LutheranLectionary.org

Series A – Fourth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, July 6, 2014 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:27	Grace mercy and
0:29	peace to you from God our heavenly
0:31	father and our Lord and Savior Jesus
0:33	Christ
0:36	our text that forms the basis of our my
0:38	sermon this morning is taken from our
0:40	epistle reading from Romans chapter 7.
0:42	we know that the law is spiritual
0:45	but I am unspiritual
0:47	sold as a slave to sin
0:50	now the Apostle Paul in our epistle text
0:52	is setting up the contrast between God’s
0:54	holy law and our sinful nature and the
0:58	picture isn’t pretty in fact the picture
1:00	that is painted of humanity in this
1:01	passage of holy scriptures grotesque
1:04	painful to even read and yet if a person
1:07	is ever going to understand the idea
1:10	that sin is slavery and not our friend
1:13	or a cute little exotic pet then he or
1:16	she must wrestle with this passage yeah
1:19	every now and then we get those news
1:20	stories right of somebody who’s foolish
1:22	enough to bring a baby alligator home
1:25	you ever you read these from time to
1:27	time right some poor fool went down to
1:29	Florida and just thought oh that
1:30	alligator is just so cute the babies are
1:33	just the cutest little things and they
1:34	bring it home and they put it in their
1:36	bathtub right
1:38	and they keep feeding it and feeding it
1:40	and feeding it next thing you know you
1:42	have a full-grown alligator living
1:43	inside your home’s bathtub and you have
1:45	no way to get it out of your house
1:47	without you being devoured by it right
1:49	that’s kind of a picture there of what
1:52	sin is like and each and every one of us
1:54	are born with a sinful nature
1:56	so reality is this keep this in mind
1:59	sin
2:01	is an unsatiable or insatiable appetite
2:05	sin craves evil and once it has been fed
2:09	what it has been lusting for the hunger
2:12	pains Begin Again
2:15	problem is the next time the hunger
2:17	pains are stronger
2:18	now we all know someone let’s do this
2:21	for a little bit we’re going to talk
2:22	about Sin we’ll do this safely let’s
2:24	talk about other people right okay
2:27	don’t worry I’ll come back to us but um
2:30	let’s do this let’s do this clinically
2:32	here we’ll talk about it in the abstract
2:33	because we all know someone whom sin has
2:36	utterly overpowered and and enslaved
2:39	maybe you know a meth addict who despite
2:42	the fact that their teeth are literally
2:44	rotting out of their mouths because of
2:46	the effects of their drug
2:48	they can’t stop
2:50	or how about the alcoholic woman who
2:52	night after night seeks to escape the
2:54	pain of this life by disappearing into a
2:56	bottle
2:57	or the man who constantly flies into a
3:01	rage
3:02	and ends up beating the woman that he
3:04	swore to love honor and cherish
3:09	we know people like this right
3:11	or the woman who spends her days on the
3:13	phone mining people for juicy little
3:15	bits of gossip and news about her
3:18	neighbors so that the she can then turn
3:20	around and venomously share that
3:22	information with others and by doing so
3:24	murder
3:26	the character of her friends and
3:28	neighbor
3:30	or how about the couple
3:32	to put that in air quotes the couple who
3:35	are clandestinely having an affair
3:38	secretly finding ways that they can
3:40	spend time together in cheap little
3:42	motels or you know places where the
3:44	their spouse won’t know what their their
3:46	spouse is won’t know what they’re up to
3:48	right
3:50	we all know people who’ve done this
3:53	and the ones enslaved and ruled by these
3:56	sins they know that it’s sin
3:58	they know that they are enslaved and are
4:00	utterly powerless to break free from
4:02	sin’s grip and yet they are driven by
4:04	their sinful passions deeper
4:07	and deeper
4:08	Into Darkness
4:10	in fact you’ll find talking with these
4:12	people they’ll say it’s so much easier
4:14	to give way to sin’s power than to stand
4:16	up to it
4:17	in fact we all know this because there’s
4:19	this annual ritual we do here in the
4:21	United States it happens every year on
