Romans 10:8b-13
Are you ever surprised at how strong Satan really is? I mean we all know about the power of the devil and we talk about the power of the devil, but does it ever happen to you that some news story breaks and you just sit straight up and say, “Man, Satan really has a lot of power!” When people talked about Osama bin Laden, or Sadam Hussein, they talked about Satan’s power. When the name Adolf Hitler comes up, “Satan has a lot of power.” Or when you here of clergy abusing children, you get the same feeling.

But let’s get a little closer to home. Why does my neighbor risk messing up his life with liquor and drugs? Why does my co-worker risk destroying his marriage by living with reckless abandon? Why did my friend decide life wasn’t worth living and take her own life? Why? Because Satan is alive and well and living on planet earth, that’s why. Don’t ever underestimate how strong the devil is. Peter wrote in his First Letter: “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”    

            So, are you surprised at how easily Jesus took down the devil? Jesus really out-powered the devil, didn’t he?  Satan came at Jesus three times, with three very real temptations. God is letting you starve; make some bread and feed yourself.  God wants you to suffer and die before he’ll give you glory; I’ll give it to you now if you worship me.  You say you trust God; OK, prove it.  Jump. He’d been in the middle of the wilderness for 40 days and hadn’t had a meal the whole time. But each time Satan came at him, Jesus put him down. Quickly. Easily. And he did it with just three words in the language of the New International Version: “It is written.”In the original Greek language, it is just one little word: gegraptai. One little word, and the devil’s temptations were a memory.

          For hundreds and hundreds of years Christians have come to church on the First Sunday in Lent to hear about this battle in the desert. This Gospel is read every year on this day as a reminder of that the battle between Satan and God, the battle that began way back when the Garden of Eden was still perfect, and that still rages today. There are two truths to remember on the First Sunday in Lent. This is the first truth: the devil has incredible power--don’t be fooled.  And this is the second truth: Jesus has more power--don’t be without it.  When Satan comes knocking at your door--and he will--remember this, One Little Word Can Fell Him!

          Actually, we’re going to be focusing our attention this morning on the Second Lesson for today, from the letter to the Romans. Paul’s purpose in writing this letter to the Romans was to emphasize that human beings get right in the sight of God simply by trusting in Jesus.  In chapter three Paul says beautifully, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Christ Jesus to all who believe.”  And a little later he writes: “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” From front to back, the Bible insists that getting people right in the sight of God is a unilateral activity: God does it all. 

          Satan attacks this truth with the biggest guns in his arsenal.  Quite often his target is human pride. He wants us all to believe that we’re as smart and as good and as big as God. Remember how he tricked Eve? “Did God really say…?” Why not say, “You’re smarter than that, aren’t you?” Eve thought she was, and we all have her blood running in our veins. Every human heart pride-fully says, “Hey, God, there’s some good in us.  We’re basically OK. We can help. Let us do something, too.”      

          If religion exists to show people how to get right in God’s sight, there are only two religions in the world. The one religion is based on God’s truth: God does it all. The other religion buys into Satan’s trick: you can help. Some churches teach you can help a lot and other churches teach you can help a little, but they’re all basically the same: Getting right with God is a joint effort. And if you look around the world, you’ll see that most religions and most churches have bought into Satan’s trick. If you’ve ever been struck by just how powerful Satan is, the church is the place you really see it.  

          Of course, Satan’s tricks always have a downside, and he never tells people that upfront.  The same is true with this trick. If I want to get myself right with God by helping him along, how much do I have to do? How much is enough? What if I mess up?  What happens then? The instant we start asking those questions, the devil pounces. You don’t do enough, you can’t do enough, you’ll never do enough. Millions of people across our world feel that power of Satan every day of their lives: the never ending pressure to do good, the excruciating pain of failure, and the relentless force pressing down on them as they try to get themselves right with God on their own. And sometimes even we feel that power.

          Thank God this is not the way it is. Getting right with God doesn’t require doing more and living better.  Satan is wrong about this.  “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

          Every hear someone say about faith, “If you have enough faith, you can do it.” Paul doesn’t talk like that. Paul’s idea of faith starts in your heart and works up to your mouth. Sometimes the faith in our heart is strong and firm and what comes out of our mouth is bold and assertive. But sometimes the faith in our heart is weak and afraid and what comes out of our mouth is timid and quiet. But Paul doesn’t see a difference. The way Paul writes, weak faith and timid words don’t gain anything less from God than strong faith and bold words. There’s nothing about strong and weak here. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Paul emphasizes that by quoting Isaiah from the Old Testament:“As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will not be put to shame.’” Jesus spoke in exactly the same way: “I tell you the truth,” he said, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to that mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” You heard it: nothing will be impossible for you, not even being right with God. Big faith, little faith, my faith, your faith, his faith, her faith--listen to Paul: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all, and richly blesses all who call on him, for ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

          So what do you do when the devil comes calling? In the hospital when the news is bad, and he whispers in your ear: you did something to deserve this, you know. When a sin you thought you’d defeated comes back and you fall deeper than you’ve ever fallen before, and he’s right there: God isn’t going to help you this time. After a real bad sin that messes up your life and the lives of other people, too, and Satan says: God won’t forget this one. At the last moment of your life when he drags across your mind every sin you’ve ever committed and he laughs in your face: No heaven for you, sweetheart! What are you going to do then? Listen to Paul. Look that dirty dog of a devil in the eye and shout at him “I believe.” This is the “word about faith” Paul has proclaimed to us. Two words for us; one word for him: pisteuw.  Say that to the devil, and that One Little Word Can Fell Him!

          “Nothing in my hands I bring; simply to thy cross I cling.”That’s what faith is: giving up on ourselves and looking only to Jesus. And faith in Jesus is what gives the right to be right with God. Nothing we do for God, not even a lot, could ever get us to be right in God’s sight. God simply demands too much. Only Jesus could do what God demands. The devil knew that, of course, and he tried his best to stop Jesus. He tried in the desert, but Jesus would have none of his temptations. But Satan wasn’t done with Jesus.  Did you hear what St. Luke wrote at the end of the Gospel for today? “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left Jesus until an opportune time.” That opportune time came three years later, on a Friday in Jerusalem.  Satan tried everything.  He led Jesus’ friends to betray him, deny him, and forsake him. He led Jesus own people, the Jews, to reject him, arrest him, and scream for his death. He led the Roman soldiers to beat him and whip him and crucify him. The worst part of the passion of the Christ was not the blood and the gore, but the reality that God the Father had no other choice than to forsake the Son he loved. The hell Satan wanted for us God placed on Jesus. God turned his back on Jesus so that he would not have to turn his back on us. And when it was all done and when the penalty was all paid and when my sins and your sins were all forgiven, Jesus said “It is finished.”Three words in English; one word in Greek: tetelestai. And with that one little word, Jesus destroyed Satan’s greatest power for good.       

          Oh, the devil still has power, plenty of it.  You know it and I know it, and we better never sell it short. But we don’t have to fear it. Jesus triumphed over Satan, and because he did, we have, too. Jesus knew it; St. Paul knew it. Satan knows it. The Bible says, “Resist him and he will flee.” And Martin Luther knew it, too. And that’s why he wrote: Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us, We tremble not, we fear no ill; they shall not overpower us. This world’s Prince may still scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none.  He’s judged; the deed is done. One little word can fell him! 

            The devil has incredible power--don’t be fooled. Jesus has more power--don’t be without it. One little word can fell him. Tetelestai—“it is finished.” And because “It is finished,” because the debt for sin is paid in full by Jesus Christ, “It is written”—gegraptai. Amen. 

Jeremiah 33:14-16
            You’ve probably heard pastors preach sermons which lament that the quiet contemplation of Advent can be replaced with the frenzy of deadlines and commercialism. Instead of finding rest for our souls, Advent can be a time to overspend, overindulge and overextend.

            Other than reading your Bible and worshipping when you have opportunity, some people do this to help keep their spiritual priorities in line. It isn’t new and it’s not expensive. You may want to pick up an Advent Calendar.  

