Category: Sermon Page

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
October 4, 2020

“From Rubbish to Righteousness to Resurrection” (Philippians 3:4b-14)

I’m sure many of you have heard of a “rags-to-riches story.” A rags-to-riches story is one in which the hero starts out poor and penniless, but then, through hard work and perseverance, overcomes all odds and hardships to become a great success. That’s a rags-to-riches story, and we all love to hear one.

Well, today in our reading from Philippians 3, we hear a different kind of story. It’s the story Paul tells about his own life. Only in this case, Paul himself is not the hero. And it’s not a matter of rags to riches. Rather, it’s a story of going from rubbish to righteousness. And then Paul takes it even to a third step: “From Rubbish to Righteousness to Resurrection.” So listen now, brothers and sisters, as Paul tells us his story, because–guess what–it’s your story too!

First, the rubbish. Only, as it starts out, it doesn’t sound much like rubbish. Instead, it sounds like things to be proud of. Paul starts listing his pedigree as a pious Jew: “If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews.” Now these are good things. For a Jewish baby boy to be circumcised on the eighth day, that’s exactly according to the law of Moses. Paul is saying he got a good start in life. His parents did what they were supposed to do, bringing their baby into the covenant of God’s people. And that is the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, whom the Lord had promised to bless. These are good things here.

Next, Paul says that, among the tribes of Israel, he was of the tribe of Benjamin. Again, something to be proud of. Benjamin was a very prominent tribe among the twelve tribes of Israel. Israel’s first king, King Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin. And Paul–remember, that was not his birth name–no, we first meet him as “Saul,” Saul of Tarsus. Presumably, he was named after the most famous person to come from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul. So Paul describes himself as “a Hebrew of Hebrews.” Pure-blooded, with an outstanding pedigree.

Paul is telling us his pedigree. How about yours? Maybe you’re a lifelong Lutheran. Third or fourth generation or more. Your ancestors came over on the boat, and they kept the faith they brought over from the old country. Great! You were baptized as an infant. You’ve been a faithful church member all your life, never straying away. Terrific! You’ve served on every board and in every auxiliary. You even go to Bible class. All good stuff! But the question is, what do you do with all that good stuff? Are these things that you’re proud of, in the sense of, “Hey, look at me! Look at what a righteous person I’ve been!”?

Back to Paul’s listing of things he was proud of–or at least used to be proud of: “as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” Paul had been a Pharisee. He was very well versed in the law of Moses. He had gone to rabbinical school and was undoubtedly the top guy in his class. But even though he knew the Scriptures, he didn’t understand them aright. Because, as a young man, Paul (then Saul) had participated in the stoning of Stephen. He thought that this new Jesus sect, as he saw it, was opposed to the religion of Israel, when in fact it was the fulfillment of it. So Paul in his zeal became a persecutor of the church. Zeal is good, but not when it is misguided. Paul thought he was doing a service for God, when in reality it was just the opposite.

If you were a Jew at that time, you would have thought that Saul was exemplary. Here is a young man with great knowledge, great zeal, very attentive to the law, wanting to do the will of God with everything he had. If anybody ought to have God’s approval, it would be Saul. As Paul reflects back on that time, he says: “as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

But all of those things he used to value and treasure and define his worth by, now Paul looks back and calls them rubbish: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish.” Rubbish! That’s a strong word! The Greek word he uses here is the term you would use for the stuff that goes in the toilet: “skybala,” “dung,” “garbage.” Rubbish! That’s all that stuff was! Not because all of it was inherently bad. No, Paul says, it was rubbish because that was what I was priding myself on for my righteousness. And anything that is not Christ is not going to cut it.

Righteousness means your right standing with God. And if you are basing that on the things that you do, on your own works or goodness, you are building on a false foundation. Your righteousness will never be righteous enough. You will never do enough. You will never keep God’s law sufficiently. You still don’t, and never will. Your keeping of the commandments, to love God wholeheartedly and to love your neighbor as yourself–that will always fall short. You are a sinner, just like Paul came to realize about himself.

