Making Distinctions–“Gay Christian”

Theology is the art of making distinctions. Here's one that needs to be made. The church IS accepting of those who are beset by the sin of same sex attraction. There is nothing "special" about this sin over and above others. Lying, murder, and cheating are all the same as homosexual attraction.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV)

Paul's point here is not to single out certain sins as damning, but to accuse us all of these very sins! We all stand condemned in our sin, but the Apostle continues,

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11, ESV)

Christians are declared righteous in the name of Jesus. That is forgiven by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His death in the place of the sinner. His life given as the replacement punishment for the sinner. Forgiveness is the free gift of God given to those who trust that Jesus is their Savior. That is what it means to be a Christian. Looking to Jesus on the cross as Jesus on the cross for you! Christians live forgiven, not to continue living in sin, but to live in Christ. Christians hate sin, especially their own.

Now for the distinction. It is one of the characteristics of our culture to play fast and loose with definitions. It takes great pleasure in the application of those definitions to those who do not agree with prevailing sentiment. Terms such as "Gay Christian"; "Homosexual Christian" are such terms. In the culture they mean "Christian and Gay and proud of it." or "Christian and Homosexual and accepting of the lifestyle and all that it means." These terms are not defined as "Gay / Homosexual and hating the sin of same sex attraction that plagues them." One is the attitude of a Christian. The other is not. Our church body, The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, has repeatedly affirmed the biblical position that homosexual activity is intrinsically sinful. (http://blogs.lcms.org/2004/synod-affirms-marriage-as-lifelong-one-man-one-woman-union) Just like taking for yourself the things that belong to your neighbor. Just like lying to make yourself look better in someone eyes. Just like hating your neighbor. Intrinsically sinful means sins worthy of eternal separation from God, worthy of God's righteous anger. A Christian cannot live in the position that homosexual activity is anything but sinful. A homosexual (one who is plagued by the sin of same-sex attraction) can be a Christian in the same sense that a liar is can be a Christian, a thief can be a Christian. That is hating the sin and loving the one who has saved him from the just punishment deserved for rebelling against God and his commandments.

Psalm 41:1; Eight Sunday after Pentecost; July 14, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;” (Psalm 41:1, ESV)

From a Sermon by Rev. John Nunes.

Grace and Peace to you from Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Repeat after me: Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Glory to the name of Jesus! The Lord our God is King!

For some of us that’s uncomfortable isn’t it. We’ll don’t feel bad it’s that way for most Christians in NA… even awkward and embarrassing. But for more than 200 million Christians throughout the world saying something like that would be downright dangerous. The US State Dept says that there are nearly 70 countries where Christians are persecuted. Where it’s legal to imprison, torture, enslave, rape, assault, and even murder by crucifixion those who profess words just like those. In some of those places this assembly that we so much take for granted could be a death sentence to all of us. This time of year, a few days after independence day is a good time to reflect on that fact, and ponder, and praise God for the blessings that we often over look.

For some Christians, worship is a matter of life and death. But for all of us, being in Christ means even more. You see, all eternity hangs in the balance. It’s not just a mater of life and death; it’s a matter of everlasting life and everlasting death. In Word and Sacrament, God sets Jesus into our lives as the way, the truth and the life. He gives us so much more than worldly freedom. Through Word and water, bread and wine he enters our lives and we are changed, we are set free from sin and death. That’s a story that needs to be told!

It all really came about on a dark Friday outside of Jerusalem. It was there that Jesus won this life changing freedom for you and me, and all people who believe in him. When Jesus was crucified and died he changed all of human history. But even more importantly than that he changed your history and mine. His death gives us freedom that is greater than any human won freedom. His death frees us from the very grip of death itself. The proclamation of what Jesus did is our “Emancipation Proclamation” from the bondage of sin and death. Martin Luther said it like this: Human freedom might change laws without changing people, but Christian freedom changes people without changing the Law.

Jesus snatches us from the claws of the law. He gives us real freedom:

• From living in a dead end valley of the shadow of death to living an abundant life.
• From slavery to sin to having all the rights and privileges of the Children of God.
• From having broken spirits to leaping with joy in the Holy Spirit.
• From thirsting for righteousness to drinking from the cup of salvation that runs over.

Philis Weatly was an African born American slave in the 1700’s. She was set free through faith in Jesus Christ at a very early age. But she is better known for being a poet. She was the first African-American poet, and the first Woman poet to be published on this continent. It was her poetry that eventually led to her freedom. Still, she died young and penniless. She wrote this:

In every human breast,

God has implanted a

Principle with we call

Love of

Freedom; it is impatient of

Oppression, and pants for

Deliverance.

The problem with our panting for freedom is that we go after the wrong kind of freedom. The sin that permeates us leads us to seek freedom not where it can ultimately be found. No earthly utopia will ever supply true freedom, only frustration and futility. No earthly government can promise real freedom to its citizens, only partial freedom that is fleeting.

If you doubt me just look at how throughout history the most purely motivated activists ended up surpassing the oppression of those they replaced. Look how therapeutic techniques that are suppose to make relationships right often fail to distinguish right from wrong and indulge the sinful nature instead of helping. Why do liberation movements often end up oppressing those they intended to help?

