LutheranLectionary.org

Series A – Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany – Sunday, February 5, 2017 | 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
0:29	the holy Gospel According to Saint
0:31	Matthew chapter 5 verses 13-20
0:35	Jesus said
0:36	you are the salt of the earth but if the
0:39	salt has lost its taste how shall its
0:42	saltiness be restored it’s no longer
0:44	good for anything except to be thrown
0:46	out and Trampled Under people’s feet
0:48	you are the light of the world a city
0:50	set up on a hill cannot be hidden nor do
0:53	people light a lamp and put it under a
0:55	basket but on a stand and it gives light
0:57	to all in the house in the same way let
1:00	your light shine before others so that
1:02	they may see your good works and give
1:04	glory to your father who is in heaven
1:06	I do not think that I have come to
1:08	abolish the law or the prophets I have
1:11	not come to abolish them but to fulfill
1:12	them for truly I say to you until Heaven
1:15	and Earth pass away not an Iota not a
1:18	DOT will pass from the law until all is
1:21	accomplished therefore whoever relaxes
1:24	one of the least of these Commandments
1:25	and teaches others to do the same will
1:27	be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven
1:28	but whoever does them and teaches them
1:30	will be called great in the Kingdom of
1:32	Heaven for I tell you unless your
1:34	righteousness exceeds that of the
1:36	scribes and the Pharisees you will never
1:38	enter the kingdom of heaven
1:41	in the name of Jesus
1:44	all right I don’t know if you noticed it
1:45	but this text has a ton of law in it law
1:51	are lutherans allowed to preach law
1:54	of course
1:56	on our on Christ’s Commandments on the
1:59	Commandments of God our hearts should be
2:01	meditating day and night we should not
2:03	be afraid of God’s law but the problem
2:05	is is that there’s a lot of well bad
2:07	teaching out there when it comes to
2:09	God’s law and it kind of goes something
2:10	like this let me give you a metaphor
2:13	have any of you ever watched that show
2:15	The Biggest Loser those are my peeps I’m
2:17	just saying but the biggest loser you
2:20	know it always starts off the season
2:21	begins with a whole group of people who
2:24	have well let themselves go rather than
2:28	hitting the gym they’ve hit the pizza
2:30	joints they’ve drank the beer they ate
2:32	the donuts oh and they just downed all
2:34	those twinkies and of course we all know
2:37	what happens when you do that well you
2:39	look like me you end up blimping out
2:42	right and so every season begins with
2:45	this group of people who well they need
2:48	salvation
2:51	they need salvation and so what do they
2:53	do they get taken to the ranch and when
2:55	they’re at the ranch they get on the
2:57	treadmill for the first time in maybe
2:59	decades and what do we watch them do the
3:01	first week they’re all throwing up and
3:03	you know just falling down and they can
3:06	barely do this thing and there’s their
3:08	trainer going get up
3:12	stir faster harder harder and you feel
3:14	bad for these people’s like good night
3:16	but over the course of the season they
3:19	go from really morbidly obese to kind of
3:23	fat to slimming up to whoa they look
3:27	skinny again and of course along the way
3:30	they do the little bio things and the
3:32	biographies and they hear their stories
3:34	and how this is their chance at finally
3:38	experiencing what salvation
3:41	and then you get to the end of the
3:43	season and what happens you get on the
3:46	scale for the last time
3:49	and we always kind of picture Judgment
3:51	Day like that
3:52	we get on the scale and we pray
3:57	I hope my good works albeit outweigh my
4:01	bad works because if they do the
4:03	confetti cannon goes yeah I want to go
4:06	ah right
4:10	I need to drink less coffee in the
4:13	morning
4:15	but you get the idea
4:18	so after the confetti cannon goes off
4:20	and the cameras turn off what happens to
4:22	the people who are on The Biggest Loser
4:23	they go and celebrate with a large
4:25	pepperoni pizza
4:28	and see this is how we think salvation
4:30	works there’s the law The Ten
4:33	Commandments written in stone it’s a
4:36	program all you gotta do is get with the