            Set aside a few moments each day to open a new door.  Talk about the spiritual significance of what you find inside.  And as your Advent calendar counts down the days to Christmas, you will also have the opportunity to count your blessings.

            Jeremiah never had the benefit of an Advent calendar.  Jeremiah never heard of Advent.  He lived hundreds of years before Mary wrapped baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. All he had was a promise. God had given his people a promise that a Savior would come, but Jeremiah had no idea when that promise would be fulfilled.

            Jesus has given us a promise that he will come again, but only he knows when that day will be. And so we wait.  We wait with eager expectation.  We wait with Jeremiah, whose words tell us that we are not just counting down the days to Christmas, but we are also COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO CHRIST’S COMING. I.  The day when a righteous Branch will sprout from David’s line. II. The day when God’s people will receive a new name.

1.         “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah’”(14).  “The days are coming” is a phrase that appears a dozen times in Jeremiah. This is not just some vague reference that something will happen someday. The date is set. The event is planned and the outcome has been determined.

            The event: “The days are coming when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” And what is the result of a promise of God? Did God keep his promise to Noah that he would never send another worldwide flood? Did God keep his promise to transform Abraham’s family into a great nation? Did God keep his promise to give his people the land of Canaan? So, what promise is God making and will now keep?     

            The promised he’d keep: “In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is right and just in the land” (15). The Hebrews held up David as their nation’s greatest king. Under his rule, the nation was unified, the capital was established in Jerusalem. King David was fearless warrior and a revered leader. But as great as he was, nothing he could do could prevent his kingdom’s decline.

            Judah had a few good leaders after David, but there were more bad ones than good ones. When Jeremiah appeared on the scene four hundred years after David, the nation was politically corrupt and morally bankrupt. And God had had enough. He vowed to punish the leaders for their wickedness. And he did. He warned the people that the coming wrath would be swift and severe. And it was.

            But as dark as the situation appeared to be, the Lord provided a ray of hope. God promised to restore his people with a king like David, from David’s line, and a king who would do “what is right and just in the land.”  Jeremiah knew him only as “a righteous Branch,” but we know him by the name his parents gave him.

            Jesus did what was right. He didn’t usurp someone else’s throne. He was called by His Father into his position as Savior. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit to carry out his threefold office of Christ. Unlike most of Israel’s and Judah’s kings, he didn’t seek human wealth or riches, or alliances with godless kings. Unlike his father David, he never did anything wrong. Jesus was just. He didn’t favor the rich and powerful. He had compassion on the poor and needy. He loved the unlovable and gave hope to the hopeless. The only crown placed on his head in this life was a crown of thorns. Today he is crowned with splendor.

            Jesus would do what is just and right. Who did he ever take advantage of? He told his followers it would be narrow path? He told his followers there would be persecution, and trouble in this world? But he also won full and free forgiveness.

            And talk about just. He came to right all wrong. He came to pay for all the injustice. “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." (Rom. 5:18) Through the work of the Son, the Father has declared a world to be just, innocent, without sin. David, in the Lord’s eyes is innocent, just. You and I are declared innocent, just and right, because of the world the promised Messiah won that declaration for us

            How about the rule of this king? Telling Pilate, the man who condemned him to die, that he had no authority that hadn’t been given to him from above. Assuring the immoral woman at the Pharisees’ house that her sins were forgiven. Assuring a young man who couldn’t walk, before he could walk, “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus was the greatest king this world has ever seen.  And this world will see him again.

2.         We count down the days to Christ’s coming, when we will see him in all his glory, when we will see him descending from the clouds of heaven. We look forward to that day when the righteous Branch takes his rightful place as the judge of all because that will be the time when God’s people will be given a new name.

            “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety.  This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness” (16). Jesus and Jesus’ followers share the same name.

            “The Lord Our Righteousness.” Jesus was righteousness personified. He not only did everything right. He has made everything right between a holy God and unholy people. He came the first time to save the world. He will come a second time to judge the world.  He came once to take away our sins. He will come again to take us to heaven. 

            Because Jesus was perfectly righteous for us, we are perfectly righteous before God.  “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus’ perfection is our perfection. Jesus’ righteousness is our righteousness. Jesus’ name is our name because we belong to him. His Church is righteous. It’s members are righteous. 

            What do you have in Jesus? His righteousness. He shares his righteousness with you. His name. He gives his name to you. When? In baptism we are baptized into the name of Jesus Christ. He gives us his name in Christian baptism. You, even you, are everything good and right and just in the eyes of God because the Lord Jesus’ righteousness is yours. 

            Jeremiah, nor his listeners, ever saw the beautiful promises fulfilled. There were probably days when they doubted that God’s promises would ever come true.

            God promised them a just and righteous ruler. God’s people watched as their sad excuse for a king, Zedekiah, was led away in shackles. God promised them peace and security. Some of God’s people experienced nothing but death and destruction even though God promised to give them a new and holy name.  

            Can we relate? Two thousand years have gone by since the angels told the disciples that Jesus would return, and so far nothing has happened. Unbelievers are amused by people like us who insist that Jesus is coming back. They call us naïve or simple-minded, and based upon the evidence (or lack thereof) we might begin to ask ourselves if they are right. 

            The musings and insults of people who don’t believe, and even our own doubts, will never change what is true. Jesus Christ will return on the last day to judge the world and Jesus himself says, “Whoever believes will be saved.  Whoever does not believe will be condemned (see Mark 16:16).            

            Jesus may come back tonight. It may not be his time tomorrow. But as you have read his Word, is there one promise he hasn’t kept? He has come once to brings salvation, and he promises to come again.

            Most Advent calendars cover a time span of twenty-five days, from December 1st to December 25th. It really isn’t practical to create another calendar for Jesus’ second coming because we don’t know when that day will be. The Lord has chosen not reveal the date of his return, but don’t let that stop you from counting down the days to Christ’s coming. Remember that you trust and serve a righteous ruler. Our ruler is “The Lord our Righteousness.” Remember that your king has given you his own name. We, his people, are “The Lord our Righteousness.” In Jesus he shares all that is good, right and just. And rejoice that this is how God sees you: righteousness. And rejoice because each passing day brings you one day closer to the day when you will be with Jesus forever. Amen.

Revelation 1:4-18
             Famous last words. Julius Caesar, 44 BC – “Et tu, Brute?” P.T. Barnum, 1891 – “How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?”  Joan Crawford, 1977, to her housekeeper who had begun to pray for her – “Don’t you dare ask God to help me!” French writer Francois Rabelais, 1553 – “I owe much. I have nothing. The rest I leave to the poor”

            The last word we heard from Jesus on Friday was, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Then there was sadness, grief and gloom. It seemed as though death and Satan had the final say, the last word.

            If that would have been the end, we wouldn’t be here this morning. When it comes to the life and words and works of our Savior there is a BR and an AR. BR stands for “before the resurrection.” Again, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” AR – “after the resurrection.”

            After the resurrection, our Savior spoke many times. During the forty days before his ascension some of his words were recorded in the gospels. But the gospels don’t contain the last words of Jesus. We  have to go to the last book of the Bible, Revelation, to hear those. The words of our text in Revelation, are AR, after the resurrection. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

            Take a look at the one who has the last word: He saw “someone ‘like a son of man,’ dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”  

            It was a man, or at least he had human qualities. He had hair, eyes and hands and feet like we do. But this person was different. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow—When we think of white hair, we think of wisdom, but not only is Jesus wise and old, eternal!, he is sinless, pure. He is holy and righteous.

            His eyes were like blazing fire—God sees all. He sees what’s happening half-way around the world. He sees what’s rolling around in my mind, in my heart. He knows our fears and doubts. Maybe you wives can read your husband’s body language, but no one sees all and knows all like Jesus.       

            His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace. He has power over his enemies. His enemies serve as our Savior’s footstool. His enemies are no match. His enemies will be destroyed.

  HishisH

            His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. His word is powerful. Ever walk in a river? Ever stand next to a stream in flood stage and try to carry on a conversation with someone else? With his Word he created all that exists. With his word he silences your fears and assures  you of your forgiveness.