So no righteousness there. But is there any righteousness to be found? Righteousness strong enough for you to be able to stand before God on Judgment Day? There is. And you will find it in the same place where Paul found it: Outside of yourself, in Christ. “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

Here is the only righteousness that avails. It is the righteousness Christ obtained for you, which you receive now and take hold of by faith. Christ Jesus gives you his perfect righteousness, which he alone was able to earn by his perfect keeping of the law. He gives it to you as a gift, a free gift. You don’t do anything to deserve it. Jesus gives it to you freely. And Christ’s keeping of the law on your behalf also meant his taking the punishment the law prescribes for sinners. He took it in your place. And that place was the cross, on which Jesus died. Because Jesus took God’s judgment for you, now you are forgiven. Christ’s holy blood covers it all.

And so this is how Paul went from rubbish to righteousness: by God revealing Christ to him and giving him the gift of faith. And this is the same thing God does for you. The Holy Spirit, by the gospel, makes Jesus known to you, so that you take hold of him and cling to him for salvation. From rubbish to righteousness: It worked for Paul, and it works for you also.

From rubbish to righteousness. But now Paul adds a third thing: resurrection. He writes: “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” It is the power of Christ’s resurrection that gives Paul the strength to endure whatever comes his way. Jesus rose from the dead, in victory over sin and death, and this is what gives Paul a hope to hold on to and to look ahead to in joy.

Knowing Christ Jesus your Lord and the power of his resurrection–this is what will give you the strength to carry on, whatever the adversities that are afflicting you now or will come your way in the future. What are those adversities? What are those sufferings? Physical ailments? Fear of the virus? Financial woes? Worries about the economy? God has got it under control. Your heavenly Father cares for you. He is watching over you. The fact that he sent his Son Jesus to be your Savior shows how much he loves you. And the fact that Jesus rose from the dead shows that whatever the sufferings we face in this life, there are better days ahead. Eternal days. Our own resurrection from the dead on the day when Christ returns. Listen, you are baptized into Christ, and so you will share in his physical, bodily resurrection. And then unending days with our Lord and all his saints from all ages, in a perfectly restored creation. No more sorrows. No more suffering. Only joy and life the way it is meant to be. Forever.

We’re not there yet, Paul says, but it’s a done deal. It’s a sure thing. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” For Paul, it was a permanent press. He pressed on in life, because he had this hope to sustain him. And so do you.

“From rubbish to righteousness to resurrection.” At first, I said that this was a different from than a rags-to-riches story. But on second thought, maybe it is similar. Only the hero is Jesus, who makes it all happen. And we do go from rags, because all our own righteousnesses are as filthy rags–they belong in the rubbish heap. And we do receive riches, incalculable riches, the righteousness of Christ and the sure hope of the resurrection. Brothers and sisters, through faith in Christ, by knowing him and being found in him, you and I, like Paul, go “from rubbish to righteousness to resurrection.”

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 27, 2020

“Work Out Your Own Salvation?” (Philippians 2:1-18)

Last Sunday we began a series of four straight weeks with readings from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. Last week our theme from chapter 1 was “For Your Progress and Joy in the Faith.” Paul said that he was writing to the Philippians to help them make progress and find joy in the Christian faith. This week, we move into chapter 2, where Paul continues along those same lines. And we’ll begin our message today by looking at the part of our text where Paul tells the Philippians: “Work out your own salvation.”

“Work Out Your Own Salvation?” Huh? Did I hear that right? What’s going on, Paul, have you lost your mind? How can you say, “Work out your own salvation”? I mean, after all, you’re the same Paul who told us in Romans, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” And in Galatians you told us, “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse.” Likewise in Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works.” But now here in Philippians, Paul, you’re telling us, “Work out your own salvation”? This does not compute.

Look, if I have to work out my own salvation, I’m pretty sure I’d be toast. My works just won’t work. They’re not good enough. I can’t do enough. Have I loved my neighbor as much as I love myself? No. Do I love God with my whole, heart, soul, mind, and strength? No. I do not keep God’s law well enough to merit my salvation. So how can Paul say, “Work out your own salvation”? And he adds, “with fear and trembling.” Yeah, it would definitely be with fear and trembling if I tried to earn my way into heaven! I would tremble with fear at the prospect of having to work for my salvation. I can’t climb that mountain; I know it.

Well, as always, a little context will help to clear things up. Paul here is not suggesting that we can possibly work our way into salvation. Nothing of the sort. Paul has not lost his mind or lost the gospel. It’s still, as always: You are saved by grace, through faith, apart from works. So don’t be alarmed. Paul knows what he’s talking about.