4:39	program and the purpose of Jesus the
4:41	reason why Jesus came was to show us it
4:44	can be done
4:46	and so Jesus turns into our trainer and
4:49	then Jesus comes to us and says drop
4:52	give me five
4:54	prayers
4:58	scripture you know okay Jesus are right
5:00	and you get spiritually fit and at the
5:02	end of it God says well done
5:06	this is not the purpose of the law the
5:10	law is not given so that you can become
5:12	physically a fit spiritually right Hans
5:16	and fronds yeah yeah right you know no
5:19	that’s not why the law is given
5:23	its primary function
5:25	is to take your spiritually fat carcass
5:29	your morbidly obese sinful nature and
5:34	kill it
5:35	that’s the purpose you see when you do
5:38	the law right we take your sinful nature
5:41	and we plunge
5:44	the death blow through the heart and
5:46	then you are dead and the law then
5:48	deposits you at the feet of Jesus
5:51	in all of your wretched sinful obesity
5:55	and what do you think Jesus does when he
5:57	looks upon your
5:59	sinful carcass after the law has done
6:01	its killing work
6:03	good job law to hell with that one
6:06	to help damn that one gone
6:09	no
6:11	only then does Jesus raise you from the
6:14	grave
6:15	and he makes you new
6:17	and the reason we keep
6:20	God’s law we treasure it and we obey it
6:24	it’s because we are new in Christ
6:27	if you lose sight of this you turn the
6:31	law into a self-improvement program
6:34	in order to save yourself the scripture
6:36	is clear
6:37	if the law had been given by which we
6:39	must be saved then Christ died for no
6:43	reason
6:44	it’s in the book of Galatians
6:46	so with that let’s take a look at our
6:49	gospel text
6:50	as Jesus describes something very
6:53	interesting here
6:54	Jesus begins in Our Gospel text today
6:56	this is still the same sermon he was
6:58	preaching last week that we began with
7:00	you are the salt of the earth you
7:04	who’s the you there we’ll play a game
7:06	knock knock
7:09	you
7:11	ah good question I’m glad you asked
7:14	the you who here are those who are the
7:17	poor in spirit those who’ve been brought
7:19	to mourn over their sin the meek those
7:21	who hunger and thirst for righteousness
7:23	the merciful those who’ve been given a
7:25	pure heart the peacemakers those who are
7:27	persecuted for righteousness sake the
7:30	reviled the persecuted those against
7:33	whom all kinds of evil is being spoken
7:35	falsely on account of Christ
7:37	don’t ever lose sight of that
7:39	just because we’re chopping Jesus’s
7:41	Sermon on the Mount up into pieces
7:43	doesn’t mean that the subject has
7:44	changed Jesus began with gospel
7:47	Proclamation and so he is saying to
7:49	those who are poor in spirit you are the
7:53	soul to the Earth
7:54	you know why salt is salty
7:57	because it’s salt
7:59	now this is going to sound really
8:01	profound here too are you ready do you
8:03	know what lights do
8:05	they shine you know why lights shine
8:09	because they’re light so your notice
8:11	here as we go through this Goss this
8:13	lost section and this exhortation
8:16	section that if you kind of lose sight
8:18	of what’s really how the law Works
8:20	you’re going to miss the whole point
8:22	Jesus is not saying if you do these
8:25	things then you will be those who are
8:28	blessed he said you are blessed
8:32	you are salt you are light so Jesus is
8:36	admonishing you to be what you is
8:39	to do what you are does that make sense
8:43	so you are the salt of the earth but the
8:45	salt has lost its taste how shall its
8:48	saltiness be restored remember you’ve
8:50	been baptized into the Red Sea of
8:53	Christ’s blood the water is a baptism
8:56	that’s where you were first made salty
8:59	yeah so without the gospel without the
9:03	Forgiveness of sins without faith in
9:05	Christ you lose your saltiness you just
9:07	become like every other well sinner
9:09	who’s trying to save themselves by their
9:11	good works
9:12	and when that happens
9:14	you’re no longer good for anything
9:15	except to be thrown out and Trampled
9:17	Under people’s feet you are the light of
9:19	the world knows it doesn’t say if you
9:21	try really hard
9:23	you get to be the light of the world it
9:25	says no you are the light of the world a