            In his hand he held seven stars—the stars are the pastors of the seven churches who received John’s letter. He holds the pastor in his hand.

            And he was standing among the seven lampstands. The lampstands are his seven churches. God’s people are the light of the world. And the fact that he is standing among the seven lampstands is a way of saying that Jesus is with his people here on earth. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

            Out of his mouth came a double-edged sword. A double-edged sword is always cutting. Jesus word is always cutting, always working, always effective.

            He who has the last word says, “Don’t be afraid.” And he has the last word because he is the first and the last—he is eternal. He’s been ruling long before we got here, and he will rule long after we leave.

            He who has the last word says “Don’t be afraid” because He’s the “living one.” He rose again three days after he died to pay for sin, and John saw him alive. Now it is 60 years later and John sees him again. He’s still alive. He still has the power over life and death and proved it. “Because I live, you also will live,” he said.

            He “holds the keys of death and Hades.” Jesus has the power to raise the dead and to rescue from death and the grave. Jesus is the one with the last word, and what a message. Don’t be afraid. From his perspective, because he triumphed over sin, death and the grave, you and I have no reason to be afraid, ever.

             John’s reaction to seeing the living Christ is to fall down as though dead. John was a sinner. He once asked Jesus if he could call down fire from heaven to torch a Samaritan village. He once asked Jesus if he could have a spot of honor next to Jesus in his kingdom. Revenge is sin. Ambition is sin. John couldn’t stand before Jesus in his glory.

            We couldn’t stand either. We wonder if he sees everything. We wonder is he is truly in the way he orders our lives. We wonder if he can win the battle over his and our enemies. We wonder if his word really is powerful. We wonder if he really is with his people and does he really hold the pastor in his hand? No, we couldn’t stand either. No sinful human being can be in the presence of God and live. And without God in the picture, sin and death and Satan would have the final say, the last word. But that’s without the resurrection.

            But clearly there is life, forgiveness and salvation because of the resurrection. The last word wasn’t “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” But, and this is after his resurrection, Jesus placed his right hand on John, a powerful gesture of forgiveness and acceptance. Then he said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Know what this means? That Jesus has the keys to death. Death doesn’t have the final say. The grave and the punishment for sin that follows doesn’t have the final say. Neither does Satan. Sin doesn’t and can’t condemn. Jesus has the last word. Jesus died for sin. Jesus rose again. Jesus is the Living One, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega.

            Sin, Satan and death are still spooking around, all scary and loud and frightening. But their bark is worse than their bite. Satan’s been relegated to pest status. And while death stings, while death hurts, it can’t hold you or your loved ones who’ve died in Christ. Death is done, defeated, merely the door to life. “Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting. Thanks be to God, he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Cor 15:55,57) Just like Job, we can say with confidence, “I know that my redeemer lives!” Jesus gets the last word.

            Check out this picture of heaven made possible by Jesus, the one with the Last Word. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” You know how when someone dies, we say that he has passed away. In heaven, death will have passed away. Death  definitely doesn’t have the last word.

            Says who? Says Jesus, who is in fact the Word of God. John 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning was the Word.” Not only was Jesus there at the beginning and before the beginning, but he will be there at the end. The very last words recorded in the Bible spoken by the one with the last word: “Yes, I am coming soon.”  

            Jesus, the Word, has the last Word. It is a word of forgiveness, peace and life. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word stands forever. He is risen and has the last word. Alleluia! And Amen.

Luke 17:11-19 
          Jesus met 10 men who had leprosy. Leprosy was a terrible disease that afflicted their skin. Their skin would have sores and eventually fall off. They had no cure for it. People with leprosy had to live separate from society. These ten lepers had heard about Jesus. They asked for mercy and help. {14} When Jesus saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. So, they could go home and resume a normal life.

            We might expect that they would first return to Jesus and thank him. Only one of the men came back and praised God, and he was a Samaritan. Then, Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

            Jesus asked, "Were not ten cleansed?" Yes, all ten were cleansed. Then Jesus asked, "Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Jesus expected all of them to "return and give praise to God." That is why we are here tonight. We are here to:  Return and Give Praise to God. 1. Believers thank God.

            It's simply a fact: Believers thank God. Believers will thank God. Faith leads us to thank and praise God for all that he has given to us. Faith is what led the Samaritan to return and give praise to God. Jesus told him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

            What if Jesus said, "Were not all the church members cleansed of sin?" Yes, the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. Jesus lived a perfect life for us. Jesus died on the cross to pay for all of our sins. Jesus rose from death, and we are forgiven through Christ! Believe in him, and you will live in heaven forever. All of our members should know this. This morning, Jesus could say, "Where are the others?"

            Jesus could say, "Didn't I give all of these people life and blessings?" And again, the answer would be, "Yes, Lord. You have blessed us all." Then, our Lord could say, "Where are the rest?" Are these the only people who returned to give praise to God for all of these blessings?       The statistic was shocking. Nine out of ten cured lepers skipped that Thanksgiving service. 100% were cured of leprosy, but only 10% returned to give praise and thanks to God. 90% were absent. Wow!

            When the nine fail to return and give praise to God, Jesus doesn't just take it in stride. He not pleased. He doesn't excuse them saying, "Well, they're enjoying their freedom." He doesn't say, "Being with family is more important." He doesn't say, "It would have been a long walk back here." He doesn't say, "Oh, well, they have other things to do." No! He asked, "Where are the other nine?"

            Okay, where are they? Try to answer that! Go ahead and try! "Uh, Lord, they're busy." "Uh, Lord, they forgot." "Lord, the conditions weren't just right." "Lord, they forgot." None of these excuses work. "Where are the other nine?" Obviously not where they belonged! Jesus was not pleased with them, not at all.

            Now, before we turn into Pharisees and congratulate ourselves for showing up this morning, how grateful have you been for all the blessings the Lord has showered upon you? Have you always returned to give thanks? Let us repent of ingratitude tonight. Then,...2. Believers, Thank God!

            The same Jesus who cleansed the 10 men of leprosy, has cleansed us of sin. When we confess our sins, we are basically saying, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" And he has had pity on us. He lived under the Law and died on the cross to purchase forgiveness for us and for all. His rising from death made it public. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us of all our sins. Believe in Jesus as your Savior from sin and you will go to heaven, where we will thank and praise him forever. Believe in Jesus as your Savior from sin and you enjoy a relationship of love with God here on earth.

            We read that the Samaritan "came back praising God in a loud voice." He didn't praise God with a little bitty voice. It was a loud voice! May we praise God with a loud voice, and sing hymns so that our voices can be heard.

            Next, it says that he "threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him." He didn't return with his nose in the air. He returned with humility. He was nose down on the ground at Jesus' feet. May we maintain that attitude before our Lord in worship. Scripture says that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. If you worship with the thought firmly etched in your mind, "I'm bowing down before my Lord to thank him," you will have the right attitude, an attitude of gratitude.  If you come to church with a threat in your heart—Lord, I’m here, now answer my prayer this way. Or “I don’t like the music or the hymns or the pastor’s style” so I’m boycotting,” you’re worshiping the wrong god. Demanding that God do anything, he hates. Telling the church what it needs to do to make you happy is a funny, sinful way to thank God for his blessings. God hates it This humble Samaritan had it right. We are all beggars before Jesus. With him, we have everything. Without him, we'd have nothing.

            Then, Jesus said, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." What revealed this man's faith? It was this: he returned to thank Jesus. He returned to give glory to God. He worshiped God. Thanking God is a fruit of faith. The stronger our faith is, the more thankful we will be, and the more we will want to worship God. Jesus lived and died to take away sin, so you’ll never have to stand before God and answer, “Where are the other nine?” because he redeemed all ten. No, how privileged we are to hear the words, “Rise and go, your faith has saved you.”

            We have much to be thankful for! Where would you start if you tried to make a list? I hope you’d start with forgiveness of sins through Jesus, eternal life in heaven waiting for us. I hope you would add health, daily bread, family, children, and so on. Don't let Thanksgiving Day become just a day of feasting and family for you, or worse, Turkey Day. May it always be a Day of Thanksgiving to God, a God-pleasing Thanksgiving Day. Believers, thank God. Amen.