What then is Paul saying here with his “Work out your own salvation”? Friends, he is not telling you how to work your way into salvation, how to work your way into God’s favor. No, you have salvation, you have God’s grace and favor, purely because of what Christ has done for you. Paul is speaking here to us Christians who are already saved, by grace alone. And he is saying to work out your salvation, that is, to live it out, to live out your faith in a life of love and good works. Not in order to be saved. But because you are already saved. Big difference.

More context. Let’s finish the verse. Yes, Paul does say, “Work out your own salvation.” But what comes next? “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” The “fear and trembling” part is simply a recognition that you are a sinner and that without God’s grace and mercy you would indeed be toast.

But now notice: “Work out your own salvation . . . for it is God who works in you.” That’s the key. God is at work in you, to enable you to work out your salvation. You don’t do this on your own. God is the one doing the work, giving you a new heart and a new mind and new strength, so that you can live out your faith in a life of love and good works. God is at work in you, “both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Brothers and sisters, you aren’t doing this on your own. God has given you his Holy Spirit, so that you can live a sanctified life. This is his will for you. You are new people in Christ. You are baptized Christians. That makes a difference. So now you can and you will live differently.

Oh, not that you will do this perfectly. By no means. We are still sinners, and we live this life with that old Adam hanging around our neck. It’s a battle. It’s a struggle. And the struggle is real. Sometimes we slip and fall. We slip back into the ways of the world, serving our own desires of the flesh: Pride, lust, selfishness. Unkindness, unforgiveness. These are not the fruit of the Spirit. These are the ways of the world. And these are the sins, the very real sins, that dog us our whole life long. Truly, if we are to be saved, it will definitely be by grace. We will always need God’s forgiveness, even as Christians.

But sinners are not all of who we are. We are also saints. We are God’s people, baptized Christians, new creations in Christ. God has given us a heart of flesh in place of our heart of stone. We do know love, and we know how to love, because God has first loved us.

How has God loved us? Paul tells us, right in our text from Philippians 2, right in the verses just before the “Therefore, work out your salvation” part. It’s in the section about the person and work of Christ: “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, being 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.”

This is love, God’s love for us. This is the gospel. It’s all about Jesus. He, the eternal Son of God, came down from heaven for us men and for our salvation. Jesus walked the servant path. He came to do the will of God, to rescue humanity. That meant walking the way of the cross. For it was only by the Son of God, coming as our brother, fulfilling the law in our stead, then dying in our place as the sacrifice for our sins–it is only in this way that our sins are forgiven and we gain right standing with God. It’s all by grace. It’s all a gift. It’s all about Jesus. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

So this then is the basis for what follows, namely, the call to work out our salvation in a holy life. “Therefore”–in other words, because of what Christ has done to save you–“Therefore, work out your salvation,” etc.

Now what does this holy life, this sanctified life, look like? We see descriptions of it throughout our text. Some of the things that Paul includes: “being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” This is talking about our life together as a congregation, being unified, all of us being on the same page. This shared life has to do with how we treat one another: “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” This is not how we act according to our old sinful nature. That nature is essentially selfish: “What’s in it for me?” But we are new persons in Christ, and we have a new nature. We have the mind of Christ, who did humble himself and did serve others in love. Now, as Christians, we have that same mindset. Paul even says it: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,” and then he goes on to describe how Christ came to serve. That’s the mind that is in you now, fellow Christians, because you are baptized and have received the Spirit of Christ. This then is the gospel basis for all of Paul’s appeals and exhortations to us Christians to live a new and different kind of life.

And this different kind of life that we Christians live will stand out in the world around us. Paul writes: “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, holding fast to the word of life.” A life that is different from the ways of the world, where people fight and quarrel and scream at each other. Instead, a life of forgiveness and peaceableness and kindness. This kind of life will stand out in the world. People will say, “See how they love one another!” And this will attract them to the source of our life, and that source is God. He is the fountain and source of all goodness, and our lives will reflect his goodness.

“Children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.” That’s who you are. That’s what you do. You are God’s children. You reflect his character. You shine as lights in the world. Keep on shining. Don’t hide your light under a bushel, no. And together we are holding fast to the word of life. That word is the gospel. It’s the good news of salvation, free and full, in Christ. Hold on to that word. Never let it go. For Christ will never let you go. He is holding you safe and secure in his nail-scarred hands.

