abiding, continuing to be in God’s word. It is active and progressive.

Daily satan tempts us. Daily he speaks the lie that freedom is frightening and slavery is safe and secure. But Jesus provides the last word for daily victory: The salvation and new life revealed in His living Word - our Savior. That is our Reformation heritage. Repentance and faith are not once-in-a-while actions but the entire life and attitude of the Christian. To shatter our chains, Jesus revealed the Truth - His obedient life to the will of God, His sacrificial death to pay for our sins and the resurrection from the grave to give us victory.

Again I ask you: Are you free? Through the cross, your answer is yes! Jesus gives us our freedom and defends our freedom with the cross - the very same cross we received on our foreheads and hearts in Baptism. Enjoy the freedom that God gives, pronounces and defends for us through the cross of His Son. And by that Truth alone, live now in the freedom that makes a difference for eternity!

 

Royals

As game 3 of the World Series approaches the excitement is building, especially in Missouri as Royals fans have been waiting 29 years for this World Series!  The excitement has affected many things, including the music that is played or not played on the radio.

Before the World Series began, a radio station from San Francisco announced they would not be playing a popular song by Lorde called "Royals", which was inspired by a picture of Royals great George Brett.  A Kansas City radio station responded by saying it would be playing the song every hour on the hour in honor of the American League Champion Royals.

The song taking center stage has a refrain that begins with the phrase, "And we'll never be royals".  As Christians we can rejoice that we are indeed "royals".  1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

As Christians we have been chosen by God through the work of the Holy Spirit, who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth.  Through His gift of Baptism, we have been made God's children - heirs with Christ of the everlasting riches of heaven!  We have been clothed with the royal robe of Christ's righteousness which makes us blameless in God's sight and worthy of the royal banquet He has prepared for His people.

We have to admit that there are a lot of times we don't feel so royal.  We face many "giants" in life such as our sinful nature, relationship issues, financial issues, health problems, loss of loved ones, and the list could go on.  Take heart Christian royals, by God's help we have a good track record against the giants...just ask David!



Victory Formation

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57

 

There's nothing a football fan loves to see more than his team take the field and get into the victory formation.  Being of fan of the winningest college football program in history has given me plenty of opportunities to see the victory formation.  Victory formation means the game is all but over.  All the team has to do is snap the football and have the quarterback take a knee and run the clock out.  Three...two...one...VICTORY!

 

Victory is also a term that is important in the life of a Christian.  Paul writes about the victory that Christ won over sin, death, and the power of the devil in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.  Death has lost its sting because Christ has swallowed up death forever.  Christ lived the perfect life required by the Law, died the death our sin deserves, and rose from the grave to assure victory over death for all who put their faith in Him!

 

So what does the "victory formation" look like in the life of a Christian?  For the Christian victory formation is "taking a knee" at the foot of the cross.  You see, the foot of the cross is where we can lay all our sins and burdens.  Christ took those sins and burdens upon Himself on the cross.  He suffered and died for our sins and burdens so that we don't have to hold on to them. 

 

Christ has already won the victory!  Through Baptism into Christ we share in His victory.  The life of a Christian then is one of daily assuming the victory formation - taking a knee at the foot of the cross - and rejoicing the in the victory Christ gives!



Whose Image?

And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Matthew 22:20-21

In Matthew chapter 22, Jesus is asked a trick question.  Often times the “trick” of a trick question is that it is based on a false premise.  A very famous trick question took place in one of the seven debates between young Abraham Lincoln and his opponent, Stephen A. Douglas during the Fall of 1858.  Douglas asked Lincoln a pointed question, and Lincoln had offered a very lengthy and very evasive answer.  Finally, Douglas got angry and said he didn’t want a long answer, but just a simple “yes” or “no.”  Douglas then challenged Lincoln, “Ask me any question and I can answer it with a simple “yes” or “no.”  And Lincoln replied, “Have you stopped beating your wife?”  Douglas could only offer silence.

