FOUNDATIONS FOR PEACE

January 26-28, 2008
Ephesians 2:8-10
3rd Weekend in Epiphany
Pastor Tim Smith

REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN:
Forgiveness, Faith and Good Works

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

He was a good worker at the Ol’ Factory, and his name was Opus Goode. Mr. Goode, I’m afraid, didn’t like to use soap. Don’t get me wrong, he took a bath every single day, and he washed his clothes. But he didn’t like to use soap. And people noticed. His boss noticed. His co-workers noticed. And the Ol’ Factory he worked at began giving him Christmas presents of various bath soaps — and then birthday presents, and then “end of the month presents,” and pretty soon, there were just extra soaps lying around his desk all the time. And these things just irritated Opus Good. “I don’t like soap,” he would think to himself. “Why do people keep giving me soap?” It never occurred to him that after years of washing without soap, people might be offended by the way Opus Good smelled. It didn’t matter that he was a good worker at the Ol’ Factory. He stank.

And so one day when his best friend could stand it no longer, he told Opus Goode that he smelled bad, and would he please try to do something about it? Opus Goode tried more deodorant — but it didn’t work. He tried different after-shaves. He tried different colognes. He tried different hair tonic. He even tried switching his toothpaste. But not one of these things kept his friends from gagging and holding their noses. “I don’t get it,” Opus Goode the good worker sighed. “I do all of these things, and I try so hard, but these people tell me I don’t smell good.” And then it came it him. Opus Goode had the answer. He knew what was wrong; and now he felt good about himself again: There must be something wrong with… everybody else.

Now we need to keep in mind just how close we come to being this man in God’s eyes. How often have we slipped into thinking something like, “I’m a Lutheran, so I’m content,” or, “I belong to the WELS. I went through adult instruction or even confirmation when I was 13. I worked long and hard to become a member here — I know that I’m saved.”

We may not even consciously realize it, but we so easily slip ourselves out of God’s lap and scurry off to play. But we come dangerously close to thinking that we don’t need the soap of God’s forgiveness. He gives it to us, he offers it to us, he lays it down before us as a free gift, day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year.

And that’s how God talks about our forgiveness in our text: “It is,” Paul says, “the gift of God.” We are not saved by anything that we do. We are not saved by what God sees in us as potential. We are not saved by what our parents or grandparents did. We are not saved by what we do, or because we went to this or that school, or because we don’t cuss during the week, or because we don’t watch THAT kind of TV show, or because we warn our grandchildren not to listen to THAT kind of music. We’re not saved because we made sacrifices, and even changed our lives and gave up a career for our kids. We’re not saved by anything that we have done.

We are saved because Jesus Christ gave his life for us on the cross. And because Jesus did that, as a result of his love and his grace, we ARE FORGIVEN.

Remember what God has given: He has given Forgiveness.

And he has given us faith, too. We grab onto that cross and that forgiving act of Jesus and we snatch it up in our faith and we trust in him. In him alone. And THAT is what it means that we are saved by grace through faith.

But here’s a delicate point: Our salvation, our eternal life, doesn’t depend on how strong our faith is. Do you see how, if that were the case, we would have slipped out of God’s lap again and we would be running around bragging about our spiritual muscles and our faith-facts, when what we need isn’t inside of us at all? Being saved is all about Jesus Christ, not about Joe Christian.

But don’t get me wrong. It isn’t that faith isn’t part of God’s plan for us. Faith doesn’t stand opposed to the cross – that sounds crazy, doesn’t it – but faith is the servant of the cross. It’s subordinate to God’s grace and what Jesus did for us. Here in town we might think of God’s grace and Jesus’ work as the water tower or water tank up on the hill, and our faith is simply the pipe that brings that water into our hearts.

And even that faith is not up to us; it is a gift from God.

Remember what God has given: He has given Faith.

And in our passage today, God gives yet one more gift. It is a way for us to thank him for his other gifts. God gives us good works to do. Goods works aren’t the soap of God’s forgiveness. From our point of view, good works are nothing but a thank you we give to God for what he has done.

But God had placed them in our path for us to do.

When a man decides to build a house, he has to follow a plan. Once the plan is in place, he knows what materials he will need; he knows that he will need to build some parts of the house before others, and all the while he will have an idea in his head about the way that the finished home will look. And even if he likes pounding nails into 2×4’s, he will still need to pour the foundation of that house before he does anything else. And if he has people working under him, he will need to take their abilities, their strengths and their weaknesses into account when he gives them work to do.

And so God has set up a plan to build his building, the Christian Church, using us as part of his crew. He has already laid the foundation, and now he gives each of us work to do according to our gifts and talents and abilities.

We all have different gifts. Paul told the Corinthians: “ 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:27-28)

So we each have things we can do for the Lord.

But there are times on a job site when everybody needs to stop what he’s doing and help with some of the bigger tasks, or if an emergency comes up. You just help because you need to. And there are times like that in the stewardship and ministry of the church when those things need to happen, as well.