Therefore, beloved, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 20, 2020

“For Your Progress and Joy in the Faith” (Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30)

Today we begin four weeks in a row of readings from Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians.  Four chapters over four weeks, starting with much of chapter 1 today.  The epistle as a whole is not very long–you can read it in less than 15 minutes–so you might want to consider reading Philippians a number of times over the coming weeks.  You won’t regret it.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians:  What do we know about Philippi and Paul’s relationship with the congregation there?  A little background is in order.  Philippi was a city in Macedonia, the northern part of Greece.  Paul had gone there on his second missionary journey, when he crossed over from Asia Minor into Europe.  And Philippi was one of the first places he went.  You can read about it in Acts 16, where there are accounts of the conversion of Lydia, Paul and Silas in jail, and the conversion of the Philippian jailer.  That was the start.  And from that beginning, the church at Philippi had grown and had a good relationship with the apostle Paul.

Now it’s about ten years after those first events.  It’s around the year 60, and Paul is imprisoned again, this time in Rome.  During his time in prison, he writes letters to various churches, and Philippians is one of them.  So I guess you could say it’s one of Paul’s “chain letters.”  And it’s a thank-you letter too, since the church at Philippi had been sending him support on his travels over the years.

When you read the Epistle to the Philippians, you can see that the tone and the content of the letter contrasts with, for example, 1 Corinthians or Galatians.  Corinth was a screwed-up congregation with a lot of problems, rather dysfunctional.  Galatians?  Paul comes out blasting at them, rebuking them for falling away from the very basis of the gospel, moving from grace to works.  By way of contrast, though, Philippi seems to be a fairly healthy congregation.  They get it.  And Paul is encouraging them in their life of faith.  There is a warmth and an affection and a joy evident in Paul’s relationship with them.

And now, even though Paul is in prison, he still is writing them with a very pastoral approach.  He cares for them.  Paul doesn’t know what the outcome of this imprisonment will be.  He could be released, or he could be executed.  It could go either way.  And Paul is ready, whichever way it will go.  Live or die, it’s all good.  Even in prison in Rome, he has seen some good come out of his imprisonment, because he has been able to influence the whole imperial guard for the gospel.  If he is killed–well, that’s good too, since he will go to be with the Lord, which is better by far.  “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” he says.  And if he is released, then Paul hopes to come and visit the Philippians again, which will be refreshing for him and a blessing for them.  It’s a win-win-win situation all around.

Whether in prison or free once more, Paul has this pastoral attitude toward the Philippians, and he intends to continue his ministry for their sake one way or the other, whether in person or in prison.  “Convinced of this,” he says, “I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith.”  Notice that:  “for your progress and joy in the faith.”  That’s what the pastoral ministry is all about, back then and still today.  God places a pastor among you “For Your Progress and Joy in the Faith.”

Do you ever think about that?  That God wants you to make progress in the Christian faith?  That once you become a Christian, God wants you to grow and mature in the faith?  And that this is a lifelong endeavor?  It doesn’t stop when you are baptized.  It doesn’t stop when you are confirmed.  No, God wants you to grow, to progress as a Christian:  In deepening your knowledge of Christian doctrine.  In living out your faith in a life of holiness and love and good works.  And your pastor is here to help you to do those things.  By the ministry of Word and Sacrament, through preaching and teaching and pastoral care, the minister of Christ is here “for your progress and joy in the faith.”

For your progress “and joy” in the faith.  Joy is a theme running throughout this letter to the Philippians.  In the four chapters of this epistle, I count the word “joy” or “rejoice” a whopping fourteen times, and if you add “glad,” it comes to a total of sixteen!  That’s a lot of joy!  And why not?  For the Christian faith is a thing of joy!  What a joy it is to know that your sins are forgiven!  What a joy it is to know you have eternal life waiting for you on the other side!  This is great stuff!  What a joy it is to know that God, your heavenly Father, is watching out for you and taking care of you!  It is a joy to know Jesus, your Savior, who even now is interceding for you, who once again today will give you his body and blood for your forgiveness.  It’s a joy to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you by your baptism and keeping you in the Christian faith by the means of grace.  It’s a joy to be in the fellowship of believers, the church, your brothers and sisters who are here for you in this congregation.  All kinds of joy, all around you!

