St. Paul’s Sermon 2004

Reformation Sunday - October 31, 2004

Lessons: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36

“A Righteousness Apart From the Law”

With a few taps of a hammer, 487 years ago God began an amazing thing.

Church was renewed through a handful of believers who rediscovered the central message of the NT- summarized by our Second Lesson today: (Rom 3:23-24)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Or, put another way, we are justified by grace through faith.

I) Church Teachings Made Justification A Ladder

- St. Thomas Aquinas’ followers made justification a game and a fundraising program

- Endless obligation; church coffers were the only winners.

- Purgatory, Indulgences, Treasury of Merit, etc.

- Luther said none of this is Scriptural; one source of authority in the Church- Scripture

- Through a lifetime, Luther and friends lived at the verge of being killed but God brought them through

II) The Central Message of Christianity

- Rom 3: 23-24

- Rom 5:1 ff

- Rom 8:1 ff

- Our old nature loves to make this into a game- but I must repent; I must be obedient; I must be perfect; it can’t be that simple.

- The law does not sanctify; the demand for obedience drives to deeper and deeper despair- drives us to our knees that we cannot obey- only Christ can bring that new obedience through brokenness and surrender.

-Focus not on us, but on him. Sanctification comes from turning our eyes away from our brokenness and to his wholeness. Only that freedom creates the new person.

- The Gospel produces the fruit-

- A new obedience of joy and freedom, not guilt, not obligation, not compulsion

- Something in us rebels against that- too easy! I must be more obedient- If it’s up to you, why did Jesus have to die?

- Freedom! Galatians 5: 1

- Philippians 1:6- power comes from God- he will bring you through; he will create the new obedience

- All empowered by the Gospel

- Quick litmus test = freedom

III) No End of Other Gospels

Great confusion today as to what is the Gospel-

There is only one Gospel-

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.

Romans 1:16-17

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. [17] For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Gospel is the message of what Jesus has done on the cross; (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

When we hear this- the Holy Spirit creates faith in us- Rom 10:17:

Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

God’s Gospel comes to us, and when it does, it sprouts and takes hold.

- Begins to create a whole new person in us- freedom! Joy! No guilt; not obligation- freedom! Joy!

- Only the power of the Gospel gives that; any other motivation for being a Christian is a false Gospel.

- Many voices today with ‘other’ gospels

- liberation theology- political liberation; like Professor at Luther-

- legalistic Christian teachers- you’re a real Christian if you follow these principles...

- cults- ‘gospel’ of doing - They say their gospel means you do this.

- The voice of the Law is clear; Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) “All our

righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isa 64:6) There is nothing we must do to earn our salvation. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation; it’s a free gift, by simply trusting Jesus.

-Internal demand of the law- condemns- When our hearts condemn us (I John 3:20) “You’re not a good enough Christian” - “You must be perfect” “You’re a phony”- the more we try to perfect ourselves, the louder the voices become and we’re like a dog chasing its own tail. There is no end of the demand of the Law.

- And no “plus this-es”

-There’s only the clean, pure, declaration of peace in the Gospel. You can not do it. You are forgiven by the blood of Jesus- just as you are.

- He meets you where you are; he loves you as you are; he comes to you in your brokenness and receives you, as you are. You can do nothing. You need to do nothing. He breaks into you as you hear this, he is creating a new person in you; he brings the changes- to bring you to freedom, peace and hope.

- Trust Jesus. Stop struggling. It’s a gift. It’s for you. He calls you; he forgives you; it’s all been done on the cross.

Hear it again:

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. [20] Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

[21] But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- [26] he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

[27] Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. [28] For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Amen.

Reformation Sunday-October 31, 2004

Jeremiah 31:31-34

"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant

with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

[32] It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers

when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

[33] "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD.

"I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God, and they will be my people.

[34] No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'

because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD.

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Romans 3:19-28

John 8:31-36

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

[33] They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

[34] Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. [35] Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.