Sunday, September 15, 2019

Sermon for 9/15/19: Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity

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“Above All Things…”

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen. 


The Law knows that you know how to love yourself. That is why it tells you to love the Lord your God with all your being and to love your neighbor as yourself. Every sin we commit is based on self-love. Like Eve before us, we think we know what is good for food and capable of making us wise. Eve knew the threat of the Law: “In the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” She knew it was true, that God was faithful to His Word. But she wanted that fruit. Her desire blinded her to reason. In the same way, we know what God commands, but our flesh demands to be gratified. If we could truly “fear, love, and trust in God above all things,” then we would not sin. We would not put our own desires before the will of God.
Repent. You know how to love yourself. You cannot bargain with God, but the devil is happy to satisfy the Old Adam. He’ll give you incredible bargains: no interest and no payments until after you’ve died. He just wants you to take the forbidden fruit; however you want to justify it is fine with him. The bottom line is this: you want an evil thing for selfish use. You want the flesh of another, honor and praise from men, possessions and leisure that corrupt—fruit from a tree that God said is forbidden. Repent. The God of Abraham is not like the devil. Nothing escapes His notice. If you have loved yourself or anything else more than Him, you have broken the Law; you have sinned.
The parable of the Good Samaritan shows us that our lives in Christ are to be merciful and full of good works. The Good Samaritan is a perfect example of how to keep the Law. If we ask the Lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” the answer is obvious: everyone is my neighbor. I am to help all of them. I am to sell everything that I have and give it to the poor. That is the standard. That is the Law, and it is good and true. But it always accuses because we are not perfect; we are not without sin. We have not loved perfectly. According to our fallen flesh, we can’t. We don’t even know how. I’m supposed to sell everything? Then how do I feed my children? How do we remain healthy? How do I get to work? It is an impossible standard for fallen men. Even so, it is the standard, and if we are judged by that exacting standard, we are condemned. There are no loopholes. Everyone is your neighbor. Repent.
Hope is not found in the Lawyer’s question: “Who is my neighbor?” The answer to the lawyer’s question is that we are to love everyone: no exceptions, no prejudices, no excuses, no limits. And we fail. Instead, hope is found in our Lord’s question: “Which of these proved neighbor to the man?” One man proved himself neighbor to the man in the ditch. Only one had mercy. That one is Jesus. Yes, Jesus is an example for us, for He shows us how the Law is lived. He shows us what love is. But more than that, He lives that love for us. He gives that mercy to us. He has compassion on us. He intervenes. He comes to earth to bear our burdens, to love us, to fulfill the Law for us, to give His life as a ransom for our bodies and souls. The Law passes by on the other side. It cannot help you. It will only ever accuse you of your failure. It cannot heal or forgive. Jesus comes to you as you waste away in your sin. He washes your wounds. He brings you to this holy house and feeds you the medicine of immortality. He pays for everything with His own blood, and He promises to come back. He loves His neighbor. He loves everyone without exception, prejudice, excuse, or limit. He welcomes all men to Himself by perfect grace, in holy love. He is your neighbor, and you are His beloved. In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always.  Amen.

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