 

John 5:24-29 
            When I say the word “saint”, who do you think of? Moses. Abraham. The Apostle Paul. Perhaps your grandma or grandpa in heaven. But what about you?

            Looking in the mirror this morning, you were looking at a saint. Maybe no one has ever accused you of that. Maybe you’ve never seen yourself as a saint. You’ve done some terrible things. You’ve said some terrible things. You are aware of the aweful things your mind is capable of thinking.

            You are in good company.  Moses was a murderer. Abraham a liar and the Apostle Paul was a murderer too.

            At the beginning of this service we confessed that we are disobedient sinners, that we have done what is evil and failed to do what is good, that we deserve eternal punishment.  So to think of ourselves as saints would be a little arrogant, wouldn’t it?

            It was common for first century Christians to call each other saints, and Luther argued that this practice should be retained.  Luther said: “When Christians call themselves holy after Christ, this is not arrogance; it is honoring and praising God.  For thereby we do not praise the malodorous holiness of our own works but His Baptism, Word, grace, and Spirit, which we do not have of ourselves; He gave them to us.”

            Because Jesus sacrificed his life for me, I am forgiven.  Because Jesus shed his blood for me, my sins have been washed away.  Because Jesus lived a holy life in my place, I am a saint.  And so are you.

            On this Saints Triumphant Sunday we honor all those believers who have died and gone to heaven, but we also recognize that this world (and this church) is filled with saints.  In fact, the words of Jesus recorded in John 5 will lead us to see that…EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A S.A.I.N.T.  I.  Saved by faith, not by works. II.  Alive, physically and spiritually. III.  Innocent in spite of the evidence. IV.  Not complacent. V.  Triumphant

            A saint is not someone who is strumming a harp on his/her own personal cloud.  Saints are not people who always do everything right and never do anything wrong. 

            Saints are sinners. Sinners make mistakes. They can make bad decisions.  Saints have their own unique quirks and idiosyncrasies.  Saints have all sorts of problems in this life, but they also have something else, something much more important.  Saints have saving faith.

            Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (24). To avoid eternal condemnation, you don’t have to be perfect. To be considered a saint, you don’t have to do anything…except believe. And even that, even our faith in God is a gift of God. 

            “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).  We are saved by faith, not by works.  We are saved not because of anything we do for God, but because of everything God has done for us. By faith in Him we are holy.  Because of him we are saints.

            If this sounds too simple, too easy, or too good to be true, Jesus tells us more.   The fact that we are alive is proof of our saintly status. Jesus explains: “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”

            Since Jesus makes it clear that this time “has come” already, these words cannot be a reference to the Last Day. No God speaks to us through his Word. Through his Word we have heard his voice. Whenever the water of baptism is poured, wherever the Word of God is sown, the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

            Even if you don’t feel saved, even if you have doubts, even if you are teetering on the brink of despair, you are a Saint. Just the fact that there is a spiritual battle going on inside of you is a sure sign that there is spiritual life.

            Once, you were dead, but now you are alive. Not just because the heart is still beating.  Not just because the lungs are still breathing.  We are saints because the Word of God is living and active, and it has created a living and active faith in our hearts.

            The word, “saint,” literally means “holy one.”  And perhaps that is why many of us are reluctant to think of ourselves as saints.  We know how unholy we can be.  We know that we are far from perfect.  In spite of that, in spite of strong evidence to the contrary, we have been declared innocent in the eyes of God.

            Actually, that doesn’t sound fair. If the wages of sin is death, then every one of us deserves to die. If the Lord kept a record of sins, then not one of us could stand. How could we possibly be innocent? What judge in his right mind would ever declare us innocent?

            The One God has appointed to be the judge of all is also the Son he gave to be the Savior of all.  Jesus didn’t ignore the evidence.  He destroyed it.  He carried the sins of the world to the cross and buried them in the tomb. He paid the ultimate price to give us the ultimate prize. And now when the Lord looks at us, he doesn’t see convicted sinners.  He sees saints. He sees people like you and me who have been declared “innocent/not guilty” by a gracious God.

            We are free because Jesus has set us free.  We are holy because God has made us holy. The debt has been paid in full. Our eternal future is secure, but we need to be careful that our appreciation doesn’t turn into apathy. We need to be on guard against spiritual laziness: “Jesus has done everything for me, so what I do doesn’t matter.  I can do whatever I want.  In fact, I don’t have to do anything at all.” 

            Now, a saint is many things.  A saint is saved by faith.  A saint is spiritually alive.  A saint is innocent in spite of the evidence.  But Jesus’ words make it very clear that a saint is NOT complacent: “A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (28,29).

            Who are those who have done good? Aren’t we saved by grace alone and not by works? The Bible says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.”  Anyone, Christian or non-Christian, can do something nice for his neighbor, but only a believer can do something that truly pleases God. And so a good work is not something we do to get in God’s good graces. Good works are the evidence of God’s grace in our lives.

            A young girl who was sightseeing with her mother at a cathedral was intrigued by how the sunlight was shining through the beautiful stained glass windows.  When she asked who the figures in the windows represented, her mother said: “Those are the saints.”  A look of understanding came over the girl’s face as she replied: “Now I know what saints are.  They are people who let the light shine through.”

            That’s a good definition for a saint. Saints don’t sit around staring up into the sky waiting for Jesus to return.  Saints want to thank and praise God for the gift of eternal life.  Saints are eager to serve God in this life.  Saints depend on Jesus, the Light of the World, for everything, and they strive to let the love of Christ shine through them in everything they do.

            On Saints Triumphant Day, we remember all the Christians who have gone before us. Our loved one have fought the good fight.  They have finished the race.  They have kept the faith. And now they are, in a word, triumphant.

            But they aren’t the only ones. We are triumphant saints. Even though the fight is fierce, even though the warfare is long (CW 551:5), the war itself is over. Death has been swallowed up in victory (I Corinthians 15:54). We know that the serpent’s head has been crushed forever (Genesis 3:15).  We know that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).    

            S.A.I.N.T.  Every Christian is a saint. What is a saint? A saint is… 

S – aved by faith, not by works

A – live, physically and spiritually

I – nnocent in spite of the evidence

N – ot complacent

T – riumphant.

Amen.

Hebrews 9:24-28

1. One sacrifice of Jesus to do away with sin
2. One appearance of Jesus to deliver us salvation

Ever tackle a plumbing issue at home? You go to the home improvement store and return, hoping you have all you need. As you dig into the project, you realize you don’t have everything. So you go back to the home improvement store, cautiously optimistic, that now you start the project. But, then, remember that this a plumbing project. And you don’t have right tool. One day I went back to the hardware store for the third time and the man told me to make me feel better: Every plumbing project requires three trips to the hardware store.

    Our text for today speaks of a repair project that makes any household project seem insignificant and unimportant. The project is the one Jesus undertook to permanently repair the damage that sin brought into our world and into our lives. With an eternally important project like that—rescuing the world from its own sin!—you would think that this would be a project that would span centuries, requiring many trips to the home improvement store. But in just one visit to our sinful world, Jesus undid the eternal consequences of sin. And in one return visit in the future, Jesus will bring us to the eternal blessings of heaven. That’s what our reading from Hebrews teaches us today. It Only Takes One! It only takes one sacrifice of Jesus to do away with sin. It only takes one appearance of Jesus to deliver us salvation.

          Jesus made one trip. He made one sacrifice. Hear what he did: “For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Jesus entered heaven itself. Jesus appeared before God’s presence…

Which was unlike the high priest and how they did their work. Once a year, on Yom Kipper (the Day of Atonement) the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies. This room was separated from the rest of the temple by walls on three sides and a thick curtain at its entrance. He would enter the Holy of Holies after he sacrificed a goat and collected some of its blood. He would sprinkle the blood of the goat onto the Ark of the Covenant, inside of which were the Ten Commandments. The blood was poured out onto the Ark of the Covenant because the people had sinned against God’s Commandments and blood would cover their sins.