That’s what the Psalmist was complaining about when he wrote these words:

Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;” (Psalm 41:1, ESV)

He was oppressed by marauders who streamed across the land limiting everyone’s ability to live peacefully. He was moved by the Holy Spirit to pen those words, a liturgical prayer of liberation, true liberation. He was speaking about looking for freedom that is found only in the Holy God. The freedom that he gives is freedom worth panting over and seeking out.

We worship God here today. That’s why we gather together and are blessed to be able to do so freely. In deer like fashion we come here to drink in the saving words of God. We stand and sit side by side in unity and love. It all flows from our connection with each other in Jesus Christ. There are many ways we serve one another and even others who do not know about the freedom we find here. Just because we are unified in faith doesn’t mean there’s only one way to serve. Some do so quietly through faithful prayer, some serve outwardly by washing motorcycles, (serving in a carnival) and still others by visiting friends in the hospital. Just because we are one in the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that there is only one way to serve. God has given us all many and varied gifts, he gives us the freedom to use those gifts. St. Paul talked about all of us being “one body” arms, ears, eyes, etc. Each serves in a different way but none less valuable than any other.

Also being a member of this body doesn’t mean there is only one way to vote. If any one tells you that Christians have to agree on social issues like taxes or which candidates to vote for they’re wrong. There is room for constructive debate among us when it comes to the ways we do certain things. A good source of information on this topic is found in the CTCR document Render Unto Ceaser… and Unto God. It’s available in the church library or you can check it out of my office. It read, “also in the church, and not only in the public square, civil but principled debate on social ethics must be encouraged.” (p. 63). There is a time and place for creativity… a time to challenge long established assumptions… a time to question the way we’ve always done things… and propose changes. There is room for diversity of opinion among the people of God when it comes to structure and church government and how we bring the Gospel to the community around us. Of course there isn’t any room for change in the content of that Gospel. Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation; He has purchased and won us from sin and death by his life, death and resurrection. We are brought to faith and strengthened in faith by the work of God in Word and Sacrament. How we tell those truths is a matter of freedom.

The freedom we are looking for, well the freedom that everyone is looking for is found only in Jesus Christ. He is with us here and we are free! We gather here to eat and drink his very body and blood that is our freedom. We deeply drink in the Word of God spoken to us, which brings us the deliverance that comes from knowing the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are totally delivered from the slavery of sin. We are delivered and free, now! Not sometime in our future after our death, but right now. We struggle with sin every day, but Jesus death has freed us from it. It doesn’t control us because we have forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Whenever sin tries to bind us again we know that Jesus was bound to death instead of us. We can set sin aside and move on to a better future, a future of freedom in Jesus Christ.

Think of what it means for your life now that you are free from the slavery of sin. You don’t have to worry about punishment for your failures. When you fail you can move on, you can forgive and forget when someone hurts you. All of that pain and suffering was placed on Jesus; you can give it to him and live free from it. You don’t have to worry about your eternal destiny. That’s sealed also by the death of Jesus. What happens to you after death is assured in Christ. Doesn’t that make your life different than it would be otherwise? You are free to do all kinds of things in service to other people. All different kinds of things to help them to see Jesus and his work for them. All different kinds of things to serve your friends and neighbors too. All the while pointing toward the one who has set you free to do those things.

That’s really what life is about. Being free in Jesus lets you see and know it. We have a small taste of that because of the freedoms we enjoy here in the US. We can be very thankful for that. But most of all we can be thankful that Jesus Christ has really set us free. Amen.

The peace of God, that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 66:10-14; The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost; July 7, 2013;

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance.” For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.” (Isaiah 66:10–14, ESV)

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

It began as barley a whisper… a faint sound at the very edge of perception… no one in the house even stirred… except mother. From the very first, before any sound at all had filled the ears of anyone else… she awoke crawled out of bed and began the trek to her infant’s room. So by the time he was in full cry, with a voice much more than someone his size should be able to shout, mother was already crib side. Quickly she raised the infant to her arms, “Hey Billy, what’s the matter?” She said quietly, as she gathered him to herself. At first he was inconsolable, and his screams echoed through the whole house. They filled the ears of his brothers and sisters, who muffled the sound with arms, blankets or pillows in an attempt to return to their dreams. But, soon quiet was again restored as the rocking chair and the sweet sound of mother voice brought infant comfort. He was safe and warm, there in his mother’s arms, satisfied and at peace.

Oh, to be at peace… like a little child in its mother’s arms, satisfied at rest, warm and content…. at peace. But as much as peace is desired it, peace is seldom found. Maybe that’s why this image of peace is so powerful for us, because we seldom know this kind of peace when we are no longer able to lie in our mother’s arms… when we have grown too large to be cuddled there. There are other moments of peace in our lives, standing on a quiet beach listening to the waves rush the shore; Being alone in the field with wind slipping through the corn that is so tall it almost blocks out the sun; Sitting beside the bed of a sleeping child listening contentedly to the shallow echoes of breath. But, moments of peace are few, because the world, this world that we live in, is a world of conflict.

A world of conflict… every day in the newspaper you can read about war somewhere around the globe. War is the same everywhere. There are two groups of people in conflict. They have determined that their conflict is so great that the only means of resolution is the violent death of the other party. They have determined that the only resolution is to disrupt the peace… to arm themselves with the tools of death. Many people would say that the exact opposite of peace is war. When the images of war explode onto the news, the comfort of our mother’s arms is very inviting.