Yes, the church, this congregation–this is part of your progress and joy in the faith.  Listen to what Paul says:  “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

Brothers and sisters, there is a corporate dimension to the Christian life.  It’s not just you and Jesus and that’s it.  You don’t go it alone.  No, you are called into the church.  You are part of the body of Christ here in this congregation.  We belong together.  God has a purpose for us being a family.  It’s his plan.  And Paul speaks to this here when he says, “that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”  That’s a plural “you,” and it speaks to the collective unity of the church.  “Standing firm in one spirit.”  You can’t do that alone.  And Paul adds, “with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”  You can’t strive side by side when you’re off by yourself, doing your own thing.

You know, some people say, “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”  Well, that’s a bunch of hogwash.  That’s simply an excuse people make for not going to church.  Of course, I’m not talking about those who are homebound or shut-in.  I’m talking about those who choose to blow off church.  For that is certainly not the teaching of Christ or his apostles.  It is not the leading of the Holy Spirit to not participate in the life of the church.  The Bible is filled with passages testifying to the importance of Christians sharing their life together in a congregation.

“Standing firm in one spirit.”  “With one mind striving side by side.”  Is this at the forefront of your consciousness?  Do you see your identity in this way, that you are a member of this church and actively involved for the good of this congregation?  For that is God’s will for you.

Our reading today from Philippians calls attention to this vital aspect of the Christian life.  That you are I are members of the body of Christ.  That we each have a part to play in our life together.  That we are called to stand with and to support one another and to strive together for the faith.  That we are called to have one mind and one spirit as the body of Christ, pulling together in unity, not fighting amongst ourselves or working at cross purposes.

We have a mission to carry out here together.  We are to build one another up in the faith.  We are to love and serve one another, support one another, and care for one another.  We are not just a bunch of unconnected individuals.  God has woven us together in this life that we share.  This congregation is an outpost for the gospel.  We get built up here in the faith, and then we go out into the world, into our neighborhoods, into our workplaces, in our families, as walking witnesses for Christ.  Other people will get to know Jesus through us, and that is how more people will be drawn into the family of God in this church.

But this manner of life is not always easy.  There will be opposition.  There will be suffering for the sake of Christ.  There will be conflict.  The church has always faced these trials, and it is no different now.  We live in a hostile environment.  The enemies of the gospel are launching their attacks against the church.  We see it in the news.  We see it in our culture.  But God will strengthen us to face these adversities together, as we stand firm and strive side by side, in one spirit and with one mind.

What Paul is describing here in Philippians is a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ.  For it reflects the great wonder and grace of God toward us, to save each one of us sinners and to make us together his people.  We find meaning, identity, and purpose in this manner of life.  Our life is tied up with Christ’s now, and that’s the best life there is.  His blood covers our sins.  His resurrection guarantees our own resurrection.  His life gives meaning to our life.  Christ’s victory gives courage to our weak and wobbly knees.  His word reveals God to us and gives us words to hold on to, to bolster our faith and to share the good news with others.

Paul writes to the Philippians for their progress and joy in the faith.  And I am here today to bring God’s Word to you for the same purpose:  “for your progress and joy in the faith.”  And you will be progressing in the faith, and finding real joy, as you dive deeper into this simple yet profound truth that animated St. Paul:  “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 13, 2020

“Living by Forgiveness” (Matthew 18:21-35)

Living by forgiveness: That’s the message God has for each one of us here today. Living by forgiveness is the way life goes in God’s kingdom. There’s no other way. You and I live on the basis of God forgiving us when we have sinned against him. And you and I are called to live the same way toward our brothers and sisters who sin against us. We receive forgiveness from God, and we extend forgiveness toward others. That’s “Living by Forgiveness.”

Jesus tells Peter and us about this way of life in the Holy Gospel for today, from Matthew 18. That’s the same Matthew 18 where Jesus teaches about the brother who sins against you and how you are to seek to win the brother back. Well, Peter has heard this teaching from Jesus about forgiveness and restoration, and so now he asks his master: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

It seems that Peter can take this idea of forgiving someone who sins against you, but only up to a certain point: “One time, sure. Two or three times, OK, I can go along with that. But more than that–well, it gets a little dicey. How long am I supposed to keep forgiving the jerk?” So Peter picks a number that he thinks sounds very generous and magnanimous: “As many as seven times?” “That would be going the extra mile, wouldn’t it, Master? Look how big-hearted I am, willing to forgive someone that many times!” Peter is willing to show forgiveness seven times over. “Surely that will be enough, Master, won’t it? As many as seven times? And then I can start getting back at the guy, can’t I? That’s reasonable, isn’t it? After all, there’s a limit to a man’s patience.”