What truth was unspoken in this ceremony! The blood of the sacrificed animal was shed instead of the peoples’ blood. The people, not the goat, deserved death. But the animal died and the animal’s blood was covered the Ark of the Covenant which housed the Ten Commandments. So when God the Father peered down from heaven and looked at the ark, he didn’t see the Ten Commandments and their accusations of sin. God saw the blood of the sacrificial animal covering up the law and its accusations. The blood of the sacrifice covered up the guilt of the people’s sin. That sounds familiar doesn’t it? It sounds like the Lamb of God whose blood takes away the sin of the world.

One major difference between the Day of Atonement and the sacrifice of Jesus was that the Day of Atonement was repeated every year. It wasn’t the ultimate remedy for sin, but a picture of and a preview of the once-for-all sacrifice that would come in the future. But now that sacrifice had come! And it only took one sacrifice of Jesus to do away with sin – because Jesus was no ordinary sacrifice! Only one sacrifice of Jesus was needed to do away with sin because of the incalculable value of the sacrifice. The sacrifice was the body and blood of God himself.

This sacrifice revealed the depths of God’s love for his wayward creatures! God would actually send his Son to take up the sin of a world full of rebels! The Son of God would actually take responsibility for that sin, even though it was not his own, and then pay for it all by his own sacrifice. God himself, in the person of Jesus, would shed his own blood to cover up the world’s sin and cleanse it from its shame. And in that one sacrifice, Jesus did away with the world’s sin: “[Christ] has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

If only we would believe that with all our hearts. If only we were free from doubts and uncertainty. If only our wandering minds would not keep us awake at night by thoughts of the foolish words and the sinful acts of the day just ended. If only our sinful nature inside of us would stop denying the cleansing power of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice which is more than sufficient to wash away my sin. If only our rational thinking would stop getting in the way of grasping and clinging to this message of forgiveness in Christ.

Satan would love to take your worries and fears and turn them into despair and then unbelief. If he can’t lead you away from Jesus in sin, he will try to lead you away in despair. That’s why the annual Old Testament sacrifice was made every year. It was a reminder that blood would be shed for them. And when a privilege, then, for me to announce to you that divine blood has been shed. And it only took one sacrifice for Jesus to do away with sin! Your personal feelings do not erase the once-for all sacrifice Jesus offered on the cross. Your inner worries and fears do not change the fact that God’s own Son gave his life for you. Nothing you do or say or imagine can change the historical fact that Jesus Christ suffered and died to take away your sin, and nothing you do or say or imagine can change the theological truth that Jesus’ one sacrifice was all that it took to do away with your sin.

II.   Today is the Sunday of the church year that we call, “Last Judgment.” Today is the day we think about the final judgment and our text says this: “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

This speaks of the cold reality of death. There isn’t a single person who doesn’t have to deal with issues of death and mortality in some form or another. We are reminded of death when decline in our health, or our loved ones do. We are reminded of death when we hear of a neighbor’s passing, or a catastrophe taking a number of lives. But after our death comes the day that we stand before God to hear his just judgment and his righteous verdict.

Our text reminds us that Jesus died–not because of his sin, but because of ours. And what eventually follows his death is the final judgment – not a judgment of Jesus, but the last judgment by Jesus. Jesus will appear one more time and at that appearance he will deliver his people to their eternal salvation in heaven. “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

Imagine the thought of standing before the Almighty God on the final judgment on the last day. What accusations could the prosecuting attorney, Satan, accuse you of? The immaturity of your youth. The pride of your adulthood. The worry of your elderly years. Your whole sinful life. Who would want to hear all the awful, sinful things he’s done in God’s courtroom?

But listen to our reading again and see that the final judgment does not have to frighten us. “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” At the final judgment, you will not stand before an unjust judge who is out to get you. At the final judgment, you will stand before your loving Lord who is out to save you! Jesus’ first entrance into this world did away with your sin, and his one remaining appearance will deliver us our eternal salvation. His first entrance won your eternal redemption, and his remaining appearance will deliver that redemption to you personally. His first entrance won your eternal life by his resurrection from the dead, and his remaining appearance will deliver you from this world into the eternal gates of heaven where death, hell, and sin can harm you no more.       

Those who ridiculed and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree, along with all those who reject him in unbelief, will be deeply wailing at his return, but when we gaze upon Jesus’ glory, we will praise him for his glorious grace.  

            How would you feel if you didn’t vote and the candidate you would have voted for wasn’t elected? How would you feel if he had lost by just one vote? You would know by bitter experience that one person can make a difference.

The difference our Savior Jesus made! The accomplishments of the Son of God! His one sacrifice has done away with sin. will pale to the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. One sacrifice of Jesus has done away with sin. One remaining appearance of Jesus will deliver us our salvation. What a difference this one person has made. He’s the reason you live life with a clear conscience as you wait for the day when our Savior comes to deliver the gift he’s won and promised. Amen.

Isaiah 53:10-12

In the Hebrew language, word order is important. And normally, a verse begins with the verb, the action word. But in our text, verse ten begins with the Divine Name, “the LORD.” Which means the emphasis in the verse is on the LORD himself. It is the LORD who willed what happened in our text. It was the LORD’s will to strike, smite, and afflict Jesus. It was the LORD’s will to crush Jesus and cause him pain. It was the LORD’s will to make him a guilt offering. It was the LORD’s will that Jesus suffer and die on the cross on Good Friday.

And Jesus accepted that will. On the night Judas betrayed Him, Jesus pointed to these verses of Isaiah 53 and said, This must be fulfilled in me. Why? For us. And, we’re thankful that it was the Lord’s will. Because the Lord’s will was also to lift Him up and exalt Him. It was the Lord’s will to prosper Him, and through Him to prosper us. Here’s the truth: The One Who Was Crushed Prolongs Our Days.

The word crush is an interesting word. It means to be broken into pieces. Here it means “to be crushed to death.” What kind of a person would light a cat on fire, as was in the news this past week? The LORD’s will was to “crush to death” his Son. What kind of a LORD is that? The word for “caused him to suffer” is an interesting word too. Jesus was full of grief. It was the LORD’s will to wear down, to pain, and make sick his Son. What kind of Father does this?

The religious leaders of the Jews conspired to kill Jesus. Satan entered Judas to betray Jesus. Judas betrayed Jesus. It was the ruling body of the Jews who voted that Jesus should die. It was the Roman governor who gave the order to crucify Jesus. It was the Roman soldiers who beat him mercilessly before nailing him to the cross. But it was the LORD’s will “to crush him and cause him to suffer.”

By crushing Him, the LORD offered Jesus as compensation. Jesus is called the sacrifice of atonement. In the Old Testament system of sacrifices, that’s exactly what the guilt offering was, a repayment of debt. So, what’s the debt? Did Jesus owe something to God? No. We owe something to God, a debt beyond calculation. We owe compensation for the damage of our sins.

And we either pay our debt or get punished. The problem is we can’t possibly do everything that God demands as payment for this debt. When He said Be holy, He didn’t mean kinda’ holy, or sorta’ holy, or mostly holy. He meant a continual, complete, and perfect holiness. So, it’s option two: punishment. And God doesn’t garnish wages for sins. He doesn’t send us upstairs without dinner. He doesn’t forbid video games. No, the payment for sin is death.

But now, instead of me, all this happened to Christ! Imagine that! The LORD willed for Him to be punished for us: [Jesus] was delivered over to death for our sins, Paul says. Our sin caused the Jesus to be crushed. But it is clear that it was the LORD’s desire to do so. This is God’s amazing grace. The LORD desired that Christ suffer, for us and instead of us. And it’s not because He revels in blood lust. It’s because He wants all people saved. And because He wants all people saved, it has to be this way, or all people will go to hell, because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. And our sinful blood won’t pay the debt we owe. But this desire of the LORD that all men be saved, when worked by His hand and carried out by His Servant, does succeed. Because Jesus didn’t pour out sinful blood, when He was pierced and stricken holy, divine blood poured out, God’s blood, for our sins. And since the crushing of Jesus caused divine blood to flow, Jesus was victorious. No he doesn’t look victorious when he is crushed and destroyed. But Jesus compares this crushing of him to the planting of wheat: I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Even nature teaches us that death brings life! From Jesus’ death, from the crushing and piercing of Jesus comes life!

