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Sermon by guest Pastor Matthew Wood

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 18, 2021

“No Longer Aliens” (Ephesians 2:11-22)

Aliens are not very popular. I’m not talking about aliens from outer space. I’m talking about aliens who are illegal immigrants, people who come in as outsiders. Often there is hostility between the aliens and the people who’ve been there their whole lives. They feel like their territory is being invaded. Foreigners, strangers, outsiders are seen as a threat. In whatever the culture, throughout history, aliens generally have been unwelcome.

Well, that was what the situation was like at the time of the New Testament. The insiders were the Jews, God’s chosen people. The outsiders, the aliens, were the Gentiles. There was a mutual hostility between them. The Jews didn’t like the Gentiles, and the Gentiles didn’t like the Jews. And this hostility carried over to some extent even when people from both groups came into the church. It was a struggle at first for the Jewish Christians to accept the Gentiles into their midst. The Jews had been trained to think of the Gentiles as “illegal aliens,” as people who didn’t belong, as outsiders who were outside God’s law and outside of God’s people. When Gentiles were accepted into the church, sometimes it was just barely. They were considered by some Jewish Christians to be second-class citizens within the kingdom of God. “Guess who’s coming to dinner? The Gentiles!” “Oy! Not the Gentiles! There goes the neighborhood!”

This is the background that Paul in addressing in our text today from Ephesians 2. He reminds the Ephesians of their status as Gentiles before they came into the church: “Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh (were) separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

Now Paul doesn’t say this to put them down or to make them feel bad. In fact, he’s reminding them of how much God has done for them by bringing them into his family. How about us? Do we have a lively sense of what God has done for us by bringing us into his family? Do we realize what our situation would be apart from Christ? Most of us are so used to being in the church that perhaps we don’t realize how bad off we’d be otherwise.

But what a description here of life apart from Christ: “Separated, alienated, strangers.” “Having no hope and without God in the world.” Wow! That’s a shockingly bleak picture! Do you realize there are many people all around us in our community, maybe in our own family, who are not living by faith in Christ and are in the exact same boat? “Having no hope and without God in the world.” That’s a scary thought. But that’s also where you and I would be, if God had not brought us into his family.

And that’s where Paul goes next, to the fact that God has brought us into his family: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” God has brought us near, in close. He has made us insiders. And this has happened “in Christ Jesus.” In Christ–in connection with him–now we are on the inside. God has brought us near to himself through the blood of Christ. The blood Jesus shed on the cross cleanses us from our sins and opens the way for us to come into God’s presence.

Paul continues: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”

Christ has made peace between Jew and Gentile. Both groups come into the church the same way. Not by means of the law. Because the law never could save anyone in the first place. Some of the Jews thought so, but they were wrong. No, we come into the church–we come into God’s family and God’s presence–only through Christ. “For he himself is our peace.” Peace is not an idea; it is a person. In the person of Christ we have peace. Through his blood, in his flesh, through his cross–only in Christ Jesus, our crucified and risen Savior, do any of us, Jew or Gentile, have peace with God. So there is a level playing field. We all come in through the same door. And since we all have peace with God in the same way, therefore in the church we are at peace with one another.

This is helpful for us to realize when factions and frictions arise in the church. Whether we’re lifelong members of the church or recent converts, all of us have come in through the same door, in the same way. Only in Christ are any of us acceptable to God. None of us is more worthy than another. We are all poor, miserable sinners, saved solely by God’s grace in Christ. This helps me to realize that I’m no better than anyone else. If God accepts a wretch like me–and I realize that Christ died for that person over there just as much as he died for me–then who am I not to love and accept and forgive my brother or sister in Christ? God cares for all of us. We therefore care for one another. We are at peace with one another, and we seek to maintain that peace that Christ has established among us.