“Well, Peter, let me give you a lesson on the New Math in God’s kingdom,” Jesus proceeds to tell him. “You say seven times? I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” Whoa! That’s a lot! Let’s do the math. 70 x 7. . . . 0 . . . 49 . . . Man, that’s 490 times! I’m supposed to forgive someone who sins against me 490 times? How am I supposed to keep track of that?”

Well, that’s the point. You’re not supposed to keep track of that. No scorekeeping. If you try to play the scorekeeping game, imagine how that will work if God kept score on you, how much you sin against him. It wouldn’t be pretty, I tell you.

So Jesus tells Peter a story to get the point across. It goes like this: There’s this servant who owes his master a vast sum of money: Ten thousand talents, which is roughly equivalent to, oh, say, five bazillion dollars. In other words, an utterly unpayable amount. You couldn’t live enough lifetimes to pay off that debt. And the master is about to drop the hammer on the guy, to throw the servant and his whole family into debtors’ prison. But the servant goes up to the master and begs him for mercy. “Give me just a little more time, and I’ll pay you back, sir.” Of course, there’s no way the guy could pay back such a huge amount, no matter how long he had. But anyway, the master does have mercy on him and forgives him the entire amount.

Jesus here is illustrating how God deals with us. You and I owe God an insurmountable amount of debt. Our sins against God are piled up high to the sky. We have sinned against God in thought, word, and deed, by all the wrong things we have done and by all the good things we have failed to do. We daily sin much and deserve nothing from God except his temporal and eternal punishment. And there’s nothing we can do to make up for it, to pay off all that huge debt that we owe. Think about it. Evaluate your life against the standard of the Ten Commandments and you’ll see that you come up way short. All my thoughts? All my words? All my deeds? Sins of commission? Sins of omission? If I try to add up all my sins of all my life in terms of debt, I think my balance would come out somewhere around five bazillion in the hole.

But God has forgiven my debt, the whole amount and even more. That’s why Jesus came, to pay off what I couldn’t pay. God’s own Son came down from heaven and took on the whole burden of our sins. And the price he paid to cancel our debt was not any amount of gold or silver but something infinitely more valuable: Christ redeemed us with his holy precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. Jesus cried out on the cross: “Tetelestai! It is finished! The debt is paid in full!” Now you and I can say in response: “I’m debt-free! Jesus has paid it all! Thank you, Lord! I am living by forgiveness!”

But rather than stay in the forgiveness lane, the guy in the story takes a different route. He wants to live in the payback lane. “If somebody owes me anything, I’m gonna get what’s coming to me!” So he goes out and finds a fellow servant who owes him a hundred denarii, which is not a totally insignificant amount, like owing somebody $1.57, but in comparison to owing ten thousand talents, a hundred denarii would seem rather small. Even so, even though he himself had just been forgiven a huge amount, purely out of the master’s mercy, this servant has no mercy on the fellow who owed him money: “And seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’” His fellow servant pleads with him, using the same words he had pleaded with the master: “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But to no avail. The unmerciful servant has the poor man thrown in jail.

So which is it going to be? The way of mercy and forgiveness? Or the way of payback and scorekeeping? If you want to be like the unmerciful servant, know this: He who lives by scorekeeping will die by scorekeeping. If you’re going to insist on keeping score with others, don’t be surprised when it turns out badly for you with God. You have not grasped the way of God’s kingdom. It’s living by forgiveness. There’s no other way. God forgives you the whole unpayable amount you owe him. Now you go and forgive your brother. And don’t keep track. No scorekeeping. It’s not like “489, forgive. 490, forgive. 491, OK, now I get to take revenge!” Nope, that’s not how it goes. We’re living by forgiving here in God’s kingdom.

How is it for you, brothers and sisters? Is there somebody you’re holding a grudge against? Let it go. Forgive the person from your heart. Don’t store it up for ammunition later. Yes, that person may have hurt you. Sin hurts. It’s a real thing. It’s not nothing. But realize that you yourself are living from forgiveness. So how can you withhold forgiveness from your brother or sister? It just doesn’t work that way.