We were just required to take account of our membership by the Synod in order to compile synod statistics, and we noticed that we are about to cross over the halfway point between 2200 and 2300 members. And we have an ever increasing number of our members who are homebound and unable to come to worship. At the moment, our pastoral staff if just about able to keep up with 110 – 120 members, but I can foresee a time when we will need to ask more of our members to volunteer to help us in this ministry.

We also thank God and serve him with our offerings, helping to fulfill obligations and commitments we have as a congregation and helping to keep our ministry serving our people, and yes, even ourselves.

But one of the best ways to help in the ministry of the church is for each one of us, myself included, to remember that we, too, are sheep who need our Saving Shepherd. And out of love for him, if we get ourselves regularly into worship, and regularly into Bible studies or Bible discussion groups or reading or listening to devotions, by keeping ourselves grounded firmly in the foundation of God’s word, we will be healthier, spiritually speaking, and better able to serve our Lord.

Remember what God has given: He has given us forgiveness, he has given us faith, and he has given us good works to do, prepared for us in advance, to say thank you to him, and to serve him.

January 19-21, 2008
John 1:29-41
1st Weekend of Epiphany
Professor Thomas Nass – Martin Luther College

INTRO – In MLC library there is a little devotional book based on different names for Jesus. It has 39 different names for Jesus. Names like: Lord, Good Shepherd, Mediator, and Savior. I notice there is a site online that has 144 different names, titles, and offices for Jesus. Certainly there are many names for Jesus, and a study of these names can be meaningful to us as Christians.
It happens that in the Gospel for the Second Sunday in Epiphany today, we have the origin of one of the most precious names for Jesus: Lamb of God. Actually this is the only passage in the Bible where this full name, “The Lamb of God” is used for Jesus. “Lamb” is used in the book of Revelation for Christ. But it’s this passage where we have the expression “The Lamb of God”. On the basis of this text, let’s today think about how Jesus is the Lamb of God, looking at origin of this name, the significance of the name, and its meaning for us.

