Series A – Seventh Sunday After the Epiphany – Sunday, February 19, 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 38 through 48. |
| 0:34 | Jesus said |
| 0:36 | you have heard that it was said an eye |
| 0:39 | for an eye a tooth for a tooth |
| 0:41 | but I say to you do not resist the one |
| 0:44 | who is evil if anyone slaps you on the |
| 0:47 | right cheek turn to him the other Also |
| 0:48 | if anyone would sue you and take your |
| 0:51 | tunic let him have your cloak as well |
| 0:53 | and if anyone forces you to go one mile |
| 0:56 | go with him two miles give to the one |
| 0:57 | who begs from you do not refuse the one |
| 1:01 | who would borrow from you you have heard |
| 1:03 | that it was said You shall love your |
| 1:05 | neighbor and hate your enemy but I say |
| 1:07 | to you love your enemies and pray for |
| 1:10 | those who persecute you so that you may |
| 1:13 | be sons of your father who is in heaven |
| 1:14 | for he makes the sun to rise on the evil |
| 1:17 | and on the good he sends rain on the |
| 1:20 | just and the unjust for if you love |
| 1:23 | those who love you what reward do you |
| 1:25 | have do not even the tax collectors do |
| 1:28 | the same and if you greet only your |
| 1:30 | brothers what more are you doing than |
| 1:32 | others do not even the Gentiles do the |
| 1:35 | same you therefore must be perfect as |
| 1:39 | your heavenly father is perfect |
| 1:42 | in the name of Jesus |
| 1:44 | all right to help us out a little bit |
| 1:46 | here I’m going to reach into a movie |
| 1:49 | illustration |
| 1:50 | one of my favorite movies of all time |
| 1:53 | is that wonderful classic The Princess |
| 1:55 | Bride |
| 1:57 | great movie |
| 1:58 | inconceivable is it not but if you |
| 2:01 | remember there is a character in The |
| 2:03 | Princess Bride and his name is Inigo |
| 2:05 | Montoya Inigo Montoya is a Spaniard who |
| 2:08 | when when he was just a little lad there |
| 2:11 | was a six-fingered evil man who killed |
| 2:14 | his father |
| 2:16 | over a sword |
| 2:17 | and so Inigo Montoya now as an adult has |
| 2:20 | made it his mission in life to find the |
| 2:24 | six-fingered man and to kill him to |
| 2:27 | exact Justice I’m familiar with the |
| 2:30 | story and if you remember Inigo Montoya |
| 2:32 | in rehearsing what he would do when he |
| 2:35 | finally met the six-fingered man he said |
| 2:38 | I will say to him hello my name is Inigo |
| 2:42 | Montoya you killed my father prepare to |
| 2:46 | die |
| 2:46 | yeah this great line great line and so |
| 2:49 | as the story unfolds |
| 2:52 | that moment actually happens there it is |
| 2:56 | Inigo Montoya confronts the six-fingered |
| 3:00 | man Justice is about to be served and he |
| 3:03 | says to him hello my name is Inigo |
| 3:06 | Montoya you killed my father prepare to |
| 3:08 | die and what does the six-fingered man |
| 3:10 | do |
| 3:13 | runs away |
| 3:15 | what a terrible moment I mean this is |
| 3:17 | not how this is supposed to work now to |
| 3:19 | help us out a little bit here I want you |
| 3:22 | to imagine that well God’s holy law is |
| 3:27 | like Inigo Montoya he is out there |
| 3:31 | hunting down the one who has |
| 3:34 | transgressed God’s holy law but to make |
| 3:37 | things really awkward |
| 3:39 | that’s you |
| 3:42 | you are the six-fingered man or |
| 3:45 | depending you are the six-fingered woman |
| 3:47 | and so the law is hunting you down and |
| 3:50 | is rehearsing these lines hello I am the |
| 3:52 | law of God you have transgressed his |
| 3:54 | holy law prepare to die because after |
| 3:57 | all the wages of sin is |
| 3:59 | death |
| 4:01 | now put that way we don’t like Inigo |
| 4:04 | Montoya or God’s law so well do we well |
| 4:07 | this is going to help us a little bit |
| 4:09 | here |
| 4:10 | remember Jesus’s words at the tail end |
| 4:12 | of our gospel today |
| 4:13 | you therefore must be perfect |
| 4:17 | as your heavenly father is perfect |
| 4:21 | is this a promise or is a is it a threat |
| 4:26 | well it kind of depends doesn’t it so |
| 4:29 | we’re going to take a look at this and |
| 4:31 | we’re going to first go through this |
| 4:33 | understanding something very important |
| 4:35 | about God’s law |
| 4:37 | and that is that God’s law |
| 4:40 | always accuses |
| 4:43 | it always accuses us because we |
| 4:47 | daily |
| 4:48 | fall short |
| 4:50 | we do not love God with our whole heart |
| 4:54 | and we do not truly love our neighbors |
| 4:56 | as ourselves and as a result of it God’s |
| 4:59 | holy law is always accusing and ready to |
| 5:03 | strike and to kill |
| 5:05 | but as we will see |
| 5:08 | that is not the only thing God’s law |
| 5:12 | does it doesn’t only accuse it always |
| 5:16 | accuses but not only we’ll talk about |
| 5:19 | that so let’s return to Our Gospel text |
| 5:22 | prepare to die |
| 5:25 | Jesus said you have heard that it was |
| 5:27 | said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a |
| 5:30 | tooth this comes right right out of the |
| 5:31 | Mosaic Covenant it’s important to note |
| 5:33 | something here that when it comes to |