And your forgiveness does not depend on whether or not that other person is repentant. You forgive anyway. Personal grudges, personal animosity, is not how life goes among us. Take the initiative to forgive. Don’t hold the sin against the person. Unforgiveness will lead to bitterness, and that bitterness will only consume you. It won’t do anything to the brother or sister, but it will consume you. You’ll lie in bed at night and stew in your juices. Having gone through a divorce, I can tell you that forgiveness is the way to go. It’s not saying that what the other person did to you was no big deal. No, it hurt. But it does no good to hold on to the hurt and to go the way of anger and unforgiveness. That doesn’t help anybody. Let it go. God has forgiven that person because of the blood of Christ. How can you not?

Think of the story of Joseph. Think of what his brothers had done to him. Out of pure jealousy, they had thrown young Joseph into a pit and sold him into slavery. Joseph gets taken down to Egypt and has to work in Potiphar’s house. Mrs. Potiphar sexually harasses Joseph, and when Joseph declines, she lies about him and gets Joseph thrown into prison. There Joseph does well and helps a fellow prisoner out, but then that released prisoner forgets about him, and Joseph has to spend a couple more years in the prison. But finally, Joseph has the opportunity to help Pharaoh, and Pharaoh elevates Joseph to a position of great responsibility. Joseph uses that position to save a lot of lives in the midst of a crisis. He even helps his own brothers who had done him dirt. Joseph forgives them, fully. He’s not holding any grudges. That’s an example of how forgiveness works.

Our God is a God who forgives. As we heard in Psalm 103: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, when we realize how much God has forgiven us, then we will understand that forgiveness is the way that this whole thing goes. This is how God’s kingdom operates. If we live by forgiveness, then we will practice forgiveness. We live, we have life, because of the overwhelming, abundant, immeasurable forgiveness God shows toward us in Christ. We live now, and we will live eternally, on the basis of God’s forgiveness. Five bazillion dollars? Jesus says, “Paid in full! I’ve got it covered.” So now, when we think of someone who has hurt us–oh, maybe $1.57 worth in comparison–we are ready to show the same kind of forgiveness toward that person. No scorekeeping. Because that’s how we roll in God’s kingdom: Living by forgiveness.

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 6, 2020

“Governing Authorities: God’s Servants for Your Good” (Romans 13:1-10)

Our text today is the Epistle reading from Romans 13. And as soon as I say “Romans 13,” most people who know the Bible will instantly say, “Oh, that’s the chapter about government.” And that’s right. Romans 13 is the classic passage in the Bible about the role of government, about how God instituted governmental authority, and about our relationship to the governing authorities, especially as Christians. So those are the things we’re going to explore now, under the theme: “Governing Authorities: God’s Servants for Your Good.”

“For our good? Really, Pastor, are you kidding me? I thought government was the problem, not for our good.” Well, hold your horses there, partner. We’ll get to how government can be a problem. But we also want to see how God instituted governmental authority for our good. Because that’s what God’s Word is telling us here in Romans 13.

The apostle Paul begins this section by saying: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Now keep in mind, Paul is writing here to the Romans, that is, to the Christians in Rome. And Rome was the home of the Roman emperor, and those pagan Roman emperors were certainly no friends of the Christian religion. In fact, Paul himself will be executed by the Roman emperor Nero about ten years after he writes this letter. Nevertheless, Paul instructs the Christians to be subject to the governing authorities, even if they are hostile, and he affirms government as an authority instituted by God.

And it is an authority God instituted for your good. That’s why we subject ourselves to the governing authorities. Paul continues: “Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good.”

“Rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.” Well, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. It doesn’t always play out that way in our world. Sometimes the rulers terrorize good conduct. And sometimes they fail to terrorize and curb bad conduct, which is what they are supposed to do. We’ve seen examples going both ways recently in our country. Some governors and mayors have punished good conduct, imposing penalties on churches, for example, restricting their First Amendment right–and Third Commandment duty–to peaceably assemble and freely exercise their religion. Meanwhile, those same governors and mayors have not acted to stop mass riots in their cities, where the rioters have burned down buildings, looted businesses, and assaulted innocent citizens. Those governors and mayors have allowed this bad conduct to continue, telling the police to stand down. And even those rioters who have been arrested, the prosecuting attorneys have chosen not to prosecute. These are monumental and egregious failures of governmental authorities to do their duty. God has instituted government to protect you, to defend you, from bad conduct. Not to allow it. Not to condone it. Not to encourage or excuse it.