9:28	city sat on a hill cannot be hidden nor
9:30	do people light a lamp put it under a
9:32	basket but on a stand and it gives light
9:35	to all in the house in the same way let
9:38	your light shine before others so that
9:41	they may see your good works and give
9:42	glory to your father who is in heaven so
9:45	Jesus is telling you to be what you are
9:47	you are the light of the world so shine
9:49	don’t put your light under a bushel stop
9:52	trying to hide that City on a Hill when
9:55	you were baptized you were made a Child
9:57	of the Light
10:00	and what is our temptation as Christians
10:04	man if I speak like a Christian in this
10:07	situation or remind people What God Says
10:10	in this situation or do what a Christian
10:13	should do in this situation
10:16	that will happen
10:20	all hell will break loose
10:24	yeah that was on cue I you know there’s
10:27	five dollars coming to you later you
10:29	know thanks good job well executed
10:33	so the idea here is Jesus is saying stop
10:37	trying to hide your light
10:38	and see understand this as Christians we
10:41	are like the Moon we reflect the Light
10:44	of Christ when we were brought to the
10:47	Waters of baptism repentance and faith
10:48	in Christ that the preaching of the
10:50	Gospel law and gospel
10:52	God raised us from the grave and we are
10:54	already shining in fact this is exactly
10:57	what Paul talks about in Ephesians 5.
10:59	we’ll take a look at a little
10:59	cross-reference here Ephesians 5
11:01	starting at verse 1 where Paul after
11:04	preaching the gospel to the church in
11:06	Ephesus telling them they are saved by
11:08	grace through faith apart from Works he
11:11	then tells them therefore be imitators
11:13	of God
11:15	and how do we learn to imitate god well
11:18	actually the Ten Commandments if you
11:20	think about it perfectly reflect the
11:22	nature of God Jesus fulfilled the law in
11:26	our place
11:27	and so Jesus how did he do it
11:31	he just was being himself
11:35	and so be imitators of God as beloved
11:37	children because you are already that
11:40	notice the scripture never says if you
11:41	really want to be a beloved child of God
11:44	well you better hit the spiritual gym
11:46	and start exercising those Ten
11:49	Commandments now you are a child of God
11:53	therefore be an imitator of God Walk in
11:55	love as Christ loved us and gave himself
11:58	up for us as a fragrant offering and a
12:00	sacrifice to God and because of this
12:03	sexual immorality and all impurity or
12:06	covetousness must not even be named
12:08	among you as is proper among the saints
12:11	let there be no filthiness or foolish
12:13	talk or crude joking which are out of
12:15	place instead let there be Thanksgiving
12:17	for you can be sure of this
12:20	everyone who is sexually immoral and
12:22	pure or Covetous that is an idolater has
12:24	no inheritance of the kingdom of God now
12:27	that does not mean that there is no
12:28	forgiveness for such sins the idea is we
12:31	don’t turn the gospel into a license for
12:34	such sins because we have been set free
12:37	and we are children of the light we do
12:39	not practice such things
12:42	so let no one deceive you with empty
12:44	words for because of these things the
12:46	wrath of God comes upon the sons of
12:48	Disobedience and I would note here there
12:50	are Christian pastors and I almost have
12:53	to put the word Christian in air quotes
12:54	nowadays who literally from pulpits
12:57	within churches are claiming that
12:59	somehow God blesses same-sex marriage
13:01	that God Winks at sexual immorality and
13:04	can care less about such things these
13:07	are empty words this is false this is
13:10	nonsense
13:11	Christ has not set us free from sin to
13:13	be slaves to sin that doesn’t make any
13:16	sense we’ve been working our way through
13:18	the book of Exodus and there is the
13:19	children of Israel in the wilderness
13:22	and what do they long for slavery I want
13:25	to go back to Egypt I want to go back
13:28	this Freedom stuff is terrible
13:31	the one who walks in sin is walking in
13:35	slavery might as well go back to Egypt
13:37	that doesn’t make any sense because we
13:38	are children of the light so let no one
13:40	deceive you with empty words for because