Not only was it the LORD’s will to crush Jesus, but Jesus offered himself to be crushed. And he knew he would be crushed. Think of Him in Gethsemane sweating like great drops of blood. Think of Him on the cross crying out, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me. This was not light and easy for Jesus. Bearing your sin and mine, bearing God’s curse isn’t light, it isn’t easy. It’s dreadful. Scripture compares it to childbirth. Labor is painful. There’s no joy in going through contractions. Christ endured great pain giving birth to our salvation. But that child is born, so praise the LORD and Jesus! And Jesus’ labor pains ended when He cried out, It is finished. And the LORD, in His mercy accepted it. And because Jesus was crushed, we get to be declared reborn, holy, not guilty, debt free! That’s God’s promise: my righteous servant will justify many. To that promise our faith clings because God is the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

But there’s more. Isaiah says, He will see the light of life. Despite being crushed to death on the cross, there’s sight, there’s life, there’s satisfaction, there’s acquittal. As David prophesied, You will not let your Holy One see decay. Jesus rose! Jesus lives! As Paul says, He was raised to life for our justification. Jesus lives to acquit us, saying to our Father, “I did it. I bore it. It’s on Me.”

But there’s more. The letter to the Hebrews says, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation. That’s another way of saying what Isaiah said: Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong. Jesus conquered and won. He poured out His life and raised Himself from the dead. For you. And so God gives Him the spoils of victory. And Jesus didn’t just take this prize home to heaven to enjoy himself. He shares the spoils of victory with us.

What’s the prize? He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in His hands. What the LORD wanted to not only crush Jesus, but to crush Him instead of me, to destroy the devil’s work, and thus bring forth the light of life – all this happened in Christ’s work! That’s what He shares with us: Life! He lives, we live He shares with us the forgiveness sins. I find the forgiveness of my own sins, the declaration of righteousness, innocence, and holiness through faith in His blood! He’s shares his innocence! He’s the only one who has been innocent, but in Jesus, it’s also my innocence, my holiness, my righteousness! We will live with Jesus in heaven.

But that’s still not all. God exalted Jesus to the highest place, His right hand. He will exalt us too, not to become God, but transforming our bodies to be like His body. This perishable, decaying, wreck of a body that we lug around will become imperishable, incorruptible and perfect, as God intended all bodies to be in the Paradise of Eden. How? Because Jesus was numbered with the sinners, He became the greatest of all sinners, and then He poured out His life, He bore our sin. He crushed the devil’s head. And in the knowledge of finishing all that God desired and required, the crushed Son who now lives stands beside God and makes intercession for us sinners. He says, “The price has been paid. The sacrifice has been offered. The treasure has been gained. Father, free my brothers from death! Purify them in my blood!”

The Christian is an optimist. The Christian has hope, because at least eight times in Isaiah 53, not just in our verses, but the whole chapter, the Spirit declares to us what Christ gained and what Christ gives: He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; He was pierced, crushed, and punished for our sins; the LORD laid on Him our sins; He was oppressed and afflicted, yet suffered silently, led to the slaughter; for our sins He was stricken; the LORD willed to crush Him; He bore our sins; He bore the sin of many and makes intercession for sinners. Talk about repetition for emphasis. Though death seems to shorten our days, as it crushed our Savior Jesus, we see that death brings life, because Jesus’ death means our forgiveness, and the end of Jesus’ days means the lengthening of ours. For we will live with Him. We will see the light of life. Forever. Jesus lives! Amen.

INTRODUCTION: We are saved by grace alone, by faith alone, by scripture alone. That is so simple and beautiful. Yet, it is so difficult because, even though it is what the Bible clearly teaches, it goes against sinful nature and a sinful world and is under constant attack by Satan. 
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THIS DOCTRINE IN THE REFORMATION ERA:

Grace, we Lutherans know from the Bible, is God’s undeserved love. But grace didn’t mean that in Luther’s church. Grace was the ability that God gave people to complete their salvation. The church still officially teaches: If any one says that he who is justified…does not be good works himself…merit an increase of grace, let him be damned.  This is why people felt they could buy forgiveness when they bought indulgences. This is why people worshiped relics and made pilgrimages to Rome: The church lived in darkness not knowing it was saved by grace alone.

SERMONETTE:

Grace alone is under attack. You are forgiven, but you have to ask for it. You are forgiven, but you have to repent. You are forgiven, but you have to walk the walk.

The Bible says, “God made us alive when we were dead in sins.”

The Bible says, “It depends not on man’s effort, but God’s mercy.”

The Bible says, “But now a righteousness from God apart from law has been made known.”

The Bible say, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God not by works so that no one can boast.” If the Lord gets all the credit call it grace. If you help the Lord, it is not salvation by grace.

There is a righteousness from God apart from the law.

A beggar is given money. A drowning man is rescued. A man who cannot breath is resusitated. I’m a beggar, but look at the salvation God gave me in Christ. I was dead, not just drowning, and now I’m made alive in Christ. Luther learned, and so have we, that grace is not God giving the power to save ourselves, but that grace is God’s undeserved love. Thank God for salvation by grace alone. We are saved by grace alone.

In grace God searched out Adam and Eve when they ate of the forbidden fruit.

In grace God pledged the promised Seed to save them from their sins.

In grace God commanded Noah to build the ark and in grace he gave the people decades to repent of their sin while Noah preached and built the ark.

In grace God called Moses to lead his people out of Egypt even though Moses killed a man in cold blood.

In grace God promised to give David a greater Son even though his love triangle led to conspiracy and murder.

In grace God reminded a whining prophet Elijah there were still 7,000 believers who hadn’t bowed yet to Baal.

In grace God called a doubting Thomas to faith and made him a believer.

In grace God took a persecutor of the church and instead of destroying him he made Saul the greatest missionary the world has ever known. 

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THIS DOCTRINE IN THE REFORMATION ERA:

By faith alone, the Bible means that we are given Christ’s righteousness through the vehicle of faith. Faith is a gift of God, not our doing.
Luther’s church said, If anyone says that the ungodly is justified by faith alone in such way that he understands that nothing else is required which cooperates toward obtaining the grace of justification…let him be damned. This is why Luther went without food or sleep, or when he would sleep he would do so on a cold floor without blankets and whip himself. Luther and the church was in captivity, not knowing it was saved by faith alone.

SERMONETTE: My good friends at New Lisbon Correctional Institute said that it wasn’t enough to be saved by faith alone. Brother Marty, you also gotta walk the walk and talk the talk. Over the years I’ve heard a number of people say, “I used to be Lutheran, and then I got saved.” I got saved. We’ll hear people say that they know they are children of God because they made their decision to follow Jesus.

How many times I’ve heard that because a so-called Christian committed such a terrible sin/crime, he wasn’t a true believer. True believers are true sinners. Read the Bible and you’ll see that clear enough.

It is by grace you’ve been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.”

The Bible says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”

The Bible says, “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.”

The Bible says, “Now when a man works his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited to him as righteousness.”

The Bible says, “Since we have been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Bible says, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”

Is faith about what I do or about what God has done? Is faith about the one who does the believing or about the one who makes the promises? Faith is about what God has done in Jesus. Faith is about the promises God has made. Faith is the hand that receives the blessing of salvation from God through Jesus Christ. And this faith is a gift. Saving faith can be strong or saving faith can be weak, because of the object of our faith is the Son of God. We thank God that we are saved by faith alone.

In faith we pour water over an infant’s head.

In faith the pastor puts a wafer into the hand or the mouth, trusting the body of Christ is there along with the word.

In faith Abraham trusted God would give him a baby though he was old and his wife’s Sarah’s womb was as good as dead. And God credited it to him as righteousness.