4:24	New Year’s Eve we all make New Year’s
4:27	resolutions I’m going to once again be
4:30	as skinny as I was when I was 18 years
4:32	old
4:33	right I’m gonna stop eating and not
4:36	exercising I’m going to take care of
4:39	myself I’m going to stop lying about
4:40	people or I’m going to do this or do
4:42	that right and how long do those New
4:44	Year’s resolutions last
4:49	two
4:51	three days a week
4:53	for the really really self-confident
4:55	those who really have the ability to gut
4:58	it out three
5:00	four weeks right
5:02	it’s all an exercise in futility isn’t
5:04	it
5:06	yeah none of us can really ever seem to
5:09	get our acts together can we
5:11	why
5:13	because all of us have a sinful nature
5:16	now let me read to you a horrifying list
5:18	now this is going to get personal we
5:21	talked about Sin in the abstract let’s
5:22	do a little examination in Galatians
5:24	chapter 5 we have this horrifying
5:26	thumbnail sketch of the acts of the
5:28	sinful nature here’s what the Apostle
5:30	Paul writing under the inspiration of
5:32	the holy spirit says he says the acts of
5:34	the sinful nature are obvious
5:37	they’re not hidden we all know this
5:38	right let’s talk about the obvious
5:41	sexual immorality
5:44	yep we all know that that’s kind of a
5:46	no-brainer Greek word there by the way
5:49	is pornaya
5:50	sound familiar we get the word
5:53	pornography from it
5:55	yeah
5:57	sexual immorality is any type of sexual
6:01	behavior that is not God ordained
6:05	and God ordained sexual behavior only
6:07	occurs between a husband and a wife
6:12	everything outside of that is pornea
6:16	then we have this wonderful word
6:17	impurity
6:19	akatharsia it’s a state of moral
6:22	corruption vileness
6:24	right when we hear about this we think
6:27	about somebody who in a sense is
6:30	somebody that we would describe as that
6:32	person’s really nasty
6:35	and we all know what we mean by that
6:37	how about this one debauchery
6:40	the Greek this is a fun word and the
6:44	definition is somebody who is debaterous
6:46	has a complete lack of self-control and
6:49	engages in conduct that violates all
6:52	bonds of what is socially acceptable
6:54	think of it as self-abandonment if you
6:57	would
6:58	and then another Act of the sinful
7:00	nature a lot of people don’t think of
7:02	this as an act of the sinful nature and
7:03	yet it is idolatry this is making your
7:06	own God how many of you have had a
7:08	conversation with a friend or neighbor
7:10	maybe you’ve said this to yourself the
7:12	god I believe in would never blank and
7:15	then fill in the blank the God I would
7:18	never the god I believe in would never
7:19	blank and the blank is always something
7:21	that God has actually revealed about
7:23	himself in his word the god I believe in
7:25	would never send anybody to hell
7:28	the god I believe in accepts everybody
7:31	and would never condemn somebody because
7:33	they’re born gay
7:35	the god I believe in would never vote
7:38	Republican you know things like that
7:39	right
7:43	whenever
7:45	you or anyone else says the god I
7:47	believe in would never whatever
7:51	the gods you believe in isn’t the god
7:52	who’s revealed in scripture the god you
7:55	believe in is a God you’ve made up and
7:57	that God cannot save you because he
7:59	doesn’t exist
8:02	if the gods you believe in would never
8:04	send anybody to hell that’s not the god
8:06	revealed in scripture the god revealed
8:09	in scripture does send Sinners to hell
8:12	but the god of scripture also
8:15	forgives and pardon Sinners by the shed
8:17	blood of Christ
8:19	then there’s witchcraft now this is a
8:22	Temptation not a lot of people talk
8:24	about this but how much do you want to
8:25	bet somebody here has dabbled in this
8:28	whether it’s the Ouija board
8:30	or the rituals designed to get God to
8:33	act on your behalf did you know sending
8:35	money to a televangelist on TBN is a
8:38	form of Witchcraft it’s a belief that by
8:40	sending money that somehow you are
8:42	engaging in a ritual that will then open
8:44	up God’s hand and send favor your way
8:46	that’s a form of witchcraft
8:51	how about hatred
8:56	Discord
8:59	jealousy