Paul goes on: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” No longer strangers. No longer aliens. Now we are on the inside. Fellow citizens with God’s people. Members of God’s household. Think about that! What a tremendous identity we have! What a high calling! Would that we all would think of ourselves in this way! What a difference that would make in the way we live and in the priorities we set! What a difference it would make in our church! We need to see our identity in life, first and foremost, as being part of God’s people, the church. To see ourselves as members of God’s household, his family. For this is who we are! This is what Christ has won for us. God has made us his own. He has brought us into his family, through baptism, that we might live and belong to him alone. What a wonderful identity we have! See yourselves in this way, my friends, for this is how God sees us.

“You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Paul here compares the church–that is, the people of God–to a building, specifically, to the temple. The Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles together laid the foundation for this building by laying down God’s inspired and authoritative word for all generations. Christ Jesus himself is the chief cornerstone of this building. Christ is the focus of it all. The Old Testament prophets point forward to him. The New Testament apostles declare what is ours because of him. Christ determines all the angles and the dimensions and the shape of the church in all ages. He is the one who unites us all, in all times and in all places.

In Christ we become a temple, a holy temple in the Lord. The distinctive thing about the temple was that it was the place where God made his dwelling on earth. Where God’s saving, guiding presence took residence among his people. The Lord showed his mercy in the temple. That is where he forgave sins through the sacrifices he provided. Today all of this takes place in the church. Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst.” Here, in the church, where Christ gathers us together in his name–this is God’s holy temple. Jesus is in our midst. The Lord is here, welcoming us into his presence. The Lord is here, forgiving our sins. The Lord is here, present in the Holy Sacrament. And so we are being built up as his people, “being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

It’s all because of Jesus. Through his blood, in his flesh, through his cross, he himself is our peace. Our peace is a person, Jesus Christ. In him we are at peace with God. In him we are at peace with one another. This peace is ours, whether or not we feel at peace. This peace is objectively true, even if the circumstances in our life are not all that peaceful. God’s word assures us of a peace that passes human understanding. Our experiences may tell us, “No.” Our emotions may tell us, “No.” But God, in the gospel, tells us, “Yes.” “Yes, in my Son, I have reconciled you to myself. Yes, in my Son, I have established peace, and I unite my church. Believe this peace; it is true. Receive this peace; it is yours as a gift. Know this peace, deep down in your soul.”

My “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” today I declare to you that we are no longer aliens. Now we are insiders, at home, where we belong. The church is our home. We’re at home and at peace. In Christ, who is our peace, we are at peace with God and at peace with one another.

So, guess who’s coming to dinner? We are! Whether Jew or Gentile, whether lifelong Lutheran or new convert, we all come to our Lord’s Supper together as one people in Christ.

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
July 11, 2021

“In Christ: Chosen, Redeemed, and Sealed” (Ephesians 1:3-14)

Picture in your mind a great treasure chest–a big, heavy box, with one of those curved lids on it, like you’d see in a pirate movie. The lid is closed, and there’s a large lock hanging on the front. Inside this treasure chest, so you’ve been told, are all sorts of wonderful things–gems, rubies, diamonds, gold and silver coins–a fortune beyond your wildest dreams. And all these valuable treasures are yours for the taking. The only thing is, you need the key. Without that key, the treasure chest will simply remain a locked box. But if you have the key, then all the wonderful contents inside are opened up for you.

Now with that picture in mind, we come to our text for today, the Epistle reading from Ephesians chapter 1. This grand passage is like a magnificent treasure chest. It contains within it all sorts of wonderful treasures that God has for us. St. Paul begins by saying that God has blessed us “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” And then he goes on to tell us what those blessings are–things like grace, redemption, forgiveness, salvation. These are great treasures indeed, but unless we have the key, they would all remain inaccessible to us, locked away in a box.

Think of Adam and Eve, after they fell into sin. Remember what happened when they were driven out of the Garden of Eden? Mighty angels with flaming swords stood guard at the entrance to the garden, to make sure that they could not get back in. Likewise, our sin keeps us from the great treasures that would otherwise be ours. We do not have access to them. By nature, we do not have a right relationship with God. We do not have the assurance that God is for us, no matter what. We do not have a life that can carry us beyond the grave. These are treasures of God that are off-limits to us. It’s like they’re in like a locked box, and we don’t have the key.