Paul continues: “But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” Notice that: The governmental authority “does not bear the sword in vain.” That means he does bear the sword for a purpose. And the sword is an instrument that can kill. Government, therefore, has been authorized by God to use deadly force, if necessary and called for, to protect the innocent and to prevent the wrongdoer from doing wrong and to punish the wrongdoer when he has done wrong. This is why police officers can carry weapons. The same for soldiers. This is why the government has the authority to carry out capital punishment. These legitimate authorities do not bear the sword in vain. God has a good purpose in giving them that authority. He does that for your good: to defend you and your family, to protect your home and your livelihood, to preserve your freedom and your ability to live in peace.

Now, just because government has been authorized to use deadly force, does that mean that all uses of deadly force are necessary and called for? No, it does not. That authority should be used judiciously and with restraint. Those entrusted with that authority can misuse it. And that needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

At the same time, though, if you don’t want to put the cop in the life-or-death situation of having to make a split-second decision of whether or not to use his gun, then it’s generally wise 1) to not engage in criminal activity in the first place, 2) to comply with the policeman’s orders, and 3) to not resist arrest. As Romans 13 says: “Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good.”

Paul goes on: “Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”

You and I may like to complain about our politicians. We may grouse about government regulations. We may resent all the taxes we have to pay. Those are all worthy topics for discussion. And that is why we have elections, to choose officials who better represent our views. But the fact remains: We need government. We’d be way worse off without it.

In the Large Catechism, Martin Luther says that through the civil authorities, “God gives to us food, house and home, protection and security. Therefore, since they bear such name and title with all honor as their highest dignity, it is our duty to honor them and to esteem them great as the dearest treasure and the most precious jewel upon earth.” This is why Luther lists “devout and faithful rulers” and “good government” as part of our daily bread. Because we wouldn’t have, or get to keep, our daily bread otherwise. Luther writes: “There is, indeed, the greatest need to pray for earthly authority and government. By them, most of all, God preserves for us our daily bread and all the comforts of this life. Though we have received from God all good things in abundance, we are not able to keep any of them or use them in security and happiness if he did not give us a permanent and peaceful government. For where there are dissension, strife, and war, there daily bread is already taken away or is at least hindered.”

So this is why we are to regard governing authorities as God’s servants for our good. They are his gifts to us to help us to live in peace and orderliness in this world. But out of his same grace and mercy toward us, God has provided us with an even greater gift. And that is the gift of our Savior Jesus Christ. If the governing authority is God’s servant for our temporal good, Jesus Christ is God’s servant for our eternal good.

We definitely need God’s help for that. Otherwise, we’d be lost, lost forever. For there stand those commandments of God, and they would stand against us, condemning us. Paul lists some of them in our text: “The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Oh, we may not be as outwardly bad violators as the rioters, say. But still, we have not kept God’s commandments as we should, either. I know I don’t always love my neighbor as much as I love myself. I may not have looted a store, but have I taken advantage of my neighbor in some other way? Have I taken something from the office that doesn’t belong to me? Have I paid my employees a fair wage? Have I given my employer an honest day’s work for my paycheck? There are many ways we break God’s commandments, even if we lead an outwardly respectable life.

And so we need help. We need a Savior. And that is what God has provided us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who fulfills God’s law for us. I haven’t. You haven’t, either. But Jesus has. He is the only one who has ever loved God and loved neighbor perfectly, without sin. But even though he was innocent, he took the rap for our law-breaking. Jesus suffered shame and ignominy and death on the cross–an unjust death, by the way, authorized by a ruler who failed to do the right thing. Jesus took this death willingly, in order to bear God’s judgment for you, so you would not have to bear it. No greater love has anyone than this, that Christ suffered and died for sinners the likes of us. Jesus is God’s Suffering Servant for our eternal good.

Jesus’ blood sacrifice covers all the sinners of the world: law-abiding citizens and the lawless, rioters and police officers, governors, mayors, the high and mighty and the poor and lowly. Whatever category you find yourself in, Jesus has got you covered. His life matters! It matters for you! His life gives you life–and forgiveness, and righteousness before God.

Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. And he exercises his authority for you. His Word and sacraments have the power to give you eternal life. And with that great gift in our pocket, we can endure anything we face in this life. Because we have this hope to hold onto.

God is good all the time, isn’t he? He gives us governing authorities as his servants for our temporal good in this life. And he gives us Jesus Christ as his Suffering and Risen Servant for our eternal good in his kingdom which will have no end.