9:01	oh this is a big one
9:04	really jealous that farmer has that
9:06	combine I’ve been wanting that for years
9:08	and I can’t afford it how did he pull
9:10	that off
9:11	I don’t care if it’s red or green right
9:14	a little weird thing going on culturally
9:17	here right
9:20	fits of Rage
9:23	now this one is an equal opportunity sin
9:25	but men seem to have this one more than
9:28	women
9:29	when you put your fist through a wall
9:32	because you’re so angry
9:35	or when you throw chairs or women you
9:37	throw dishes fits of rage are completely
9:40	out of control all you see is red or
9:42	where you’re so angry that when you’re
9:44	talking all that’s coming out of your
9:46	mouth is spit
9:49	this is an act of the sinful nature
9:52	dissensions
9:54	factions
9:56	oh yeah these are fun I want to get
9:59	people on my side now this happens in
10:01	the corporate world and it happens in
10:03	churches you have these little parties
10:05	all centered around a person who likes
10:08	to talk behind people’s backs and build
10:11	up a little bit of a following and then
10:13	they work against the other group or
10:15	against the pastor right this is all an
10:17	act of the sinful nature and it’s
10:19	damnable
10:23	Envy
10:25	drunkenness
10:27	orgies
10:29	and the like
10:31	this little passage from Galatians 5 has
10:34	this as the kicker at the end of the
10:35	list
10:36	Paul writing to Christians he says and I
10:39	warn you as I did before that those who
10:42	live like this will not inherit the
10:45	kingdom of God
10:49	now you may be thinking right now but
10:50	but
10:51	you’ve just described me
10:54	who of us can say that we’re completely
10:56	sinless in light of that list right
10:59	yes I know
11:01	I’ve described you because Paul in our
11:03	epistle text this morning is preaching
11:05	the law to us in order that we can truly
11:07	see the darkness of our sin so here
11:10	again our epistle text Paul writes we
11:13	know that the law is spiritual
11:16	but I’m unspiritual
11:19	sold as a slave to sin
11:22	I do not understand what I do for what I
11:24	want to do I do not do
11:27	but what I hate to do that’s what I keep
11:29	on doing
11:30	and if I do what I do not want to do
11:32	well then I agree that the law is good
11:35	as it is it is no longer I myself who
11:37	does it but it’s sin that’s living in me
11:39	I know that nothing good lives in me
11:41	that is in my sinful nature for I have
11:43	the desire to do what is good
11:46	but I cannot carry it out
11:48	for what I do is not the good that I
11:50	want to do no
11:52	instead it’s the evil that I do not want
11:54	to do
11:54	and this I keep on doing
11:57	now if I do what I do not want to do it
11:59	is no longer I who do it but it is sin
12:02	that is living in me that does it
12:05	so I find this law at work when I want
12:07	to do good evil is right there with me
12:11	for in my inner being I Delight in God’s
12:14	law
12:15	but I also see another law at work in
12:17	the members of my body that is Waging
12:18	War against the law of my mind and
12:20	making me a prisoner to the law of sin
12:22	at work that was in that’s within my
12:23	members
12:24	note here Paul is not talking here about
12:27	his struggles before he became a
12:29	Christian
12:31	he’s talking about the struggles that
12:33	Christians experience due to the war
12:34	between the spirit and the sinful nature
12:37	but the solution to this war the
12:40	struggle is not the law of God just try
12:44	harder just obey just do more right
12:48	good luck on that
12:50	the law does not have the power to save
12:53	us
12:55	it only has the power to condemn us
13:00	that’s why Paul says oh what a Wretched
13:01	Man I am who will rescue me from this
13:04	body of death
13:06	it’s a great question who will rescue us
13:09	who will rescue us
13:13	who stand condemned by God’s holy law
13:17	and with the law shining in all of its
13:19	bright Glory
13:21	it only shows the darkness of our heart
13:23	even more
13:24	that’s what it does
13:26	so who’s going to rescue us from this
13:28	body of death I have to cheat a little
13:30	bit and go forward in the text
13:32	Romans 8. says this