But, conflict isn’t just found between nations at war. We find it even in the smallest communities. In fact any gathering of people is often marked by disagreement that often disrupts the peace. Do we build a swimming pool or not. Should there be a prison, or group home in our neighborhood. Should taxes be raised or cut… but it isn’t just government. There is conflict where we work… a co-worker we don’t like… a manager that won’t allow time off, or demands overtime… Conflict also lives in our homes… family decisions are marred by arguments and unhappy resolutions. What household has children that don’t fight, and parents who are always forgiving? What man and wife have never fought about family finances? Conflict is laced in every aspect of our lives… our families, friendships, and even our Church. Disharmony is everywhere it affects every relationship we have. But, not all the conflict is external. Many people have an internal struggle that far outweighs the discord between people. Internal struggle can fracture the human psyche. The wounds it can cause are even more devastating than disagreements between people. We all experience some of that disunity. We all struggle to do what we know is right, and avoid what we know is wrong. Saint Paul described the struggle so well

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:14–19, ESV)

When we think of these conflicts it is no wonder we long for the comfort of our mother’s arms. That place where we can be comforted, safe from conflict, safe from trouble, and at peace.

All of the disunity, between nations, people, families, individuals, and even the internal struggles of people are really a sign, a window to an even greater more devastating division. Conflict, internal and external, is an image of the most serious human problem. All human beings have cut themselves off from God by their own sin. We are fractured people who are determined to be in conflict with the very one who made us, the one who designed us for a relationship with him. We have conflict with others, we can’t get along with other people; we are in conflict with ourselves; because we can’t get along with God. That is the real source of conflict in our lives.

This is where this image, given to us in our text, comes in. God says he will comfort us, brings us peace, like a mother does with her child. “I will extend peace like a river… as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” He extends his arms around us, pulls us to his breast where we are warm, safe and secure. There we find peace. There we find comfort. He ended the conflict with us, because we didn’t want to end it with him.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

It is amazing and somewhat ironic that the one who God sent to restore peace to the world, the prince of peace, restored our fractured relationship, our conflict, by means of a violent death. He endured internal and external conflict on the cross as he was rejected by the Father in our place. The separation that our sinful nature desired; the conflict we wished; for was focused on Jesus Christ. He endured it all instead of us. And because of that he brought about peace between us and our Heavenly Father. But this peace is more than just a peaceful, tranquil feeling. It’s more than a feeling of contentment that even un-believers can feel. Jesus brings a peace the is a peace that exists even when we are in conflict. It’s a peace that exists even when we don’t feel peaceful.

The peace that Christ brings is like the peace between two warring parties. He declares the hostilities cease. But, when peace is declared sometimes the sides don’t want to end the fighting. Because we still have the effects of sin in our lives we don’t always want God’s peace. We struggle against it. But, the war is over, Jesus Christ has won it and he has declared the peace. It is a peace that passes all our understanding. When we feel it, when we experience that peaceful feeling like we are wrapped in the Father arms we rejoice; but it is just as true when we don’t feel it. We are still even then, because of Christ, at peace with God.

God doesn’t promise that Christians won’t have conflict in their lives. Christians just like all people will have internal and external struggles. But God, through Jesus Christ, has done something about the most serious conflict. Because of Jesus suffering and death on the cross we are no longer in conflict with God. Because suffered the separation of that conflict we can enjoy the comfort the peace. That peace, whether we feel it or not, effects our whole lives. Our relationships to our families… our relationships to our friends… our relationships at work... Our relationships to our community. That peace earned for us through the death of Christ, has given us peace with God and has opened the way for us to be at peace with others.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, ESV)

Billy slept quietly in his mothers arms. He was at peace, comforted by his mother. The noise of discord was all but forgotten. She had come and brought him comfort. He was safe and warm, he was at peace.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Luke 9:51-62; The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost; June 30, 2013;

 

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”” (Luke 9:51–62, ESV)

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Waunita and I have been thinking about selling one of the cars we have. The truth is we have one more car than we actually need. Selling the car reminds me of the times we were going to buy one. Buying a different car is always an adventure, there’s the searching, talking with car salesmen, driving, and dreaming. All of it to find just the right one, the one that fits our family, the one that's going to do what we need. But there is always the ultimate question… How much does it cost? How much do we have to pay? It doesn’t matter how much a car we buy costs, I always get the feeling I’ve paid too much. Usually the night after is one of tossing and turning… wondering if I could have gotten another $100 off. How much does it cost?

That’s what today’s Gospel lesson is all about, cost. How much does it cost? <<pause>> How much did it cost for Jesus? The text begins by saying that when the “time approached for him to be taken up to heaven” It is speaking here about more than just his ascension, it is talking also about his being lifted up on the cross…) Jesus “resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” A literal translation would be that “he firmly set his face.” He was determined to go, nothing would turn him from the path that he had put himself on. No cost was too high, and Jesus full well knew the cost. Only a page back in Luke's Gospel Jesus spoke of his suffering and death to the disciples in very plain words, he said that he “…must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed…” Jesus knew the cost. Jesus knew that there would be distractions on the way, Satan was out, roaming around like a lion, seeking to devour him, trying to thwart God’s plans, but Jesus wouldn’t allow that. He was going to Jerusalem to suffer, he was going to Jerusalem to be crucified, he was going to Jerusalem to die. He knew the cost of his plans full-well, and the cost was very high, indeed.