In a similar way, the trick question presented to Jesus set up a trap: Answering the question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” with a “no” answer, Jesus would have been reported to the Roman Empire and accused of an act of revolution against Rome and the Emperor.  But answering with a “yes,” would have offended the nationalistic fervor of the Jews who were convinced that the Messiah would be sent by God to overthrow the Romans and restore the state of Israel.  For such people to pay taxes with a coin that had Caesar’s image on one side as a divine god and on the other side had Caesar depicted as the high priest - was considered an act of religious disobedience.  The trap was set.

The trick question asked of Jesus was based on a false premise:  Where does God belong?  Where does God fit in?  The assumption is that life can be divided into neat little categories, with everything nicely filed into its own slot, including God.  Take money, for example.  What do you do when you get your income check?  Divide it up, of course; it’s called budgeting - so much for housing, so much for food, so much for utilities, so much for fuel and car expenses, so much for God.  Our priorities are sorted out by where our money gets filed.  We can do the same with time, since time, like money, is given to us in limited quantities and so it must also be budgeted - so much for work or school, so much for travel, so much for eating and sleeping, so much for recreation and entertainment, so much for God.  You have to prioritize it or you run out of it. 

In both examples, there is a basic mistake - a false premise.  Did you catch it?  You may have noticed that with both money and time, I put God at the end of the list.  How do we correct that?  We may say, “In light of the First Commandment, we should probably say that God is first rather than last, right?”  But that is the REAL mistake: The assumption that God belongs as ONE of our priorities or ONE area of our lives as if God is somehow on par with everything else that claims our attention and our allegiance in life.  Would we ever say to God: You, my God and Savior, the One who has given me eternal life - You are on an equal par with my family, my job, my sports teams, my recreation, my house and car?  And yet, in our sinful lives, that’s how we treat God in our thoughts, words and deeds.

Jesus could pick up each one of us, like he held the coin in Matthew 22, and ask the same question, “Whose image and likeness is on this?”  The answer, we know, goes all the way back to creation: “Let Us make man in OUR likeness, in OUR image” and it goes all the way back to our Baptism: “Receive the sign of the cross of Christ Crucified upon your forehead and heart to mark you as His redeemed.”

Of course, someone might have argued with Jesus that day as well as today:  “But no matter whose picture is on that coin, it’s mine.  I earned it.”  Today we hear things like, “It’s my life - I’ll do with it as I please.”  “It’s my body - I’ll make the choices I want to make.”  And to that argument, Jesus has this answer: “If that’s so, then let’s take another look at you - because I earned YOU.  I created YOU.  I gave My life, I left heaven to take on human flesh to live, to die, and to rise from the dead to buy YOU back - to redeem YOU.  I suffered YOUR punishment, the punishment YOU deserve because of YOUR sin and I paid YOUR debt in full in order that YOU might be forgiven and restored to the image of God.  The inscription on YOU is unmistakable - YOU belong to Me.”

           

Our life, because of the perfect life, atoning death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not a matter of flipping a coin to see where God belongs in our life, or to see where God fits in to our daily priorities: but instead, render to God what is His - We belong to Him from head to toe; heart, mind, soul and strength - we belong to God alone!

Columbus Day

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue… you probably know the rest of the story. Today the country celebrates Columbus Day. Growing up we all learned about Columbus and his journey that led to the discovery of America. But what you may not realize is just how much of an example Christopher Columbus was of having faith. For 70 days, between August 3rd and October 12th, Columbus and his men sailed west into “nothingness”. They had been warned that their journey was foolish – because they were bound to fall off the face of the earth!

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Christopher Columbus certainly had faith in things not seen – he most certainly walked by faith and not by sight – for if his faith was by sight, he would have given up long before day 70 of his journey.