I. Labeled by John the Baptist
The name was first used by John the Baptist near the Jordan River
1. Sometime after the Baptism of Jesus and after the temptation of Jesus by the devil, Jesus came to John the Baptist by the Jordan and John spoke these words
2. We know it is after the baptism, because John the Baptist refers to the baptism of Jesus as something earlier. He talks about when the Spirit descended on Jesus and remained on him, and we know that was at his baptism.
3. We understand that Jesus was tempted immediately after his baptism
4. So the conclusion is that after the temptation, Jesus comes to the area where John is in order to begin his public ministry, and then John refers to Jesus in this way: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
B. It’s at this time, of course, when John starts directing people to Jesus
1. John the Baptist knows Jesus is the Messiah – he saw the Spirit come on Jesus
2. So he wants to direct the attention of his own followers to Jesus and lead them to become followers of Jesus; he wants Jesus to become greater and himself to become less
3. The reason John came, was so that Jesus the Messiah could be revealed
4. John wanted his disciples to transfer their loyalty to Jesus because Jesus was greater
5. This is the identification he makes to direct people to Jesus: Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
II. The significance of the name – Jesus is the one who takes away the sin of the world
A. People wonder – how did John the Baptist come up with the title “Lamb” for the Savior, and what is its significance? What moved him to say, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Why not, “Look there’s the Messiah”? Or “There’s the promised Savior”?
1. Undoubtedly John was building on the Old Testament
2. He was thinking about how Jesus would be to be sacrificed as a payment for sin
3. He knew this would be the heart and core of Jesus’ work – to die as a sacrificial lamb
B. Lambs in the OT were the primary/principal animal of sacrifice
1. In OT, lambs were sacrificed on the altar every morning and evening
a. This was required for the forgiveness of sins
b. It only had value as they foreshadowed the coming Messiah, but still necessary to remain in a right relation with God
2. Also in OT, it was a lamb that was killed and eaten at the Passover in Egypt and at subsequent Passover celebrations
a. In Egypt, a lamb was taken by each family and sacrificed
b. Blood put on doorpost, and the people were spared
C. Also, Isaiah 53 when it was predicting that the Messiah would take up our sins and be punished in our place, described the Messiah as a lamb
1. Isaiah 53:7 – He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
2. With all of this in mind, it was very meaningful to refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God
D. John used the title “Lamb of God” because he was thinking of Jesus as a sacrifice for sins
1. It is clear that this is what John had in mind when you look at his full statement: Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
2. He knew that the heart and core of Jesus’ work was to die as a sacrifice – like the lambs of the OT – for this reason, called the Lamb of God
E. The NT often describes the work of Jesus as a sacrifice in our place
1. 1 John 2:2 — He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
2. Heb. 9:26 – He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
3. Heb 10:10 – We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
F. This is God’s solution for how to get rid of sin and spare the sinner
1. There needed to be substitute who would die in our place
2. Jesus as the innocent Son of God takes our sins upon himself, he then as he dies on the cross takes the punishment we deserve for our sins, then God doesn’t need to punish us any long
3. There is a substitutionary death, a vicarious atonement – Jesus dies as a sacrificial lamb while carrying the sin of the world
G. Isn’t it significant to see how many sins he takes away? Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
1. This makes the sacrifice of Jesus way different than the animals of the OT
2. It is as if all the sins of all the people who have and will live on earth are wrapped up in a single, awful bundle and placed on Jesus, a single unit, the “sin of the world” the totality of it – Christ takes it all away
H. This is comforting – we know that if we are part of the world, then Jesus takes away our sins
1. If you have sins that are so great you wonder if they can be forgiven, just think for a moment – are you a part of the world? If so then Christ has died to take them away
2. If you have secret sins that are so embarrassing that you would never want anyone to know about them, and you wonder if they can be forgiven – think, are you a part of the world, then Christ has died to take them away
3. This is the good news of the gospel
4. Jesus takes away the sin of the world; therefore he most certainly has died to take away the sins of you and of me.
V. Thinking about the meaning of this name for people like us
A. This name has had a tremendous impact on Christian teaching and life throughout history
1. For example, three of the four hymns today have this expression in it – Lamb of God
2. Our hymnal is filled with this concept
B. In Communion liturgy – we have the song “Lamb of God” (Agnus Dei)
1. Christ, Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Christ Lamb of God have mercy; Christ Lamb of God grant us your peace.
2. Historians say this “Agnus Dei” has been used in the church since about 700 AD
3. Neat to think about — as we sing “ Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” at the beginning of the Lord’s Supper, we are singing the same thing that Christians have sung for 1300 years. We are connected so to speak with believers of previous generations.
4. And what a beautiful thought it is as the Lord’s Supper is beginning – We ask Jesus who as the Lamb was sacrificed for sin, to have mercy
5. Our liturgy here focuses us on Christ
C. Christian artwork commonly portrays Christ as a Lamb
1. Note the picture on the wall in the front of our church, behind the screen – Jesus as a Lamb – with a “nimbus” around his head signifying his holiness
2. There is a lamb in the stained glass window in the stairway going up into the balcony on the East side — the victorious Jesus – a Lamb with a banner of victory – and a book with 7 seals on it, as described in Revelation 5
D. It has been said that this phrase historically was, so to speak, the springboard that began the church
1. In our text, Jesus receives his very first disciples – it could be said to be the beginning of the NT Church – it’s the first time people become disciples of Jesus Christ
2. What attracted these first disciples to JC? John’s words, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
E. It has always been the message that has attracted people to Jesus Christ
1. It’s been the theme of the church ever since.
2. This message attracts people like you and me to follow Christ
F. Reason why so widespread?? – It speaks to our greatest need – the need for the forgiveness of sin
G. Modern people today – ask them what their greatest problem is — what may come to mind first in our culture are things other than sin
1. Financial struggles – enough to pay the bills, am I getting ahead, are my investments going up or down
2. Family and interpersonal struggles
3. Struggles within ourselves – fear and depression, anxiety; maybe disease, maybe loneliness
5. As real as these difficulties are, they are still not our biggest problem
H. Biggest problem – we are sinners who deserve the wrath of an angry God
1. We have inherited sin from our ancestors
2. We daily do things that anger God in thought, word, and action
3. God is holy and he deserves to punish us forever in the agony of hell
I. Good news of the gospel is that Jesus takes care of this biggest problem
1. Lamb of God who takes away our sins – takes away the guilt of our sins and the punishment we deserve
2. Restores us into a right relation with God
3. This is why it’s so sweet to hear that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
J. This gives us a new perspective about all the other troubles
1. This makes all our other problems suddenly seem manageable
2. If God loves us, then I guess somehow I’ll have enough food and money to survive – don’t need to worry
3. If God loves me, then somehow I can survive even with emotional or interpersonal problems
4. Even if I have a lifetime of pain and sorrow on earth, it really doesn’t matter that much because I have an eternity of glory and joy in heaven
5. Jesus takes care of our greatest need
K. Proper response – to look to Jesus and put one’s faith in him
1. Look at the statement of John one more time = Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
2. His intention is that people put their faith in him and become followers of him as Andrew and the apostle John did in this story
3. We know this is what God would like of us today
L. We know the blessings of salvation are received by faith
1. Even though Christ has died for the sin of the world, without faith, the blessings of forgiveness are lost
2. If we ignore Christ, we remain in our sin
3. John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him
M. What is fitting that we each receive Jesus with the arms of faith
1. Cling in faith to him as our most precious possession
2. Make it our goal to stay close to him, to learn more about him, to serve him week in and week out, and invite others to him
3. Make it our goal to be disciples or followers of Jesus just as Andrew and the apostle John
N. We have good reason to do so, as we think today of the special name given to Jesus by John the Baptist. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” AMEN