It happens right away, too. Jesus sends his disciples to prepare a place for them to stay in Samaritan town, on the way to Jerusalem. But, they didn’t want him to stay there. You know that the Jews and the Samaritans didn’t like each other, but in general in Luke’s Gospel they are spoken of very well. Here, however, they reject Jesus “because he was going to Jerusalem.” It has to do with the primary difference between the Jews and the Samaritans. It’s the difference of a mountain. The Jews held that the only proper place for sacrifice to God was Mt. Zion, which is the Temple at Jerusalem. The Samaritans, believe the only proper place for sacrifice to God was at Mt. Gerizim. You may remember the Samaritan woman at the well and her discussion with Jesus. She said, “…Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” This was a strong point of disagreement between Jews and Samaritans. The Samaritans know that Jesus is a least a prophet, and now he is going to worship in Jerusalem, they reject him because, in their eyes he is rejecting their worship on their mountain. They believe Jesus is acting as if their worship amounts to nothing. Jesus is not distracted. He is determined to go to Jerusalem, but his disciples have other ideas. They make a connection between Jesus and Elijah. The want to call down fire from heaven to obliterate the town for rejecting them, just like Elijah did on Mt. Carmel. Jesus rebukes them… the text says … and they went to another town. Jesus is not side tracked. He has set his face toward Jerusalem and that is where he is going.

Now, we get an interesting turn in the text. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus encounters three men who want to be disciples. Jesus uses these encounters to show what his journey to Jerusalem is all about. …to show how much it cost for Jesus to have “set his face toward Jerusalem.”

One of the would-be-disciple says, “I will follow you where ever you go.” This man has committed to following Jesus, but does he know what it costs to really follow him? Does he really know what it costs to follow Jesus where Jesus is going? Maybe he is caught up in the excitement of the trip to Jerusalem for the Passover, the singing of psalms, the talking, and the laughing. But, Jesus wants him to see the whole picture. Jesus statement gets straight to the heart of the matter. “Foxes and birds have a place to live,” says Jesus, “but not me.” His calling, his mission, meant that he wouldn’t have a place to stay. He would, at times, even be rejected just as he was rejected by the Samaritan village (and even his home town). And especially on this visit to Jerusalem, he would be rejected, he would suffer, and he would die a shameful death, a death that by tradition wouldn’t even offer him a place to lay his head in death. Even though Jesus was buried… crucified criminals weren’t often buried, but the corpses were left in the open as an example to others. “There is a cost to following me.” Jesus said. “Are you really sure you know what you are saying?”

Jesus turns to another, “Follow me!” he says. While the previous man declared that he wanted to follow Jesus, this man is asked by Jesus to follow him. “I will follow you Jesus,” the man replies, “but first, let me bury my father.” It is a perfectly valid request, especially for Jews of the day. They had an obligation to take care of their parents, especially in death… to prepare the body, to mourn, etc. Jesus reply to him seems harsh. “Let the dead bury their own dead. You preach the Kingdom of God.” What Jesus is asking is difficult. The cost is very high. He places discipleship above family obligation. Jesus places himself above family ties. Jesus is saying that sometimes following him means leaving your family behind. “Let the spiritually dead, bury their own dead.” Let the world do things as it has always done them. Don’t become so tied up in worldly things that you forget what is important. The cost of following me is putting the things of God first.

And then another commits to follow Jesus. “but first let me say good-bye.” “You can’t plow a field looking backward.” Jesus says. You can’t pay attention to what needs to be done in the future while holding on to what has happened in the past. You farmers, will understand this well. Some of you know better than others what it means to have crooked furrows. If you are not thinking about what needs to be done, if your daydreaming, or you fall asleep, before you know it you’ve got a real mess, and when the corn grows up, you won’t be able to deny it. Everyone will see your handiwork. Jesus is saying to this man, “You can’t live in the past and do what is necessary for what I have called you to do. The cost of following me requires looking ahead to the task at hand not looking back to what has happened in the past. If you can’t do that, then you’re not fit for the kingdom.”

I don’t know if these men followed Jesus or not. Would you have followed him? Each of these men was confronted with the cost of becoming a disciple. Jesus wanted each one to know exactly what it cost to follow him, exactly what it meant that he had set his face to Jerusalem. God’s plan for him wasn’t easy, in fact for a mere human it would have been impossible. God’s plan was that Jesus, his only son, would go to Jerusalem to die. Jesus followed the plan. He did the impossible, he reconciled the whole world to God according to God’s requirements. He paid the cost. He was crucified, bled and died, willingly. That was the task that he set his face toward.

Being a Christian means being a “little Christ.” To follow after Jesus means to do what Jesus did. It means giving up on the things the world thinks are important. it means holding him above everything, even our family. It means keeping our eyes fixed ahead and doing what has been given us to do, not living in the ‘glory’ of the past. It is a difficult task, in fact, for human beings it’s an impossible task. For us it costs too much. But, that is the reason that Jesus set his face to Jerusalem. He knows how we are affected by sin. He knows how we place God’s will below our own. Because he knows the task is impossible for us, he did it himself. He set his face toward Jerusalem for us. He paid the cost of keeping God’s will for us. He paid the cost on the cross for us. So when we set our hand to the plow, we do the work of being a disciple…. we do share our faith with our children… we do tell our neighbors what Jesus means to us… we do visit a friend in the hospital… We do come to worship and bible study… we do care for the families he has given us… because he paid the cost for us and we have set our face toward him.