Research shows that Columbus was a Christian man, and his story is certainly a good illustration of faith. Washington Irving writes of Christopher Columbus: "He was devoutly pious: religion mingled with the whole course of his thoughts and actions, and shone forth in his most private and unstudied writings. Whenever he made any great discovery, he celebrated it by solemn thanks to God. The voice of prayer and melody of praise rose from his ships when they first beheld the New World, and his first action on landing was to prostrate himself upon the earth and return thanksgivings. Every evening the Salve Regina and other vesper hymns were chanted by his crew, and masses were performed in the beautiful groves bordering the wild shores of this heathen land. All his great enterprises were undertaken in the name of the Holy Trinity.”

Columbus was certain that his journey would not lead to falling off the earth, but that he would reach his destination. Likewise, our journey of faith is not a journey we walk by sight, but one that we walk with confidence and certainty – knowing our destination is eternal life in heaven.

The Lord has given us our faith through Baptism, and continues to strengthen that faith through His Word and Sacrament. It’s that faith our Lord gives and nourishes that gives us the confidence of knowing our journey does not end in nothingness – but in the eternal life that has been given to us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

May the Lord bless you this week as you walk – not by sight – but by faith in the sure and certain promises of God.

Fragrant Sacrifices and Offerings

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."  Ephesians 5:2

 

Tomorrow is LWML Sunday, a day when we celebrate the work of the Lord done through the ladies of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League.  The theme this year is "Fragrant Sacrifices and Offerings" based on Ephesians 5:2.  The theme this year leads us to focus on the One who enables the LWML and all Christians to walk together in love - Jesus Christ.

 

The imagery of fragrant offerings and sacrifices points back to the temple sacrifices of the Old Testament.  In Ephesians 5:2 Paul is writing about how Christ loved us so much that He offered Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world.  Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn't, died the death we deserve, and rose victorious from the grave so that we would have eternal life through His sacrifice.

 

Out of response for the love shown to us in Christ, and by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are enabled and equipped to walk in love and point others to the Savior.  As Christians, we live out our lives in service to our Lord.  As we do - others are shown the love that comes from Christ.  As our Lord says in Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

 

May all the work we do for the Lord serve to show others the goodness, mercy, and love of our Heavenly Father shown to us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

 

 



The Devil's Beatitudes

 

The Beatitudes are one of the most familiar and loved parts of Scripture.  How would the beatitudes look, though, if the devil were to write his own.  I recently came across a list called, "The Devil's Beatitudes" and it reads like this:



Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour a week with their fellow Christians - they are my best workers.

Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked - I can use them.

Blessed are the touchy who stop going to church - they are my missionaries.

Blessed are the trouble makers - they shall be called my children.

Blessed are the complainers - I'm all ears to them.

Blessed are those who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes - for they get nothing out of his sermons.

Blessed are those who gossip - for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.

Blessed are those who are easily offended - for they will soon get angry and quit.

Blessed are those who do not give their offering to carry on God's work - for they are my helpers.

Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister - for he shall be with me forever!

Blessed are you who, when you read this think it is about other people and not yourself - I've got you too!

Unfortunately, all of us would have to admit that far too often the devil's beatitudes seem to fit us more than  our Lord's words in Matthew 5.  It's not until we understand that the beatitudes in Matthew 5 are about how Christ has made us blessed, that we can truly understand and know that we indeed are blessed.