13:35	there is therefore now no condemnation
13:39	for those who are in Christ Jesus
13:42	none
13:45	the law condemns and says you are a
13:47	sinner you are guilty but you baptized
13:51	Believers you are in Christ therefore
13:53	there is no condemnation God does not
13:57	condemn you
13:58	at all because he’s condemned Christ
14:02	for the law of the spirit of life has
14:04	set you free in Christ from the law of
14:08	sin and death for God has done with the
14:10	law weakened by the flesh could not do
14:12	by sending his own son in the likeness
14:14	of sinful flesh and for sin he has
14:17	condemned sin in the flesh in order that
14:19	the righteous requirements of the law
14:20	might be fulfilled in us who walk not
14:23	according to the flesh but we walk
14:25	according to the spirit
14:27	so the solution to this problem is the
14:31	gospel the good news the Christ died for
14:34	your sins that’s the solution and that’s
14:37	the law of the spirit the gospel Johann
14:40	Gerhart the great Lutheran Theologian
14:42	writes puts it this way think of this
14:44	Great Exchange Christ’s Soul was grieved
14:48	unto death
14:50	so that we might Rejoice forever
14:53	Christ he sweated bloody sweat and
14:56	struggled in the throes of death so that
14:58	we need never despair in the agony of
15:00	our deaths
15:02	Christ was led in captivity so that we
15:05	would never have to be eternally captive
15:07	to the devil
15:08	Christ was bound so that he would rescue
15:11	us from the bonds of sin and Hell
15:15	Christ was forsaken by all the disciples
15:18	so that he can reconcile us with God
15:20	from whom we have become disgracefully
15:23	alienated in disloyal apostasy
15:27	Christ was struck in the face so that we
15:30	would not be eternally battered by the
15:32	fists of Satan and his angels
15:34	Christ was falsely accused so that the
15:37	law could not accuse us before God’s
15:39	judgment
15:40	Christ kept his silence when he was
15:43	falsely accused so that we would not
15:45	have to be struck dumb before God on
15:48	Judgment Day
15:50	Christ was despised so that we would not
15:53	end up in Eternal humiliating disgrace
15:56	Christ was stripped of his clothes so
15:59	that he would win for us the Garment of
16:02	his righteousness
16:04	Christ was stabbed with thorns in order
16:06	to heal every sticker and thorn in our
16:08	hearts
16:09	Christ was sentenced and condemned to
16:11	death
16:12	so that we do not end up in Eternal
16:14	death
16:15	Christ carrying the burden of the Cross
16:17	so that he could lift up the burden of
16:19	Eternal punishment from us Christ felt
16:21	nothing less than that he was actually
16:23	forsaken by God so that we would not be
16:27	eternally forsaken or rejected by God
16:28	Christ suffered thirst on the cross so
16:31	that we did not end up in Eternal thirst
16:33	Christ gave up his spirit with a great
16:36	price so that we would not have to fall
16:38	into Eternal wailing and gnashing of
16:40	teeth Christ became for us a curse upon
16:43	the timber trunk of the Cross so that we
16:46	would not be eternally cursed by God
16:50	Christ was pierced in the side to atone
16:52	for the sin which was brought into the
16:54	World by Eve who was crafted from the
16:56	side of Adam
16:57	Christ died so that we might live
16:59	forever
17:00	and from this we see the suffering of
17:03	Christ as the clearest reflector of
17:05	comfort in the face of sin
17:08	this is what Jesus has done for us
17:11	and this is what defeats sin death the
17:14	devil and even overcomes the law
17:17	all of this was done by Christ in order
17:19	to set you you free from slavery to sin
17:22	and now that Christ has set us free now
17:26	that Christ has set you free and has
17:28	washed away your sins and the Waters of
17:30	your baptism and given you the Holy
17:32	Spirit as a disposite that guarantees
17:34	your inheritance or as Paul says in
17:37	Romans 8 the law of the spirit of life
17:38	has set you free in Christ from the law
17:40	of sin and death that means that we who
17:42	are in Christ can now walk according to
17:45	the spirit and begin mortifying our
17:48	sinful natures and stop obeying its
17:52	sinful Desires in other words we who are