13:42	of these things the wrath of God comes
13:43	upon the sons of disobedient so
13:45	therefore do not become partners with
13:48	them for at one time and here’s the
13:50	important words you were Darkness but
13:53	now you are light in the Lord You Are
13:58	Christ has made you light in the Lord he
14:00	has transferred you from the Dominion of
14:02	Darkness to the Kingdom of Light
14:04	therefore walk as a child of the light
14:07	because you are that for the fruit of
14:09	the light is found in all that is good
14:11	and right and true and try to discern
14:13	what is pleasing to the Lord and if you
14:15	are confused about that pull out your
14:17	catechism and re-look at the ten
14:19	commandments so take no part in the
14:22	unfruitful works of darkness instead
14:24	expose them
14:25	it’s shameful even to speak of the
14:28	things that they do in secret but when
14:29	anything is exposed By the Light it
14:31	becomes visible for anything that
14:33	becomes visible is light therefore it
14:35	says awake o sleeper arise from the dead
14:38	Christ will shine on you so look
14:40	carefully then how you walk not as
14:42	unwise but as wise making the best use
14:45	of the time because the days are evil do
14:48	not be foolish but understand what the
14:49	will of the Lord is again consult Ten
14:51	Commandments if you’re a little bit
14:53	confused don’t get drunk with wine
14:55	that’s debauchery be filled with the
14:57	spirit addressing one another in Psalms
14:59	and hymns and spiritual songs singing
15:01	and making Melody to the Lord with your
15:03	heart and giving thanks always for
15:05	everything to God the father in the name
15:07	of our Lord Jesus Christ submitting to
15:10	one another out of reverence for Christ
15:13	you do these things these are all good
15:16	works scripture says so this is what God
15:18	Wills for you to do this if you live
15:21	this way because you are a child of the
15:23	light living as a Child of Light your
15:25	light your good works will shine before
15:27	men
15:28	and they will give glory to God
15:30	Peter puts it this way in First Peter
15:32	chapter 2 verse 9 you you are a chosen
15:36	race you are a royal priesthood you are
15:40	a holy nation you are a people for God’s
15:44	Own possession so that you may proclaim
15:47	the excellencies of him who called you
15:49	out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light
15:53	so notice
15:55	Peter and Paul Jesus they’re all in
15:59	agreement
16:00	that we let our light shine because we
16:03	have been made light in Christ
16:06	be what you are
16:09	once you were not a people
16:11	but now you are of God’s people
16:14	once you had not received Mercy but now
16:17	you have received Mercy
16:21	so I urge you with sojourners in Exiles
16:24	abstain from the passions of the flesh
16:26	which are Waging War against your soul
16:28	keep your conduct among the Gentiles
16:31	honorable so when they speak against you
16:33	as evildoers they may see your good
16:35	deeds and glorify God on the day of
16:37	visitation and that day is the day in
16:39	which Jesus returns in glory to judge
16:41	the living and the dead
16:43	so the idea again over and again
16:46	in scripture in the New Testament it’s
16:48	clear we are saved by grace through
16:51	faith apart from works this is God’s
16:53	work in us we are transferred from the
16:56	Dominion of Darkness to the Kingdom of
16:58	Light we are regenerated made new in
17:00	Christ Jesus and we are admonished by
17:03	Christ in the Holy Spirit to now be what
17:06	we are
17:08	and that requires us also to well
17:11	mortify our sinful flesh
17:14	not try to resuscitate it we are not
17:17	saved by shining up old Adam instead we
17:20	are told to take old Adam and mortify
17:22	him he’s going into the grave
17:25	Jesus continues then in The Sermon on
17:27	the Mount do not think that I’ve come to
17:29	abolish the law or the prophets I’ve not
17:31	come to abolish them but to fulfill them
17:33	and this is talking about Jesus
17:34	fulfilling of the law for us in our
17:37	place Torah is completely fulfilled in
17:40	Christ and Jesus says truly I say to you
17:43	until Heaven and Earth pass away not an
17:45	Iota not a DOT will pass from under the
17:47	law until it is accomplished and he