In faith the thief on the cross said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus  strengthened that faith with his promise, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Hmmm? A criminal in heaven. Must be by faith alone. Thank God for salvation by faith alone.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THIS DOCTRINE IN THE REFORMATION ERA:
Luther’s church believed that the scriptures and traditions of the church both come divinely inspired of the Holy Spirit. So the Bible and the traditions of the church are to be on the same level. Luther’s church believed that the some of Christ’s teachings have actually come down to earth only by word of mouth from the apostles through the bishops of the church. This allows the church to hold to and defend teachings that are not in the Bible. Luther’s church said, “No one, relying on his own skill, shall-in matters of faith, and of morals pertaining to the edification of the Christian doctrine (shall) presume to interpret the said sacred scripture contrary to that sense which holy mother Church hath held and doth hold.” So, you needed the church to tell you what it said and you’d better believe what it said.

SERMONETTE: By scripture alone is still under attack. The Bible is still the only authority for the Christian in matters of faith, life and conduct. The teachings of the church and the and traditions of the church are to be completely subordinate to the Scriptures.

I once had a young man in my prison ministry Bible Study. He said, “I don’t know what to believe. I get this from Brother Bob’s outreach. I get that from Way Out Ministries. And I get something different from you. I don’t know what to do. I said, “Stay in your cell and read your Bible. Don’t go to any of the studies. You have God’s promise that the Holy Spirit will guide you in all truth.”

The Bible says, “These words are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The Bible says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”

The Bible says, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it.” The Bible says, “But even if we are an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to let, let him be eternally condemned.”

The Bible says, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God might be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Scripture alone tells us who the true God is: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Scripture alone reveals that Jesus Christ became true man to live and die in our place.

Scripture alone reveals that Jesus from the dead and made the promise many years before it actually happened.
Scripture reveals to us that there is “no other name under heaven give to men by which we must be saved.”

Scripture alone, that is, God’s Word is the only vehicle by which this salvation comes to us.

Scripture alone saves. Listen to Jesus  who said, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them.” If they don’t listen to the Bible a different miracle won’t bring to faith.
Listen to the disciples through the mouth of people. When the people were leaving Jesus by droves because of difficult teaching, Jesus asked his disciples, “You don’t want to leave me too, do you?” Peter answer, “Lord, to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life.”
We are saved by scripture alone. 

Amos 5:6,7 10-15



Reformation Sunday is only a week away. Are you ready for it? I’ve been humming “A Mighty Fortress” and I’ve been thinking about the 95 theses. I’ve thought of Luther saying before the mighty Emporer, “Here I stand.” I’ve been thinking how Luther wrote the Bible into the language of German so  his countrymen could read the Bible for themselves.

Reformation is not a pep rally where we say, “Uh-rah-rah Lutherans!” We sing Reformation hymns, read Reformation readings, review reformation history and give thanks for Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone.

To reform is a verb. It means to amend what is wrong, corrupt, or unsatisfactory; to abandon evil thoughts and evil ways.  If Reformation ends the moment we leave the church, we’ve missed point. If you’re wondering why I’m making a big deal about Reformation a week before the day of Reformation, you’ve missed the point.

But we are consistent. How often we have treated Christianity like a spectator sport and  not something to work at. How often is Christianity something to watch, or something to go to. How often is Christianity something to cheer, but when it’s over we go back to the same-old, same-old. Christianity is not spectator sport. Christianity is our life. Jesus defined the Christian life: Love the Lord your God `with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind….Love your neighbor as yourself. This doesn’t sound like something you watch, but something you do. This sounds like the Reformation, the life, that Amos calls for this morning in our text when he says, “Seek the Lord and Live.”

            Amos did his work during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, probably between 760-750 BC. He prophesied during a time of political success for Israel. It was a second golden age. Under Jeroboam, the northern kingdom of Israel expanded to her greatest territorial size.

But not all was well. Amos’ ministry came 40 years before the Assyrians wiped the northern kingdom off the map. Things were rotten beneath the surface. And God used His prophets to warn the people. Amos warned about the consequences of idolatries and and gross, open sinning. He warned them of the Assyrian danger and he warned them that the end was near. “The LORD will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire.”

Why was the end coming? Just listen to the litany of sin in Israel. They sought the help of worthless gods. They made justice bitter. They trampled the poor. They hated truth. They exacted taxes from those who already had so little. They built mansions and vineyards for themselves. Those who did right were punished. They accepted bribes. Those with money won They didn’t try to hide their sins but made them in public, in the courts. No one upset the status quo, no one blew the whistle. To put it plainly, life in Israel wasn’t fair. The wicked prospered and nice guys finished last. And Amos says, “Stop it now, or else!” But they didn’t. 2 Kings reports: They would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” And “or else” came. The Assyrians swept through, and in 722, the nation fell, the people were taken and they never returned.

Sound familiar? You might guess that Amos is describing today’s conditions. There are false gods that people seek help from instead of going to God. Justice is a word we sometimes roll our eyes at. The system doesn’t seem to work. Those who need help don’t get it, but the dishonest work the system. Who speaks up about injustice anymore? Does one vote really matter? Yes, the world is a mess. The US looks like Israel shortly before its destruction.

But instead of talking about how we can reform our world, let’s talk about our reformation. Amos’ words are for us. They are damning words. So what needs fixing? What needs amending? What role have I played in the conditions that surround me? Perhaps I haven’t been overly unjust or oppressive, but I have sought my own needs first and ignored my brothers and sisters’ needs? Where have I failed to act on behalf of others? Where must I admit that perhaps instead of hating evil, I’ve tolerated it, compromised with it, made a deal with it, or embraced it whole-heartedly? Where have I treated my faith as a spectator sport, being purely passive in my Christian life, letting others do all the work? In other words, when have I failed to give God my whole heart, and expressed that whole-hearted love of God by loving my neighbor in the exact same way that I love myself? How long have I sat on the sidelines of my Christian life? How long have I lived blissfully ignorant of my actual situation – that when God condemns sins like this, God is talking to me too? And while you may be ignorant of your sins. God is not. I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. And we have no response.

Well, we have one. Amos said “perhaps.” Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph. It was iffy, at best, for Israel, given their track record, that things could turn around. But, it had happened in Nineveh. They listened to Jonah, and God spared them. And it would be iffy for us too, except that God stepped in, literally. The Bible says, “The Word became flesh.” God became flesh. God didn’t wait for us to reform ourselves, He achieved the reformation Himself. He didn’t wait for us to seek the good before He came. He came and was with us. We who would not seek the LORD were sought by Him. Christ came to seek and to save the lost. Christ came to save all the oppressors of the poor and all the destroyers of justice. He came to reform us. And He did it well. Hebrews says: Fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him….But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. Christ didn’t sit on the sidelines as a spectator. He jumped into this rotten mess and cleaned it up. The indictment that was ours for our sins, He said, “I’m guilty. Take me instead.” Hebrews describes Jesus’ active life on your behalf: He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. And later: He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them….Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

Our sin is great. But praise God that his mercy is greater than our sin and disobedience. The first reformation happened 2,000 years ago, when a lowly Jewish rabbi died for the sins of the world. But it didn’t end there. That rabbi rose from the dead, declaring death dead, declaring your sins paid for, declaring Himself with power to be the Son of God. This was God’s eternal covenant, made in Eden, kept in Christ, made with you in Baptism, renewed in you as you receive the sacrificed body and blood of Christ.

This first reformation is the source of all other reformation. Christ for you is the beginning of Christ in you. Christ for you changes your whole outlook on life, equips us with everything good, and works in us what is pleasing to Him. And that comes and remains as we are connected to Him. And so, as always, the coming Reformation is a reminder to seek Christ, for only seeking Christ where He is found – Word, Water, Meal. And as we seek him where he is found, we seek good, we hate evil, we love our neighbor.

Seek the Lord and live. Praise God that his mercy is greater than our sin and disobedience. "If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared"(Psalm 130:3,4). God is not like man. God forgives and forgets. Seek the Lord and live. “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” (Micah 7:18) God blots out our sins. Our evil thoughts, wicked words, and disobedient actions are removed forever. Sins are erased as if they never existed. Who is a God like this? There is none but one: the LORD.

Seek the Lord and live. Our sins are great. But his mercy is greater than our sin and disobedience. Seek the Lord and live. Our lives are changed. We are no longer slaves to the sins that once entangled us. What a life: with sin forgiven and peace restored because of Christ for us, Christ is in us. With Christ for us and in us we truly live. Amen.