That is exactly what Luke is talking about in this text. Being a disciple is being like Jesus, setting our face to the tasks that have been given to us. Doing them because of what he did for us, and the price he paid.

Dear Christian Friends; Sometimes it feels as if what God asks of us is too difficult. We’re afraid of what it means to be a disciple. We are afraid of the cost. But being a disciple doesn’t mean that we will always do what God expects. It doesn’t mean that we live perfect lives free from fighting with our spouse or children, and using every opportunity to tell people about Jesus. We are going to fail. What it does mean is putting our trust, setting our face, firmly on him, especially when we fail. Trusting in the cost that he paid for our sins.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Philippians 1:3-6; Mission Festival;

First Lutheran Church, Mount Ayr, Iowa;

Guest Preacher: Rev. Ray Smith, Executive Assistant for Rural Ministry, Iowa District West; Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Missouri Valley, Iowa;

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  CHRIST IS RISEN > > >

    The text for our meditation this evening is St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians.  To begin, let me read from 1:3-6 where St. Paul writes:  “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.  And I am sure of this; that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

    So far the text, let us pray:  Lord Jesus Christ, You grant us, Your bride, the Church, so many good gifts.  Enable us by Your Spirit to recognize every opportunity You give to live anew, in worthiness of Your Holy Gospel.  Amen.
Introduction:

   Dear friends in Christ, what a great joy it is to be with you all tonight; to share in your joy for this new beginning that is truly a partnership in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Thank you for asking me to come and thank you for this chance to share God’s Word with you.
    Let me begin by asking a question; What does it mean to be in partnership for the Gospel?
    For St. Paul and the Philippians it meant a relationship that had been built over time, and for a specific purpose.

Time & Purpose:
    Philippi was where Paul went when God sent him to Macedonia.  Philippi is where St. Paul and his brothers met Lydia, and established the congregation when she and her household were baptized. 

  And Philippi was the city where Paul suffered arrest and public beating for expelling a demon from a slave woman who had been practicing divination for the profit of her owners; owners who dragged Paul before the Philippi magistrates to be punished for ruining their livelihood.

    Philippi had an astounding history.  About a generation before Christ, Philippi was established as a Roman colony by Emperor Octavian.  Her status was equal to that of Rome, and that was a big deal for a colony on the crossroads of the Roman Empire and Asia.

    Generally speaking, at that time the people worshipped a number of false gods, especially the god of agriculture, Silvanus. 

    We first find Paul on the Philippian scene in Acts chapter 16 when he had his vision to go to Macedonia.  He and his brothers Silas, Timothy and Luke among others left Troas and went to Philippi.

    For years after that first encounter the Christians in Philippi supported Paul’s missionary efforts and his Epistle to the Philippians is a kind of “Thank You” message, written while imprisoned in Rome after his 3rd missionary journey to encourage them to live out their faith in a way worthy of the Gospel, specifically increasing in love for God and neighbor.

Fellowship:
I chose this letter for our focus tonight, because it elaborates how we as Christian have ample motive to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
First of all, Paul speaks of fellowship in the Gospel.

The Gospel is perfect.  Believers in the Gospel are not perfect.  In fact, if believers were perfect there would be no need for the Gospel because it would be redundant.
I know that the folks of Trinity, Creston and the folks of First, Mt. Ayr have worked hard to form a new relationship under the banner of Jesus Christ. 

But I also know, even though I’m not privy to your discussions, that as that relationship was taking shape, there were differences of opinion on certain issues.

Just to be clear, Pastor Watt hasn’t shared anything with me about the process, or talked with me about anything other than your wonderful results. 

But still, my own experience suggests that not everyone started out on the same page.
If we were in Oklahoma someone might have blurted out an “AMEN” at that last statement.

There may still be some skeptics here tonight.  But St. Paul offers some good advice.
Chapter 2:  “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Dear friends, no matter what differences of opinion there may be, no matter what skepticism about the future may exist, there is one thing that is absolutely true and that each and every one of you believe and trust.  Jesus Christ died for all.  Of that, you are all “in full accord and of one mind.”

Humility in Christ:
    Now, out there in the world, not everyone agrees with you.  As Christ’s Body, the Church, we have opponents; people who think we are stupid to believe that “no one comes to the Father except through [Jesus Christ].”  And there are those out there who think we are wrong to “force our belief system on them.”

    I’ve never really understood that way of thinking because it is impossible to do that.  At least it’s impossible for us to do that, because faith comes only by the power of the Holy Spirit; another point of our confession where we have concord.

    So, Paul encourages us to live our faith by seeing Christ as our example.  In that light, Paul speaks of servanthood.

    “Have this mind among you, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, becoming born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (2:5-8).

    Being a servant requires humility.  There are different rolls in service.  Leadership, coordination, teaching, learning, and following are just a few.  But each one requires that we must first look to the needs of others.
 
    Here in the Church, we must recognize the need to build each other up in Christ, so that out there in the world, we can provide the witness that our opponents need to see and hear.

    Let me say that another way:  If we build each other up in the love of Christ, then we can live in the world according to that love, or as Jesus Himself put it, “Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment, and a second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-39).

