Rev. Roland J. Wells, Jr. - Pastor

The Seventh Sunday After Pentecost - July 7, 2002

Lessons: Romans 7:15-25; Matthew 11:16-19; 25-30

"Fighting our siamese twin"

Introduction:

The little red blinky-light. (A small, red, blinking light was mostly hidden at the rear of the chancel (platform), off to the side and behind of the pulpit. Attention was drawn to it, and the congregation was encouraged to ignore it and not watch it.)

I) The Many Urges Within

Probably since the beginning humans have struggled with multiple urges. The last piece of cheesecake in the refrigerator never tastes as good as when you're on a diet. We all struggle with right and wrong; good choices and bad choices; when we're five we wrestle with saving a quarter or spending it on candy.

Freud thought we have an ego, super-ego and id. Jung and his followers talked about subpersonalities and anima. The Chinese religions believe that all humans are made up of competing ying and yang forces of life. We think about people as having both rational thought and feelings. The neurologists tell us that we have two sides to our brain, left and right, one that thinks by thinking; one that thinks by feeling.

However we understand it, it seems to be universal human nature for humans to struggle with forces within.

And you're trying to listen to a sermon, and you can't keep from noticing that red blinky-light. No matter how hard you try not to look at it, one part of you keeps going back to it. Even if you try to not look at it, your eye will wander back. Don't look at the blinky-light.

Paul talks about this in a different way from the psychologists and different from other world religions. He understands believers as having a struggle within. Inside of us there are two selves. Not just competing forces, or views; but two selves.

Our "Old Self" is our original human nature. Our "Old Self" hates God, rebels against God, and "cannot not sin." Our "Old Self" only "looks out for number one," and loves to play by the rules- if we get to make the rules. This is our natural state, without Christ or the Holy Spirit. This is the natural human self that we share with all people. It's what all humans struggle against, with religion and philosophy. That's our "Old Self."

Contrasted with our "Old Self", for believers, is the "New Self" created by Christ by the Holy Spirit. This is a new you, created by God, loving God, loving neighbor, desiring to love and serve God. The "New Self" is Christ living in you, creating a new you. You are changed, turned outward, made to love God and others. The "New Self" can love God, can obey God, can know and do God's will, and "can not sin."

But here's the rub. As long as our heart beats and we remain in this life, believers continue to struggle with having both of these natures. We live as people who struggle with both of these realities. Hear Paul's words again:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. [16] And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. [17] As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. [18] I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. [19] For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

[21] So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God's law; [23] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!

It's like a wrestling match with someone we can't escape- can you imagine a wrestling match between Siamese Twins? You can't escape, and the battle goes on and one - from within! It's kind of like not looking at the blinky-light.

Paul talks about this tension here, in one of the most famous passages in the New Testament. This became a central part of Luther's teaching; he coined a special phrase in Latin: Simul Iustus et Peccatur. Christians are Simultaneously saints and sinners- or "Sinner-saints." No matter how far we walk in faith, no matter how much Jesus creates his nature in us, no matter how many great things he does in our lives, we will always struggle with our Old Self.

If we are Christians, and we ignore the struggle with our Old Self, our Old Self will gradually win. On the other hand, if we see the struggle as something we can conquer, and the struggle consumes us, no matter how hard we try to be sinless, that too is futile. Neither letting our Old Self run amok, nor fighting it on our own will do any good.

In many world religions, people fast, whip themselves, crawl on their knees, keep complex religious rules or bathe repeatedly in 'holy waters'- all hoping to somehow put limits on their Old Self. All this does is give more and more attention to the very nature that must be destroyed- and is just one long endless game for in the hopelessness of self-perfection. How can we escape this? How can we have victory in the midst of this struggle?

II) The Struggle

The struggle between the Old Self and the New Self is related to another famous pair of words from the Reformation: "Law" and "Gospel."

The Old Self hates God, and needs to die. The only medicine to kill the Old Self is the "Law." The Law kills, and the Old Self needs a good killing. The Old Self cannot be retrained, reformed or renewed. It needs to die. The Law kills; it shuts the bragging mouth and excuses of the Old Self. When we hear God's Word telling us that we should not steal, should not lie, should not take God's Name in vain- the Holy Spirit working in that Word of Law simply kills the Old Self. Like chemotherapy or Raid!

The Gospel creates and gives life to the New Self. The Gospel is not an improvement program; it's not a new set of rules, not even disguised as 'biblical principles'- that's still law, which only kills the Old Self. No, the Gospel is life. It's all of God's promises, which create the reality they proclaim. When we hear,

(John 14:27) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Or

(John 11:25) "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; When we hear the Gospel, they create the reality they proclaim. The promises sink in and create life. They assemble a whole new You, which will live forever. Only the Gospel Word creates that new you, the new obedience, the new love of God and neighbor. And it only comes from the Gospel Word.

The death of the Old Self only comes by God's Word- the demands of the Law.

The new life of the New Self only comes by God's Word- the promises of the Gospel.

III) How is the Battle Won?

The way the battle is fought is somewhat a mystery for every believer. It's odd- the more we focus on the Old Self, it seems the stronger that self becomes. If we focus all our energy on the old self, it's like telling you not to look at that red blinky-light. The more I tell you to ignore it, the more the urge comes to look at it.

But the more you dig into the promises, the more you look unto Jesus, the more that the Old Self becomes dim and the New Self grows strong and healthy.

Sometimes it's surprising- we think we're struggling with one area in our lives, and all of a sudden somebody comments about how much they see the Gospel changing our life in an area we haven't even been thinking about. The Gospel works slowly, surely, and (Philip. 1:6) "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Are you in the midst of struggle? Bring it to Jesus. Look at the parts of the Word that function as law- are you proud? Read about pride. Are you having problems with anger? Read those parts, and let the Word function as Law, speaking a word of limit on that part of you. But don't stop there. You can't become alive and well on Law; it kills; Look at the promises. Angry? Go look at God's promises of peace. Look at God's declarations of love for you. Bask in those promises, let them soak in and bring you life! Are you bitter, afraid, hurt? God's Word speaks to all those things- but don't focus on the rules; move beyond them to the promises. God is good; he will meet you there. Sit down with a good Concordance- the list in the back of your Bible that shows you where to find stuff that your Bible says about various topics- And see what you find! God will open this up for you.

Or call me. Let's sit down. Let's look to God's Word, and let's look for God's input on the topic. Or with your Sunday School teacher, or another Christian friend. That's what we're here for. You are not the only one who is going through struggles. We all do. We're all Simul Iustus et Peccatur. We're all "Sinner-Saints."

Paul said it well: [21] So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God's law; [23] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! Jesus will bring you the victory- even when the struggle is as insistent as a red blinky-light! Invitation; Amen.

Romans 7:15-25

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. [16] And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. [17] As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. [18] I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. [19] For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

[21] So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God's law; [23] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Matthew 11:16-19; 25-30

"To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

[17] " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

[18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." 'But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. [26] Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

[27] "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

[28] "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."