But the good news today is that the treasure chest of God is no longer a locked box. For along with the treasures, we have also been given the key that opens up all the treasures of God. In our text, there is one “key phrase” that stands out, and it is this: “in Christ.” This little phrase, “in Christ,” or “in him,” etc., St. Paul uses a total of ten times in just twelve verses. Right off the bat, he says that God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” “In Christ,” that’s the key. “In Christ” means “in connection with Christ,” “in union with him.” This vital connection with Christ is what gives us access to all of God’s blessings. Without that connection to Christ, the treasures remain locked in a box. With that key, though–being in Christ–everything is ours.

That “in Christ” connection is faith. Faith in Christ connects us to him, unites us with him, and so gives us access to what Christ has won for us. Faith comes by means of the gospel, through Word and Sacrament. The Holy Spirit works through the gospel to create and nourish faith in our hearts. And so we believe. We trust in Christ as our Savior. That’s what it means to be “in Christ.” Faith–the work of the Spirit through the gospel–faith is what completes the connection. It links us to Christ. By faith we are “in Christ.”

And so the message is clear: In Christ–in union with him, in connection with him–all the treasures and blessings of God are opened up for us. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

Now that we have the key, let’s open the treasure chest and look at a few of those blessings. Today we’ll focus on three. In Christ we have been chosen, redeemed, and sealed.

First, in Christ we have been chosen. Our text continues: “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

Have you ever tried out for an athletic team or for a part in a play? You ended up being either chosen or not chosen. And in that kind of a situation, being chosen or not chosen depended on your abilities, on how well you performed. Well, here in our text, we’re told that we have been chosen by God. Only in this situation, our being chosen did not depend on us. God did not choose us on the basis of our abilities, on how well we performed–or even on how well we would perform. No, if that were the case, we never would have been chosen. Our total inability to please God, according to our sinful nature, would always keep us from being chosen. Even as Christians, our works are still marred by sin and would be unacceptable to God, were it not for his forgiveness in Christ. No, it’s not because of anything in us that God chose us. Rather, as our text says, “he chose us in him,” that is, in Christ. This choosing that God does is totally by grace. It’s a gift freely given, undeserved, based solely on the merits of Christ. In theology this is what’s called “the doctrine of election,” election by grace–that God elected us, he chose us, ahead of time to be his own and that it is totally by grace, his free grace in Christ.

God did choose us ahead of time, before time began. “Before the foundation of the world” this choosing took place. God’s plan from eternity was to save you through Christ. That’s why you can rest secure now, knowing that your salvation is entirely God’s doing, from beginning to end. If it were up to you and me–if it depended on how fervent I was when I made my “decision for Jesus”–then I could never be sure. I would always be in doubt as to whether I did it right or if I believed strongly enough. But if it is all God’s work–and it is–then there’s no doubt about it. It’s a sure thing. Remember what Jesus said: “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” Take comfort in the fact that, in Christ, God chose you to be his own before the foundation of the world.

The second treasure we see is that in Christ we have been redeemed. Paul writes: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” “In him we have redemption.” The word “redemption” means release, a being set free, by means of a payment, a price that is paid. Release by means of payment. In the ancient world, the word “redemption” was used to refer to a slave or a prisoner of war being ransomed, set free, by means of a price being paid. So here we have both ideas: the release from bondage and the payment of a price. “In him we have redemption,” it says. And first it states the price, “through his blood,” and then the release, “the forgiveness of our trespasses.” We have been set free. Our sins have been forgiven, removed from us. And this release has come at a cost: “through his blood.” Jesus paid the price that sets us free when he poured out his blood on the cross.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.” As we say in the catechism: “who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.” Yes, through the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins, you have been redeemed.

First, in Christ you have been chosen. Second, in Christ, you have been redeemed. Now third, in Christ you have been sealed: “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” You were sealed, that is, you were marked with a seal. In the old days a seal was used to mark something as belonging to a certain person. The owner would press his signet ring into wax to make the seal. It was an identifying mark, indicating ownership. Here we are told that in Christ we have been sealed. You were “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This is baptismal language. And it applies to you. For in your baptism, you had placed upon you the name of the one to whom you belong, “the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In baptism, you received the sign of the holy cross, to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. And you were sealed with the Holy Spirit, who now is at work in you to strengthen your faith in Christ.