Suffering:
    The early Christians suffered greatly for the faith.  Many were persecuted and even killed. 

Some might say that we are fortunate to live in a more civilized culture, but when unbelief is rampant, abortions are on demand, Christian prayer is under assault, and it’s unacceptable to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter” in public, I don’t think much has changed.

    We are called to suffer for the sake of the Gospel, whether that suffering is minimal or abundant. 

Now that doesn’t mean we have to go out and look for ways to suffer, because the Lord knows that there is plenty to go around. 
But, it does mean that if we suffer for the sake of the Gospel, we shouldn’t avoid it by compromise or denial.

Lights in the World:
    Again, St. Paul gives us sound advice.
    “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (2:14-15).

    The world we live in is a twisted and crooked place, and it is darkened by the existence of sin and evil.  It needs to see your light shine, because without the light of Christ that each of you reflect, our opponents, those who want to silence our witness and make God fit into their own reason, will end up suffering in eternity a much worse fate than we will ever suffer in this life.

    Living a life worthy of the Gospel means that the gift of faith comes with a responsibility.  God works through us in order to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Will there be rejection, persecution and even suffering?  Yes, there will be. 
But the paradox that we live as believers in Christ, is that we rejoice in suffering because our confidence and hope is beyond this crooked and twisted generation.

    We live lives worthy of the Gospel because even though we are not perfect, we are counted righteous before God by faith in Jesus Christ. 

This and this alone is why we can press on toward the goal, because Christ Jesus has made us His own. Because we belong to Christ, we can live our faith through witness and deed, worthy of the Gospel, building each other up so we can meet the task.
 
Conclusion:
    In conclusion I want to once again thank you for letting me share in your celebration this evening.
    I leave you with these thoughts from Philippians.  St. Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (4:4-6)
    Dear friends and partners in Christ, by faith you are living as people worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

   In His name.  Amen.

Galatians 3:23-4:7; The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost; June 23, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 3:23–4:7, ESV)

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

St. Paul uses the metaphor of adoption. It may not be exactly what you think. In ancient Rome, the context of Paul's letter to the Galatians, the heirs of the household were adopted by their parents to receive the inheritance. Before being adopted they were under the control of the guardian. This guardian or pedagogue was a servant who is entrusted with the care and especially protection of the child who would become the heir. They would oversee the comings and goings of the child. They would watch over everything the child did. The child was not free but under the control of the pedagogue. Then, at the discretion of his father, a date would be set for the child to "come of age". The age was usually somewhere between 15 and 18. As Paul says "he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father" (4:2). On that date the child was officially adopted by the father and was formally recognized as the son and then received full inheritance rights. Until that date the child was no different in the eyes of the law than a slave. He had no freedom and no power to make decisions. But on the date of his adoption, the date set by his father, all that changed. He had the full responsibility and freedom of the heir.

The reason that St. Paul uses this metaphor is because the Galatian church, the recipients of this letter, had fallen into the trap of accepting the teachings of the Judaizers. These false teachers had convinced the people of the congregation that in order to become "heirs" more was necessary then only faith. They falsely taught that there was the necessity of becoming circumcised, following the dietary laws of the Old Testament, and doing and not doing certain things. Unless these were done one could not be a "true" Christian. This is the false teaching of adding our works to God's grace. It is the danger the church must always be on guard against.

Paul lays out the truth in clear and certain terms. You are justified only through faith in Jesus Christ. Through faith we receive God's promised inheritance. The promise is "for you and your children". There is no male or female, slave or free but all are one in Christ.

That's when Paul uses the metaphor of the pedagogue. He says this is what the law does. Those who are under the law have their freedom restricted by the law. They are constrained by the custodian. They are no different "then a slave". However, when we are "in Christ", our status is changed. The Father has set the date. "In the fullness of time". It is the time of Jesus. The time when God sent his son into the world to redeem those under the law. This is what Jesus does for you when you were under the law. He removes the restrictions and the punishments for disobedience. God, in human flesh, is born of a virgin so that the law applies to him. As a human being he is required to keep the law perfectly or suffer the just punishment of God for disobedience. This is what it means to be under the law. Jesus is therefore under the law. And yet, he does not break the law but fulfills it. He keeps it perfectly in every respect. Jesus lives in a perfect relationship with God the Father. And he lives in perfect relationship with his fellow human beings. And then he is sent to the cross to receive the punishment that is deserved for breaking the law, even though he did not break it. This is what Jesus does in "the fullness of time". He lives a perfect life so that it may be given to you for you to put on in Holy Baptism. And he takes the punishment for your sin setting you free from the curse of the law.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4–5, ESV)

Jesus makes you the heir. You are adopted by God the Father. You have full rights of inheritance. That is exactly what Paul talks about when he speaks about your adoption. And make no mistake when St. Paul talks about adoption into faith he is speaking about Holy Baptism. When he speaks about being in Christ he is pointing to what happens in Holy Baptism. Martin Luther agrees:

What benefits does Baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. (From Luther’s Small Catechism © 1986 Concordia Publishing House)

It is in Holy Baptism that the "fullness of time" that was brought by Jesus comes to you. Your adoption happens when water is poured on your head along with God's name. And all that Jesus did in the "fullness of time" is yours. Luther makes the point that the most important words in baptism are "for you". This is what it means to "put on Christ". Listen to Martin Luther and the large catechism:

In this way one sees what a great, excellent thing Baptism is. It delivers us from the devil’s jaws and makes us God’s own. It suppresses and takes away sin and then daily strengthens the new man. It is working and always continues working until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory. For this reason let everyone value his Baptism as a daily dress [Galatians 3:27] in which he is to walk constantly. Then he may ever be found in the faith and its fruit, so that he may suppress the old man and grow up in the new. ^[1]

And what a privilege we have today to see such a great picture of the inheritance in Jesus Christ. Almost a whole family young and old (well old-er). It's an adoption of sons. God is taken these four men to himself. They have put on Christ. They are full heirs of God's promises. From this day forward they will live "in Christ". And through faith in what Jesus has done for them here today they will join us with Jesus forever.

And so we are all today, one in Christ. There is neither slave nor free, black or white, male or female, young or old, rich or poor. We are one because we are in Christ. We have put on Christ's righteousness. That is all that he did in his perfect life is ours. We are free to live that way. Free from the worry of punishment for our sin even though our sin plagues us every day. Jesus death on the cross removes our punishment for it. And so, "in Christ", we walk constantly in the daily dress of Jesus Christ. Growing up in him to be like him every day. Doing the things that God would have us do in help to our neighbors. And every day living in the forgiveness that he won for us. Every day knowing that we are indeed heirs of eternal life. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

---

^[1] Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (P. T. McCain, Ed.) (431). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

Luke.7.36-50; Fourth Sunday after Pentecost; June 16, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

³⁶One of the Pharisees [Simon] asked him [Jesus] to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. ³⁷And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” ⁴¹“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50 (ESV)

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

Well, Jesus is certainly using a “teachable moment” here, isn’t he? And what a nice little story he uses too. It’s so simple and so easy to understand. Two guys owe lots of money. We’re talking a year and half’s wages for the one and a month and a half for the other. It’s a lot of money and neither of them can pay the debt so the moneylender cancels it all and send them on their way. “Who’s going to love the moneylender more?” It’s simple and obvious. The story is about loving the moneylender because he cancels debt. It’s all about forgiveness, isn’t it? God forgives our un-payable debt. We respond in love. It is straight forward. But I wonder do you see something funny in this parable? Do you see something just a little bit out of whack? I think you should. Jesus does this all the time. He tells a little story to make a point… but the story is deceptively simple. The meaning is usually buried much deeper that we think at first. And the more we dig in the more the point becomes clear. One of the best ways to understand Jesus parables is to find that little fact that seems to be out of joint… that little thing in the parable that isn’t quite right… the thing that would never happen. Think about the parable of the Good Samaritan. We all know it very well. A traveler is beat up on the road. Three likely helpers just walk right by, but the unlikely helper, the man’s mortal enemy actually stops to help. And he doesn’t just help he goes above and beyond. He sacrifices himself for the sake of his enemy. The story is out of balance. The unexpected happens. And Jesus makes his point. He’s the person who sacrifices himself for his enemy, doing what is unexpected, doing the unthinkable. So what about this one? What’s out of balance here? What’s the thing that would never happen? Well, it’s not that people get into debt beyond their ability to pay. We see that every day. No, the thing that’s not as we would expect is for the money lender to cancel the debt. Now this guy is a “moneylender.” He isn’t just a relative who is helping these guys out with a little loan. He’s in the business of lending money. He’s given them money expecting his money back with interest. He’s a banker. It’s his business to make loans and collect interest. No self respecting loan shark is going to make money by canceling debt. He’d never be able to collect on any loan again. And yet, this one does cancel the debt. In spite of the tremendous debt that is owed, he lets his debtors off the hook. That’s the peak of attention here. This unlikely banker forgives the debt… of course the guys who owed him are going to love him. He’s done the unbelievable and the unthinkable. He’s not thrown them and their families into prison. He’s not broken their legs. He’s not held them accountable at all. They are walking away owing nothing. And Jesus asks the question that brings the whole point home. “Now which one will love him more?”

That brings us to the dinner, the place that Jesus told the story and the place that made for him the “teachable moment”. It also brings us to the dinner’s host. Jesus is telling this parable at a dinner feast in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Now let’s not jump to conclusions too quickly. It’s easy for us to hear the word Pharisee and think “bad guy.” That’s not really the case. Especially in his own community Simon the Pharisee is a respected person. He’s a law abiding citizen. He’s a community leader worthy of respect. People look up to him to do what’s expected. That includes have a dinner conversation with a traveling preacher who has won the hearts of the people. So Simon invites Jesus to a festival dinner. But we also learn that Simon is a skeptic. Along with doing what’s expected he also wants to find out if Jesus is really the prophet people are saying he is. Simon apparently has his doubts. And in fact as we learn, Simon must not think very much of Jesus at all. Because even though Jesus has been invited to eat and to speak, he hasn’t been treated with even the common courtesies that are normally offered to guests. Jesus isn’t welcomed to the house warmly with the customary kiss, his feet aren’t washed to remove the remnants of the dusty road, and there is no olive oil given to cool his head. Simon wants Jesus to show his true colors, but Simon already thinks he knows who Jesus is and what he is not. That’s what the dinner really is about. But he doesn’t expect Jesus is worth all the fuss.