Run the beatitudes according to Christ. Sinners can’t do anything perfectly, but Jesus has done all things well. And why has He done all things well? For you. He’s done them so that He might give you the blessings.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If you want to see perfect humility, look at Jesus. Look at the Son of God who left heaven to be born of Mary and laid in a manger. Look at the King of kings who didn’t seize the world for Himself, but lived without a home to call His own; and who humbly bore your sins to the cross. He went about being your Savior in greatest humility, so that you might be forgiven your sins of pride. His is the Kingdom of Heaven, and He gives it to you.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Jesus mourned. He wept at the death of Lazarus, at the wages of sin. But He did more than grieve. He went to the cross to destroy death, to defeat the grave. He did so with the confidence that His Father would raise Him from the dead, with the comfort that His death would win salvation for all. He didn’t delight in the plight of man or shrug and leave us to condemnation. He mourned. He mourned perfectly, without ulterior motive, so that you might be delivered from death and be comforted with life.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Jesus didn’t win salvation by a show of strength, but by His humble obedience even to death on the cross. That’s how He defeated the ruler of this world. The earth is His even now, but He will create it anew on the Last Day. For you.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” For the sake of your righteousness, Jesus hungered at the start of His ministry and thirsted at the end. He fasted in the wilderness while resisting the devil’s temptation so that He might remain righteous and give that righteousness to you. On the cross, He cried out, “I thirst,” as His Father condemned Him for all of your unrighteousness—so that your need for forgiveness might be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Christ mercifully went to the cross to reverse the curse of sin. Raised from the dead, He has mercy and grace to give to you.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The risen, pure Son of God has ascended into heaven, sits enthroned at His Father’s right hand. He sees God. And because He has forgiven you, He will raise you up to heaven, too. Purified by Him, you will see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” The only-begotten Son of God became flesh to restore peace between God and sinful man—that’s what the angels sang the night He was born. His first words to His disciples after the Resurrection were, “Peace be with you.” He sets you at peace with God by forgiving your sins. That makes you a son of God, an heir of heaven.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Who else is this but Jesus? Pilate even declared Him innocent—righteous—three times! But despite that verdict, Jesus was scourged, beaten and crucified precisely for being the righteous Son of God. But that suffering opened the way to heaven for you, and the kingdom of heaven belongs to Jesus.

Christ has done all these things for you; and now, when He forgives your sins, He gives you every last one of these blessings. That explains the final beatitude. So far, it’s been “blessed are those who.” Now it’s “Blessed are you:” “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account.” Why are you blessed—because you earn it by being reviled and persecuted? No, but because it’s on Jesus’ account. It’s because you bear His name, because you are His. If you are His, then the kingdom of heaven and every blessing is yours. Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you!

But if you’re His, then the devil, world and sinful flesh will do their best to make you feel reviled, persecuted and the target of all sorts of evil. Why? So that you don’t believe you’re blessed. So Jesus says, “Even if persecution and evil seek to persuade you otherwise, hear My Word, hear My promise, and know that I say you are blessed. For My sake, yours is the kingdom of heaven.”

You are blessed in Christ, blessed in Him with every good thing from God. These beatitudes are the Word of God, and we trust the Word to be true by faith, even if we do not see it. We are not people free of trouble. We each have trials and suffering: But despite these things, know that you are blessed.

Are you poor in spirit, or just plain poor? The devil will say it’s proof God doesn’t love you. But Jesus says, “No! Blessed are you! Even if you have little now, the kingdom of heaven is yours!”

Do you mourn? The devil will use your sin as proof that God only curses you. Jesus says, “Blessed are you! In a dying world, it will be given to you to mourn. But I will comfort you. In heaven I will wipe away every tear from your eye.”

Are you meek? That’s not a way to be successful in a dog-eat-dog world, and the world has names for you like “victim” or “sucker,” which are not synonyms for “winner” or “blessed.” But Jesus says, “This world is passing away, and I will create a new heaven and a new earth. It’s yours. Blessed are you!”

Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? If you take your sinfulness seriously, then of course you do because you know what you lack. But blessed are you in Christ! “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Christ makes you righteous, no matter how your conscience and memory might still accuse you. Blessed are you.

Are you merciful, pure in heart and one who desires peace? This is a world where success comes at the expense of others, comes from cutting corners and selling your soul, comes at dividing people to gain power. Christian love may not lead to much worldly success at all; but Christ says, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Blessed are you, because I am merciful to you. I call you My beloved child. I make you righteous, and you will see Me face to face.”

Christ has fulfilled the beatitudes perfectly on His way to the cross. Having died for your sins, He is risen to give His blessings of grace and life and every good thing. By His grace, you are righteous - you are blessed - and you are His!