17:55	now in Christ
17:57	can walk in Freedom
17:59	this is what Paul talks about in
18:01	Galatians chapter 5. this is a great
18:03	cross reference by the way Romans 7 and
18:06	Galatians 5 they work together he’s
18:08	talking about the same thing so let’s
18:10	take a look at the same thing from a
18:12	slightly different perspective Galatians
18:13	chapter 5 13-26
18:18	you my brothers were called to be
18:21	free
18:24	that’s right
18:25	you were called to be free
18:28	free from slavery to the devil free from
18:30	slavery to sin free
18:33	so do not use your freedom to indulge
18:35	the sinful nature rather serve one
18:39	another in love or as Christ says as I
18:43	have loved you
18:45	so love one another
18:48	and how has Christ loved you
18:50	he’s loved you by dying for you right
18:55	so the entire law is summed up in a
18:58	single command love your neighbor as
19:00	yourself but if you keep on biting and
19:02	devouring each other watch out or you
19:05	will be destroyed by each other
19:08	so I say
19:09	live by the spirit you can also say live
19:12	by the gospel
19:13	they’re kind of interchangeable in this
19:15	text
19:16	for and you you live by the spirit and
19:18	you will not gratify the desires of the
19:20	sinful nature for the sinful nature
19:22	desires what is contrary to the spirit
19:23	the spirit what is contrary to the
19:25	sinful nature they are in conflict with
19:27	each other so that you do not do what
19:28	you want
19:29	but if you are led by the spirit you are
19:32	not under the law now the acts of the
19:34	sinful nature are obvious sexual
19:36	immorality impurity debauchery idolatry
19:39	witchcraft hatred Discord jealousy fits
19:42	of Rage selfish ambition dissensions
19:46	factions and envy drunkenness and orgies
19:49	and the like I warned you as I did
19:51	before that those who live like this
19:52	will not inherit the kingdom of God
19:55	but
19:56	but the Fruit of the Spirit
19:59	the fruit of the Gospel
20:01	is love
20:03	Joy
20:04	peace
20:06	patience
20:07	kindness
20:09	goodness
20:11	faithfulness
20:13	gentleness and self-control
20:16	against such things there is no law
20:19	and those who belong to Christ
20:21	that’s you you belong to Christ those
20:25	who belong to Christ have crucified the
20:27	sinful nature with its passions and its
20:29	desires and since we now live by the
20:32	spirit the gospel let us keep in step
20:36	with the spirit
20:38	so let me use the words of Our Lord from
20:41	today’s Gospel text to end up
20:43	what does Jesus say
20:45	come to me and I’ll put a burden on your
20:47	back come to me and I’ll give you steps
20:49	that you can apply to make things work
20:51	out in your life that doesn’t work
20:53	that’s the law
20:55	and it only condemns no Jesus says this
20:57	come to me all who are weary and
21:01	burdened
21:03	is that you
21:05	are you weary and burdened of your sin
21:08	word burdened by the fact that you are
21:11	helpless to change yourself that you
21:13	haven’t got your act together and you
21:15	know you stand condemned before God
21:17	knowing that you you just can’t seem to
21:20	measure up no matter how hard you try
21:24	are you burdened
21:26	Jesus says come to me
21:28	and I will give you
21:30	rest
21:32	take my yoke upon you learn from me for
21:35	I am gentle and humble in heart and you
21:38	will find rest for your souls
21:40	he says my yoke is easy
21:42	and my burden is light and the reason
21:45	why his yoke is easy and his burden is
21:48	light is because he has carried your
21:51	burden for you to the cross
21:55	there’s nothing left for you to do
21:56	except for to believe and receive this
21:59	wonderful gift
22:00	this good news that Christ died
22:03	for your sins and he rose again on the
22:06	third day for your justification you are
22:09	in Christ your burden is lifted Christ
22:12	has borne it for you and carried it to
22:15	the Cross suffered and bled and died for
22:17	it and by doing so he has suffered and
22:20	bled and died for you there is no burden
22:22	left to bear
22:24	come follow Jesus
22:27	in the name of Jesus Amen

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