Now there is something unexpected that happens here, too. The party is crashed by and unexpected guest. “A woman of the city, who was a sinner,” comes in and makes a scene. And what a scene it is. Uninvited, she does what Simon the host has neglected to do. She washes Jesus feet. She pours oil on him and she greets him with a kiss, but not in the normal sense at all. There’s no towel and basin, it’s not ordinary oil, or even regular manner of kissing. It’s all out of the ordinary and unexpected. She washes Jesus feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. She uses expensive myrrh instead of common olive oil. And the kisses she gives, well they go overboard. Not a kiss of greeting on the cheek, but non-stop kisses on Jesus’ feet. It’s safe to say that even though it all seems to be going overboard; this woman is expressing great love for Jesus. And, it seems, in many ways she doesn’t think she’s doing enough. She makes a scene, and she doesn’t care what people think.

For Simon the whole scene is disgusting and it confirms his suspicions of Jesus. Simon is thinking “Well, that settles it… he’s no prophet… no self respecting prophet would let a woman like that touch him like that.” In his mind the dinner is over. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. Nothing Jesus could say now would be important for him to hear. This woman doesn’t belong in his house and neither does Jesus.

And that’s the teachable moment… “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Go ahead teacher.” Simon replies lightly.

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

“Well,” Simon answered carefully sensing a trap, “I guess the one who had the bigger debt.”

“You have judged rightly.” And then Jesus himself breaks all the rules of common courtesy as he points out Simon’s failures, “Simon, you see this woman. All the things that you should have done for me when I came to your house, she has done, and even more. You didn’t wash my feet; she did it with her tears and hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss; she can’t stop kissing my feet. You didn’t even give me simple oil for my head but she has put expensive oil my feet. Her sins, which you know as well as I they are many, are really completely forgiven. Her love is like the love of one who has had a great debt forgiven, because she has been forgiven much. Those who have been forgiven only a little bit, only love a little bit.” For Simon and his guests the point is obvious. Her sins are forgiven by Jesus, her love for Jesus shows that it is true. “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus confirms. This woman, sinner that she is, sees Jesus for who he really is. He has forgiven her sins. She owes him everything. Simon hasn’t even showed the least amount of love to Jesus, he has shown only contempt and doubt. Simon is not the debtor who loves much. But it is also true that Simon is not the debtor who loves little. Actually it’s far worse than that for him. Simon sees no need for forgiveness at all. All he can see is a sinful woman who is overdoing it.

And what do we see? Is it all too theatrical for us? The wetting of Jesus feet with tears and wiping them with hair; Kissing his feet and anointing them with oil? Does it seem to us to be overdone, bordering on hysterical? Do we sit with Simon thinking that we are better than she is? Well maybe that’s because we haven’t fully come to grips with the debt we owe? Or the price paid to cancel it. We can easily find examples of our loveless ness; our failures to be welcoming to people who we don’t want around here. So much of our life is spent as if Jesus doesn’t mean anything at all us. We don’t want to make a scene in public. We are afraid to show our love for Jesus outside of these walls. We don’t defend the truth that he teaches us in his Word. And when we do make a public statement of faith, it is usually so generic that could very well be any god at all we refer to. But our problem is more than just a little stage fright. And we well know the problem is much deeper than that. Sin is so much a part of our every day life, so much a part of us and everything that we do, that we can’t get rid of it. No matter how much effort we give, we can’t remove it. No amount of tears will drive it away from us. Jesus didn’t forgive the woman because she showed him great love. She was forgiven because she knew that she was helpless to do anything about her sin. She was forgiven because in her great need for forgiveness she turned to the One she knew could forgive.

Jesus Christ didn’t become human flesh to dine with angels. God became a living breathing man to come into contact with living breathing, and sinful people. The point of the parable, the point of Luke whole account of this “teachable moment” is that God does what isn’t expected, he does what he doesn’t have to do. The debt we owe is more than we can pay. It’s not the amount that matters. Any debt that one is unable to pay is trouble. A poisonous snake is deadly poison even at a few inches. Our debt of sin can be paid only with our death and eternal separation from God. The woman’s sins were forgiven by the skin and blood, and innocent suffering and death of the very flesh that she knelt and kissed with her own lips. The body that she washed with tears and dried with her hair was the very body that was pinned to the cross for her sins. The oil that she poured on his feet was poured on the very place that iron would pierce for her. Now when we see the cost of the debt, and the greatness of our sin for the first time we may not break down in tears, but we can better understand the woman doing what this woman has done.

Jesus forgives your unpayable debt. The sin that seeps up from the darkness that is in your heart has been taken care of by him. The amount of the debt isn’t important. You need what Jesus did just as much as the “sinner from the street.” You need the forgiveness Jesus gives just as much as the “delinquent” members of our church. So today, sinners that we are, we turn to Jesus, the only one who can forgive. We may not drop our tears on his feet, or pour any oil, but our love is great, because we know that we know how much we have been forgiven. There is an old hymn that says it as well as I could.

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
By: Augustus M. Toplady

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure:
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

2. Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill thy law’s demands;
Could my seal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and thou alone.

3. Nothing n my hand I bring;
Simply to thy cross I cling.
Naked, come to thee for dress;
Helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee;

Hymn # 361 from Lutheran Worship
Author: Thomas Hastings Tune: Toplady 1^st Published in: 1776

Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.