17:50	accomplished it on the cross remember
17:51	the words that he spoke while he’s on
17:53	the cross it is finished
17:56	that’s when it is accomplished therefore
17:59	whoever lacks relaxes one of the least
18:01	of these Commandments and teaches us
18:03	others to do the same will be called
18:05	least in the Kingdom but whoever does
18:06	them and teaches them will be called
18:09	great in the kingdom of heaven and so
18:12	the idea then is is that Jesus has not
18:14	set us free to be slaves again and
18:16	Romans 6 Bears this out so clearly
18:19	what shall we say then are we to
18:21	continue in sin so that Grace May abound
18:23	what a stupid question
18:26	there are a few questions that are
18:27	stupid this is one of them of course not
18:30	by no means how can we who died to sin
18:33	still live in it do you not know that
18:35	all of us who have been baptized into
18:37	Christ we were baptized into his death
18:39	we were buried therefore with him by
18:41	baptism into death in order that just as
18:43	Christ was raised from the dead by the
18:45	glory of the father we too might walk in
18:48	newness of life for if we have been
18:51	United with him in a death like his and
18:53	we have we shall certainly be United
18:55	with him in a resurrection like his oh
18:57	and we will
18:59	we know that our old self was crucified
19:01	with him in order that the body of sin
19:03	might be brought to nothing there it is
19:05	taking the old sinful flesh that old
19:07	Adam were not getting him stronger we’re
19:10	killing him
19:12	that’s the idea and that death begins in
19:15	the waters of baptism we know their old
19:17	self was crucified with Christ so that
19:19	the body of Flesh might be brought to
19:21	nothing so that we would no longer be
19:23	enslaved to sin one who has died has
19:26	been set free from sin are you dead or
19:27	not
19:30	of course you are Jesus scripture says
19:32	so if you’ve been baptized you’re dead
19:35	if you haven’t been baptized come see me
19:37	we’ll kill you
19:40	not in a way that will draw attention by
19:42	the authorities but you get what I’m
19:43	saying
19:45	we’ll unite you with Christ and his
19:47	death and his resurrection
19:49	so if we have died with Christ we
19:50	believe that we will also live with him
19:52	we know that Christ being raised from
19:54	the dead will never die again death no
19:56	longer has dominion over him the death
19:58	he died he died to sin once for all the
20:00	life he lives he lives to God so you
20:02	must consider yourselves dead to sin and
20:04	alive to God in Christ because you are
20:07	dead to sin and you are alive to God in
20:10	Christ
20:11	this is why we do our good works and now
20:14	here comes the ultimate checkmate
20:18	the part of Jesus this is the knife blow
20:21	into the heart think think of it like a
20:23	steak your sinful flesh like a vampire
20:27	and so Jesus is going to come for the
20:29	killing blow now for your sinful flesh
20:32	and here it is I tell you unless your
20:35	righteousness exceeds that of the
20:36	scribes and Pharisees you will never
20:39	enter the kingdom of heaven
20:43	and you can just see everyone there
20:44	going what
20:47	those Pharisees man they’re righteous
20:49	dudes
20:54	they even like tithe down to like 10 of
20:56	like the herbs in their Garden how has
20:59	my righteousness supposed to exceed
21:01	theirs
21:03	checkmate
21:05	ha
21:07	that’s the idea
21:09	so let me just ask you the question
21:12	does your righteousness exceed that of
21:14	the scribes and Pharisees
21:16	does it
21:18	Jesus says if it doesn’t you’re not
21:19	going to enter the kingdom of heaven and
21:20	we all know what happens to those who
21:22	don’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven on the
21:23	last day there’s this Lake Fire
21:27	that’s where you end up
21:30	so
21:31	is Jesus here saying get busy I’ll pump
21:34	you up get busy go do no it’s not what
21:37	he’s saying at all
21:38	how do I know
21:40	from the cross reference let me show you
21:43	a Pharisee who ceased to be a Pharisee
21:46	and whose righteousness exceeded that of
21:48	the Pharisees or when he was a Pharisee
21:50	take a look with me over at Philippians
21:53	chapter 3.
21:54	starting at verse 2.