The Holy Spirit, given us in baptism, is also called “the guarantee of our inheritance.” The image here is of a down payment, an earnest that guarantees that the rest is on its way. The presence of the Spirit in our lives here and now is a deposit, a down payment, that assures us we will indeed receive the whole amount, the full amount of our inheritance. This glorious inheritance is waiting for us in heaven: eternal life in the kingdom of God’s glory.

So today thank God that you are part of the “in” crowd–the “in Christ” crowd! In Christ you have been chosen, redeemed, and sealed. Before the foundation of the world, God chose you to be his own. At a certain point in history, Jesus Christ redeemed you by his blood, giving you the forgiveness of your trespasses. And in your own lifetime, in your baptism, you have been sealed with the Spirit, marking you as belonging to God and guaranteeing your inheritance in heaven. All these blessings, all these treasures, are yours “in Christ,” the key who is himself the treasure. Brothers and sisters in Christ, the treasure chest is open. Look and see the treasures you have been given: In Christ, you have been chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 4, 2021

Guest Pastor Thomas Reeder

Sermon text: Galatians 3:10 and 13

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
June 27, 2021

“The Grace of Giving” (2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15)

Today let’s talk about giving. Yes, that’s right, giving–like we do when we put offerings into the offering plate. Usually that’s a subject we like to avoid. People become defensive or uncomfortable if the subject of giving comes up. They’ll make excuses for why they can’t give more. They instinctively reach for their wallets and hold on tight, so that no one can get in there. And they close their ears as well. People don’t like to have someone put pressure on them to put more in the plate, like this is just some money grab and that’s all.

Well, not so. If we talk about giving from a biblical perspective, it does involve the giving of money, but it’s not just about money. There’s more to it than that. You see, Christian giving is a vital part of Christian living. The grace of God transforms us in every aspect of our lives, including our pocketbooks and what we put in those offering envelopes.

The grace of God: That’s where our talk of giving begins and ends–with God’s grace, his giving. It’s about what he gives to us. God’s gracious self-giving leads to our giving of what he has already given to us. We are simply channels for his further giving. The grace of God is such that he is rich in the blessings he gives us. And God’s grace in Christ is so rich that he would have us all excel in “The Grace of Giving.”

So, yes, let’s talk about giving. St. Paul does, in our Epistle reading for today, from 2 Corinthians 8. In this passage, we see a church that is being encouraged to excel in the grace of giving, as well as a church that already is doing that. Most of all, we see the source and power for us in our church to excel in the grace of giving.

First, we should give a little background for our text, so we can follow who’s who as the story goes along. The background is that the church in Jerusalem was in great distress. The Christians there were lacking food. They were hungry and in need. Either they couldn’t get food or they couldn’t afford it. And we’re not sure if their lack of food was due to famine or persecution. Either way, there was this great need.

So a special collection was taken up across the churches of Asia Minor and Europe, in order to send relief to the saints in Jerusalem. That’s the situation which 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 addresses. Paul gives guidelines and encouragement for finishing up the Corinthians’ share in this offering. You see, the church at Corinth had begun to gather up their portion, but in recent months they had fallen behind. So now Paul is writing them to tell them to get on with their giving and to finish what they had said they were going to do.

So Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to excel in the grace of giving. He writes: “Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you–see that you excel in this act of grace also.”

The church at Corinth was an interesting congregation. On the one hand, they had been blessed in many ways. Paul mentions how they excel in various things. On the other hand, Corinth was a difficult congregation for Paul to deal with. Think of all the problems he had to address in 1 Corinthians: factionalism, immorality, bad worship practices. Even in 2 Corinthians, it’s apparent there are some who are trying to undermine Paul’s authority as an apostle. Even so, Paul does not give up on this church. He continues to encourage and exhort them. He points them to God’s grace and urges them to grow in that grace. “Don’t quit now!” he says about their giving, which they had let slide. “Get back on track! Get on with the task! God will help you to do what you need to do.”

