Rev. Roland J. Wells, Jr. - Pastor

Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost - October 20, 2002

Lessons: Isaiah 45:1-7; 1 Thes. 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

"Two Swords"

Introduction:

Excerpts from book 'The Nazi Seizure of Power' W.S. Allen. (Pp. 248, 272)

What would you have done? Would you have risen up against Hitler from within Nazi Germany? Why? Why not? What is the be the Christian's role in government? What do the Scriptures teach? How can we sort it out? As our country ponders entering a 'just war,' how do we relate to that government? What if we think the war is unjust? What if we think it is just, how do we participate as Christians and Americans? Can you be both?

I) Old Questions

By the day of Luther, this sort of question had been part of the life of a Christian for 1500 years. Christians wrestled with being citizens of the Empire that had killed their Lord. Already in the second century, a generation after John's Gospel was written, Christians argued about whether a Christian could serve as a soldier!

By the time of Martin Luther and the Reformation the church had gone from outsiders, to insiders, and then having to takeover control after the Roman Empire fell. The Pope had fought bitterly with many rulers as to who had the utmost power, Pope or the secular kings..

In the midst of all of this, came the earthy monk, Martin Luther. He fell deeply in love with the Holy Scriptures and began to wrestle with these issues. What is the role of the church in secular affairs? How are Christians to live under and relate to secular rulers.

Martin Luther was not a systematic theologian, he was a biblical theologian his writings are messy, because the Bible is messy. The Bible is not a rule book nor a theology book. It's the story of God's faithfulness and plan for faithful people across a period of several thousand years. As we read the story of the revelation of God's will across that time, we learn many things, including the changing role of governments and the Kingdom of God.

Luther wrestled with these things in light of the struggles of his day. He faced a church that wielded immense political power. He looked at Scripture, and found a series of patterns that still enlighten us today:

II) A Great Reformation Truth:

THE WORD OF GOD

LAW

1) Creates Order

(Limits Old Self)

2) Drives Us To Christ

(Kills Old Self)

-"Left Hand" Kingdom Of This World

'Fisted Sword' of Punishment

GOSPEL

Creates New Self

& New Obedience

-"Right Hand" Kingdom of Christ

'Oral Sword' Preaching - Law & Gospel

Let Luther Explain: (LW, vol 22)

There is a vast difference between the kingdom of Christ and the secular government, the domain of princes and lords. And let the preacher keep his hands off the secular government, lest he create disorder and confusion! It is our duty to direct the church with the Word, the oral sword. The secular government, on the other hand, wields a different sword, a fisted sword, and a rod of wood to inflict physical punishment. The preacher's rod smites only the consciences, which feel the impact of the Word. Therefore these two rods and swords must be kept apart and separate, so that the one does not infringe on the province of the other...

Or from another place, (What Luther Says, p.588)

A man who would undertake to govern an entire country or the world with the Gospel would be like a shepherd who

would place into one stable wolves, lions, eagles, and sheep, letting them freely mingle with one another, and saying, "take care of yourselves. Be good and peaceable among yourselves. The stable is open. You have sufficient fodder. Guard dogs and clubs you need not fear. In such a situation the sheep would no doubt keep the peace and would quietly allow themselves to be fed and controlled. But they would not live long, nor would any beast keep itself from being attacked by another.

For this reason these two kingdoms must be carefully distinguished and both be permitted to remain- the one to

produce piety, the other to create external peace and to prevent evil deeds. Neither is sufficient in the world without the other; for no one can become pious before God by means of the secular government without Christ's spiritual rule...

In the Large Catechism, Luther summed up our relationship with those who govern with this series of Bible verses:

GOverning Authorities⁹ 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. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. He who is in authority does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer" (Rom. 13:1-4).

Duties Subjects Owe to Governing Authorities

+"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matt. 22:21).

+"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. Therefore one must be subject, 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 all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due" (Rom. 13:1, 5-7).

+"I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way" (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

+"Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work" (Tit. 3:1).

+"Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right" (1 Pet. 2:13, 14).

III) Our Unique Role in a Democracy

But what would you have done as members of the Church in Hitler's Germany? When is it time to stand up? Luther was very distrustful of ever rising up against government. He lived in a revolutionary time, and he had no inkling of anything we'd call a democracy. There were only kings and princes, and if you had a bad one, there was no guarantee the next one would be any better. (Some things never change!)

But the Kingdom on the Left, secular governments, are to be subject to the very moral Law of God that they are charged to uphold. When they break that moral law, it is wrong. That's why the Bonhoeffer and others rose up against Hitler. That's why the Thalburg Lutherans I read about at the beginning chose to disobey the only way they could- with the seats of their pants.

There is a time when governments must wage war and bring order to stop immorality. It is blunt, ill-focused and innocent people will always be hurt. No war is precise, and often the culprits go unpunished in this life.

We as people who live as Christians, in a modern democracy have a great challenge. We are called to live as people of grace and forgiveness, living in Christ's Kingdom. We look to our government to act justly and to bring moral order in the most perfect way possible. Where we differ from Luther 500 years ago- we are the government. We give the direction seeking order and justice. You have to take the messy role of the king or prince. You vote; you can influence your Senator or Congress member. You face the decision of going to war. We need to pray for wisdom and for our leaders. There are no easy answers, and I don't have any. But as we consider how biblically we are to live as people of two kingdoms, it can help us understand our situation. I am not a pacifist, but the stakes are very high regarding our relationship with a billion Muslims, and a long war on terrorism may come much closer to home. And Iraq has more evangelical Christians than any other Muslim state. These are hard decisions. And we need to pray.

Our God tells us that if we are without wisdom, all we need do is ask. (James 1:5) If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.

Invitation, Amen

22 Pentecost - October 20, 2002

Isaiah 45:1-7

"This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of

to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor,

to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

[2] I will go before you and will level the mountains;

I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

[3] I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

[4] For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen,

I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor,

though you do not acknowledge me.

[5] I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.

I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,

[6] so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting

men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.

[7] I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster;

I, the LORD, do all these things.

1 Thes. 1:1-10

Paul, Silas and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.

[2] We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. [3] We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

[4] For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, [5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. [6] You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. [7] And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. [8] The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, [9] for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, [10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. [16] They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. [17] Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

[18] But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? [19] Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, [20] and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"

[21] "Caesar's," they replied.

Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

[22] When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.