21:56	you all know the story of the Apostle
21:58	Paul he used to be Saul of Tarsus he was
22:01	a Pharisee this was the fellow who when
22:04	Christianity got rolling was persecuting
22:07	Christians even to the point of death
22:09	and watch what he says here in relation
22:12	to his own righteousness and how it is
22:16	that somebody is wicked and evil as he
22:18	can be saved here’s what Paul says
22:21	Philippians 3 2 look out for the dogs
22:25	look out for the evildoers look out for
22:27	those who mutilate the flesh that’s
22:30	right Paul just called the judaizer’s
22:33	dogs
22:34	so much for you can’t call somebody
22:35	names
22:37	he wasn’t very politically correct now
22:38	was he yeah so look out for those guys
22:41	who are saying you you’re not saved
22:43	unless you’re circumcised
22:45	for we are the circumcision who worship
22:48	by the spirit of God and glory in Christ
22:50	Jesus and we put no confidence in the
22:52	flesh though I myself have reason for
22:55	confidence in the flesh Also if anyone
22:57	else thinks he has reason for confidence
22:59	in the flesh well I have more now check
23:01	out this list
23:02	I was circumcised on the eighth day of
23:06	the people of Israel of The Tribe of
23:08	Benjamin a Hebrew of the Hebrews as to
23:10	the law a Pharisee as to Zeal a
23:14	persecutor of the church as to
23:15	righteousness under the law blameless
23:19	remember those MasterCard commercials
23:21	you know you know at the end of it it
23:23	always has the word Priceless right you
23:25	know
23:25	so as to righteousness under the law
23:27	blameless
23:29	but watch what he says but whatever gain
23:32	I had
23:33	I counted as a loss for the sake of
23:35	Christ
23:36	indeed I counted everything as a loss
23:38	because of the surpassing worth of
23:39	knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for his
23:42	sake I have suffered the loss of all
23:44	things and I count them as
23:48	hmm
23:50	the English translation in front of me
23:52	says rubbish not quite strong enough
23:57	he’s actually talking about all of his
23:59	righteousness as a Pharisee under the
24:01	law and he calls it rubbish but the
24:02	Greek word is scubalon let me help you
24:05	all right have any of you ever
24:08	had your yard mowed and everything is
24:11	just beautiful and the birds are singing
24:14	and somebody walks their dog near your
24:17	property and the dog drops a bomb on
24:20	your beautifully manicured grass
24:22	that dog bomb is scubalon
24:26	got it
24:27	Let’s help with a word picture that he
24:29	just painted for us which is quite
24:31	frightening all of his righteousness as
24:34	a Pharisee he considers to be a dog bomb
24:37	oh
24:39	got it in order that I might gain Christ
24:43	and hear the important words and be
24:45	found in him not having a righteousness
24:49	of my own that comes from the law
24:53	but that which comes through faith in
24:55	Christ
24:56	the righteousness that is from God
24:59	and depends on faith
25:03	so let me ask you again
25:04	does your righteousness exceed that of
25:08	the scribes and Pharisees
25:10	of course because you’ve been given the
25:13	righteousness of God Christ’s
25:15	righteousness as a gift you are found in
25:17	him not having a righteousness of your
25:20	own that comes from the law
25:23	so your righteousness does exceed that
25:26	of the scribes and Pharisees because
25:28	Christ
25:29	is your righteousness
25:31	this is why Paul in our epistle text
25:33	said to the church in Corinth I decided
25:36	to know nothing except Jesus Christ and
25:39	him crucified
25:41	because he is our righteousness he is
25:44	the one who makes us light
25:46	makes us salt he is the one who’s
25:49	brought us to be poor in spirit he is
25:51	the one who’s caused us to mourn over
25:53	our sin and to receive peace and mercy
25:56	from God
25:58	so let us
26:00	rejoice
26:02	and the great gift that we have in
26:04	Christ’s righteousness that we have Tran
26:06	been transferred from the Dominion of
26:08	Darkness to the kingdom of his light and
26:10	let us walk as children of the light
26:13	because we already are in the name of
26:16	Jesus
26:17	amen

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