So if God does not give up on a church like Corinth, he will certainly help our congregation to grow in the grace of giving. God is not going to give up on us. He will help us to grow, and even excel, in Christian living and giving. And so today I point you again to God’s grace, so that we as a church will grow in that grace. There is work for us to do as a congregation. There are people to be reached with the gospel, both here and around the world. We have neighbors who do not know Christ or are not following him. These needs call for our personal involvement and our financial giving. There’s work for us to do, and God will give us the grace to give of ourselves to do it, with our time, our talents, and our treasures. Think of all that we could do with an even greater commitment from all of us, as God helps us to grow in the grace of giving.

The church at Corinth was a congregation that was being taught to excel. And in our text, we also see a church that was already excelling in the grace of giving. Actually, it’s a group of churches that Paul refers to here, the churches of Macedonia. He writes: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints–and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”

Macedonia was the northern half of Greece. The churches there included Philippi and Thessalonica. Corinth was in the southern half of Greece, the region known as Achaia. So Paul encourages the Corinthians to up their game by using the example of the Macedonians. Paul is essentially saying this: “You Corinthians, look at your neighbors to the north, up in Macedonia. Look at what the grace of God has accomplished there. Those folks are not rich by any means. But how they have been giving to this offering! They’ve begged me to participate. I didn’t have to beg them. They wanted to get in on the action. They didn’t want to be left out when it came to the grace of giving. And they didn’t give just a few dollars. They gave themselves. They gave themselves to the Lord, and not just to a project. And because they first and foremost gave themselves, and gave themselves to the Lord, then their dollars have naturally followed, and in generous supply.”

“They gave themselves first to the Lord.” Did you notice that? The most important thing you put in the offering plate is yourself. If you give yourself to the Lord, then your offerings will follow accordingly. You see, we give ourselves to the Lord, not just to a budget. But even in a small congregation, if we all give ourselves and our offerings to the Lord, then the dollars will be there. Notice, the Macedonians were not wealthy. Paul even mentions their “extreme poverty.” But that was outweighed by what he calls their “abundance of joy” and “wealth of generosity.” So, out of our gospel-given joy and generosity, we will have enough money to support and even expand the work of our church.

So let’s talk about giving. Let’s talk about the source and power for our giving, which is God’s giving! Our power source is the grace of God in Christ Jesus. This is what empowers all our Christian living and giving. Grace: It’s a gift word. It is a giving word. Grace means a free gift, God giving us freely all of his gifts, purely out of his goodness, without any merit or worthiness in us. A good way to remember this is to think of the word “grace” according to its letters, G-R-A-C-E: “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

Grace, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” That’s what Paul is talking about here. He says: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Yes, think of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He, the Son of God, enthroned in glory from eternity, set aside the riches of his glory. He came as a poor and lowly servant. He suffered hardship, loneliness, and rejection. He suffered agony and death for our sake. Although he had done no wrong, he paid the price for our sins. He took the mountain of debt that we owed and wrote across it, “Paid in full.” His holy blood was the price that set us free.

“So that you by his poverty might become rich.” Friends, think of the riches Christ has won for us! Jesus has redeemed us, in both body and soul. Our sins have been forgiven. Disease and death have been conquered. See the healing of the woman with the flow of blood and the raising of Jairus’s daughter for sneak previews of what is in store for us. New life now, eternal life forever–these are the riches God has freely given us for the sake of Christ. We are enriched beyond measure. God has blessed us richly in Christ our Savior.

God even blesses us to share in his character with the grace of giving. Our desire and ability to give generously with our offerings–this is a gift from God. God gives us the grace of giving, and so we give. God equips and enlivens us to give. It’s all by his grace. The Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts through the gospel. Then that faith will produce its fruits in our Christian living and Christian giving.

Brothers and sisters, God will help you to grow in the grace of giving. So delight yourself in this grace, this gift of God that enables you to give. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” His grace is powerful and active. It changes you from the inside out. And so now you too will want to be in on the action, to share in the grace of giving.