Hebrews 2:5-15

            Car manufacturers like to compare their cars to their competition. They will compare the price, the warranty, the size, the mileage, the horsepower, and the extras that are included. Of course, they only compare things that make them look better.

            If you wanted to buy a new TV you could spend hours comparing prices and features at stores like Circuit City, American and Best Buy. You can compare brands like RCA and Toshiba, Motorola and Philco, Sony, Samsung and Hitachi. To confuse things even more you can compare features like whether or not the set is HD ready, or a flat screen model, or digital, or plasma or rear projector. You would finally probably just give up, stop asking questions and buy the one that looks good.

            Let’s make some comparisons today. But not about cars or TVs. Let’s compare Jesus. Let’s compare Jesus to angels, humans and the Devil. As we do that we will find this about Jesus: He is I. COMPARED TO ANGELS - LOWER, II. COMPARED TO HUMANS - EQUAL, III. COMPARED TO THE DEVIL - SUPERIOR.

I.          The first thing that we find is that COMPARED TO ANGELS, JESUS IS LOWER. Here is what the writer of Hebrews reports:  “But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet."  These words are a quotation from Psalm 8. In order of greatness and glory, God is above everything, angels are beneath God, and humans are below the angels. In regard to man you want to note that man was made only a little lower than the angels. That is true because when Adam and Eve were created they were made in God's image and likeness. They were pure and holy creatures without any taint of sin. In that regard they were only a little lower than the angels. In purity they were equal, but in wisdom and power they were lower. God put man in such a high position that he was over all creation and was told: "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

            Even though man was placed in such an exalted position the writer of Hebrews observes: “In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.” Instead of man being in control of everything we often see man looking helplessly weak. An earthquake causes people to run for higher ground for fear that a tidal wave would wipe them off the face of the world. Man is so helpless and not in control. The after affects of Hurricanes and Tsunamis are being felt around the world. Even with advance warning, the tidal waves and hurricanes bring damage and devastation unheard of. Nature had been subject to man, if you can imagine that.

            What has happened? Why is man unable to subdue the earth as God asked him to do? The answer is so simple and direct. Sin. The introduction of sin into the world through the disobedience of the first people has corrupted the world in which we live and sin has invaded the hearts of everyone living on this earth. Man, the sinner, has sunk way below the level of the angels and is no longer just a little lower than the angels.

            But what about Jesus? “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Figure this one out. Here is Jesus who is God himself. He is above everything, even the angels. He sits in glory in heaven. But then he humbles himself and lowers himself to come down to this earth. By taking upon himself humanity, Jesus allows himself to be put in the position of being a little lower than the angels. Note carefully that Jesus is in the position of being only a little lower than the angels. The reason for that is because Jesus has no sin. He is like Adam and Eve were first. When they were without sin they were only a little lower than the angels, too.

            This little story appeared in Guideposts in 1988. A lady wrote: In the fourth year of his layoff from his job, Dad gave Mom a dishwasher for Christmas. You have to understand the magnitude of the gift:  Our old house had its original wiring and plumbing, and neither could handle the required installation. There was no spot in the small kitchen for such a large appliance.  And we hadn't even been able to meet the mortgage interest payments for over six months.

            But Dad hated the thought of washing dishes; he would rather do anything else.  And Mom had undergone major surgery that spring, a radical mastectomy for breast cancer, and found it difficult to do any work requiring the use of her arms.

            No large box appeared, no new plumbing or wiring was installed, no remodeling of the kitchen occurred.  Rather, a small note appeared on a branch of the Christmas tree, handwritten by Dad: "For one year I will wash all of the dirty dishes in this household.  Every one."  Jesus did the same thing by coming down to this filthy earth and lowering himself below the angels and taking upon himself human flesh and blood. As Jesus dies he took upon himself our sins, every one of them. Compared to angels Jesus is a little lower in his humanity.

II.             The second comparison we want to make with Jesus is this: COMPARED TO HUMANS - JESUS IS EQUAL. Here is what the Book of Hebrews says: “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.  He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."

            Here is a marvelous thing. Jesus who is God himself, and Jesus who allowed himself to be made a little lower than the angels, still is willing to put himself on equal footing with humans and calls us his brothers. In his humanity he became equal to us for we are told: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.”

            The Apostle Paul traces this concept so beautifully in the 2nd chapter of Philippians when he says of Jesus: “(He) made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death‑‑ even death on a cross!” Not only did Jesus humble himself by taking upon himself human flesh and blood, but he also lived among humans as the most humble of men. He lived like a servant and even stooped to wash the dirty, smelly feet of his disciples when none of them were willing to do that for each other. But the ultimate service was when Christ humbled himself to the power of death, not just a painless death, but rather the torturous death of the cross.

            Robert E. Speer says that years ago he was being entertained by the president of a small college in the South.  The school had limited guest facilities, so the head of the institution offered him his apartment. "I woke up early the next morning," said Speer, "when I heard someone tiptoe into the room. I lay there quietly with my eyes open just a slit to see who it was.  To my surprise the president of the college walked in, picked up my dirty boots, and walked out.  I got out of bed, opened the door a crack, and watched him take them to an adjoining hallway.  Then he got down on the floor and began polishing them.  I could have cried at the sight.  His hospitality and thoughtfulness showed me what a great man he really was.  Some years after that he rose to national prominence. Because of his complete humility of spirit, God elevated him to a higher position. That is so much like Christ who humbled himself and died our death. Instead of putting himself above us, he made himself our brother.

            Lest we get the wrong impression, let’s be reminded that the reason why we are God's sons and daughters. The Bible says: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” If we are sons and daughters of God then we are also brothers and sisters of Christ. In that sense we are equal with Jesus and will share with him the joy of heaven that he has won for us.

III.       The final thought we need to pursue as we compare Jesus is to compare him to the Devil. When we do so we will find that COMPARED TO THE DEVIL - JESUS IS SUPERIOR. That truth comes through with these words from Hebrews:  “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death‑‑that is, the devil‑‑  and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

            Now we see the real reason why Jesus lowered himself below the angels and became our brother in our humanity. Here is the reason: “He shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is, the devil.” The devil was at one time a good, holy and mighty angel. Many believe he was as high-ranking an angel as Michael the Archangel. When Satan rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven, he turned his anger against mankind. In his success he brought death to the world and death to all in hell. To overcome the prince of darkness it took someone more powerful than the Devil himself. Jesus was that one. Saddam Hussein had been hanged, not for the crimes of others, but for his own crimes. Jesus was the opposite. He was hanged for the sins of others, not for his own sins.

            To overcome the power of death, Christ has to die. The reason for that goes back to the penalty that God had set for sin - death. As the Bible puts it: “The wages of sin is death.” In Jesus’ ministry it was obvious that Jesus was mightier than the Devil. When Jesus commanded devils to leave people, they had no choice but to leave because they were no match for Jesus. When Jesus rose from the dead he marched right through hell, like an army general marching through a captured capital city, to proclaim his victory and the Devil could do nothing to stop him. Jesus had total superiority over the Devil because he also was God, and because his work of salvation was done perferctly.   

            Martin Luther had a dream in which he stood on the day of judgment before God himself--and Satan was there to accuse him. When Satan opened his books full of accusations, he pointed to transgression after transgression of which Luther was guilty. As the proceedings went on, Luther's heart sunk in despair. Then he remembered the cross of Christ--and turning upon Satan, he said, "There is one entry which you have not made, Satan."

            The Devil retorted, "What is that?"  And Luther answered, "It is this--the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sins."

            Ever have a dream where you die and were whisked off to hell. I’ve had a couple of people tell me they’ve had this dream. That will wake a person up. Remember Luther’s experience and say, “If that is you, Satan. Forget it. I believe in Jesus and I’m going to heaven.” And go back to sleep.  

            That message makes us strong before the Devil. He has no answer for that one. In fact the Bible tells us, “Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” Remember that Jesus is superior to the Devil and by his power we are superior too.