Rev. Roland J. Wells, Jr. - Pastor

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost - September 1, 2002

Lessons: Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28

" The Second Use of the Gospel"

Introduction:

An electric drill- goes both ways- but the wrong way is useless. A machete- useful, dangerous is used wrongly.

God's Word is a sharp tool- but sometimes people are wounded if they misunderstand how it works.

Our Lesson has quite a shopping list of instructions today:

I) A Great Reformation Truth:

THE WORD OF GOD

LAW

1) Creates Order

(Limits Old Self)

2) Drives Us To Christ

(Kills Old Self)

3?) Guide to Believer

-"Left Hand" Kingdom Of This World

GOSPEL

Creates New Self

& New Obedience

-"Right Hand" Kingdom of Christ

Luther rejected the 'Third Use of the Law"- he said that if the word is working on us to limit our behavior, that was the first use of the Law, working on our Old Selves. He said rightly that if the Law goes further, and in wrestling with the law, we finally will come to the point of repentance. The Law is the stick that drives us to Christ. The Law is the power that knocks away all our props; the Spirit working through the Law drives us in desperation to the Cross.

If we think of the Law as a Guide for the believer, then we start to live under the law. Reformed churches have 500 years of history of preaching moralistic behavior. If to be a real Christian means to live more and more according to the rules, then pretty soon our view of Christianity is a religion of making ourselves better by getting higher and higher up a ladder of rules. If being a Christian means getting better and better at keeping the rules, what do we need Jesus for? That's exactly why the Calvinism of New England produced the Unitarian church! If being a Christian means just learning and doing 'Biblical principles' better and better, what do we need Jesus for?

That's why Luther rejected the Law. My Bible says (Galatians 5:18) But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. In the Gospel there is a greater obedience. The Old Self needs to die; the New Self, created by the Gospel loves God and neighbor, and seeks a greater obedience than the Law. Paul says: (Romans 8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.

So the Christian is not under the law? We can do what we please? No. The law is always back there, lurking with its sword; but the Spirit leads us to freedom. The focus of text like ours today is that they become Gospel promises of what God desires to do in our lives. Let's see what the text says and how it functions:

II) Quite a List: (Romans 12:9-21)

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. [14] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. [15] Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. [16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. [17] Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. [18] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [19] Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. [20] On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

[21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

That's more of a list than we can cover in one morning, or a month of Sundays, should we go in depth on each. But how do you hear them? Are they Law? Or are they Gospel?

First, do they create order in the community? Some of them do. Is that all you read them as? Maybe that's what you need. But that's a pretty weak reading. But some people never get past that level of reading God's Word. It's just something to keep them in line. Same as a stop sign or a parking meter. That's the First Use of the Law.

But secondly, do these Words convict you? Do they put to death something in your life? Then you need to hear them as Law- you need to repent; you need to die in those areas of your life. To walk the Jesus walk does not mean just good intentions. The demand is death. Death to the old self, not a self- improvement course; not a new-year's resolution. Only death will do. But that's not enough. And it certainly isn't enough to just feel really guilty. Some people love to hear the law, love to get beat up just enough so they can have their little dose of guilt for the week, then go home. Kind of like the joy of Tabasco sauce- you wouldn't want a solid diet of it, but the tingle makes things interesting. Some people, and some preachers approach the law like that- a little guilt and go home. But that's not really the law. The law, when we face it in the eye means death to our Old Selves. It means change is going to happen. You can't do it; only the power of the Law can put you to death; only the Gospel can give life!

Now thirdly, now let's look at this text as a pure list of Gospel promise:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer...

All of this becomes promise. It's all Gospel. Why is our sermon entitled 'The Second Use of the Gospel?' Our text is not the Third Use of the Law. It's not a long list of rules that you should follow if you want to become a real Christian. If you read them that way, you're only going to get frustration and start climbing a ladder to show everybody how holy you are.

They're pure Gospel. We normally thing of the Gospel as: 'Jesus died on the cross for your sins. You can trust him and receive everlasting life.' That is the Gospel. But the Gospel keeps going. Jesus has tons of promises for you. He has loads of Good News for you. He desires to free you and free you and free you, turning you away from self and toward God and neighbor. He desires to set you free from anxiety and burdens. He desires to be Lord of every aspect of your life, to create a new obedience of faith in your life. This is all still the Gospel; not a Gospel of rules, but a Gospel of promise. That's the difference. Paul wrote these to us not as rules but as promise. And that makes the whole difference as to what Christianity is and how we live it. (Galatians 5:1) For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery to the Law.

Invitation; Amen