| 5:35 | Justice God’s law forbids escalation of |
| 5:39 | hostilities |
| 5:41 | think about that for a second |
| 5:43 | Jesus says I say to you do not resist |
| 5:45 | the one who is evil |
| 5:47 | a little bit of a note here Jesus does |
| 5:50 | not mean here that if you are walking |
| 5:55 | down the street and somebody mugs you or |
| 5:59 | if you’re a woman and they want to rape |
| 6:01 | you that you just go ahead and let it go |
| 6:03 | on without a fight that’s not what he’s |
| 6:05 | talking about here there are other |
| 6:07 | passages that help us in this case this |
| 6:09 | is not necessarily talking about |
| 6:11 | lawlessness or that Christians somehow |
| 6:14 | have no right to defend themselves |
| 6:16 | that’s not what he’s saying I have to |
| 6:18 | say that so there’s no confusion but I |
| 6:20 | want you to hear what he says |
| 6:22 | do not resist the one who’s evil if |
| 6:24 | anyone slaps you on the right cheek turn |
| 6:26 | to him the other also |
| 6:28 | and if anyone would sue you and take |
| 6:30 | your tunic let him have your cloak as |
| 6:33 | well and we read this and we are |
| 6:36 | thinking |
| 6:37 | come on seriously Jesus this guy over |
| 6:39 | here wants to sue the pants off me and |
| 6:41 | you want me to give him my shirt too |
| 6:44 | if anyone forces you to go one mile go |
| 6:48 | with him two miles |
| 6:51 | now the context in which Jesus is saying |
| 6:53 | this this becomes a little bit galling |
| 6:55 | if you know your Judean first century |
| 6:58 | history then you know that Israel at |
| 7:01 | this time is occupied by the Roman |
| 7:03 | Empire and the Roman soldiers and the |
| 7:05 | Roman Empire have a law a rule and |
| 7:08 | here’s how the law goes if you are out |
| 7:10 | there working your field doing what you |
| 7:12 | do as a farmer day in or day out or |
| 7:13 | happen to be walking down the road when |
| 7:15 | a Garrison of Roman soldiers comes by a |
| 7:18 | Roman soldier can literally pick you out |
| 7:20 | and say Hey you |
| 7:21 | come over here |
| 7:23 | what |
| 7:24 | I want you to carry my gear |
| 7:26 | you are obligated by law to carry that |
| 7:30 | gear for that Roman soldier for one mile |
| 7:35 | if you think about it if you walk at an |
| 7:37 | average pace that’s 15 minutes one way |
| 7:42 | 15 minutes back half hour of your time |
| 7:45 | Jesus says when those hated Roman |
| 7:48 | soldiers ask you to walk one mile with |
| 7:51 | them when you get to the mile marker you |
| 7:53 | say you know I got nothing better to do |
| 7:55 | why don’t I go another Mile with you |
| 7:59 | what |
| 8:00 | with the Romans theories that’s what |
| 8:03 | he’s getting at |
| 8:04 | give to the one who begs from you |
| 8:07 | do not refuse the one who would borrow |
| 8:10 | from you |
| 8:12 | notice all of this presupposes the |
| 8:15 | Supreme love |
| 8:17 | for your neighbor |
| 8:18 | you have heard that it was says you |
| 8:20 | shall love your neighbor and hate your |
| 8:21 | enemy and I say who said that |
| 8:25 | that sounds like Islam |
| 8:27 | that you’re not going to find that in |
| 8:28 | the Old Testament the Old Testament |
| 8:30 | doesn’t say that so my question is who’s |
| 8:32 | talking this way but Jesus says to you |
| 8:34 | are you ready |
| 8:35 | love your enemies |
| 8:39 | pray for those who persecute you |
| 8:42 | so that you may be sons of your father |
| 8:44 | who is in heaven and here’s the reason |
| 8:46 | why pay attention to the lesson that God |
| 8:49 | is teaching you from the rain itself |
| 8:53 | and from the son God makes his son to |
| 8:58 | rise on the evil and the good could you |
| 9:02 | imagine if God only caused sunlight to |
| 9:04 | fall where there were good people |
| 9:07 | what a dark planet we’d have |
| 9:09 | or if he only caused rain to fall where |
| 9:13 | the crops of those who are Christians |
| 9:15 | were growing |
| 9:16 | I think we’d be experiencing Global Food |
| 9:19 | shortages rather quickly in the world |
| 9:21 | itself would quickly begin to look like |
| 9:24 | the Sahara Desert would it not |
| 9:26 | but see this is to show us of God’s |
| 9:29 | mercy and his love even for his enemies |
| 9:34 | see he causes the rain to fall on the |
| 9:36 | good and he sends the rain on the just |
| 9:38 | and the unjust and if you love those who |
| 9:40 | love you what we were what reward will |
| 9:43 | you have do not even the tax collectors |
| 9:45 | do the same |
| 9:47 | ouch that hurts we all know how |
| 9:50 | evil they are and if you greet only your |
| 9:53 | brothers what more do you have what more |
| 9:55 | are you doing than others do not even |
| 9:57 | the Gentiles do the same |
| 9:59 | you therefore |
| 10:02 | let me re-translate this the Greek is a |
| 10:05 | little bit different |
| 10:06 | you will be perfect |
| 10:09 | as your heavenly father is perfect |
| 10:13 | the is there is Future |
| 10:16 | you will be perfect |
| 10:19 | as your heavenly father is perfect |
| 10:23 | hmm |
| 10:24 | combine this with last week’s gospel |
| 10:27 | text which was all law too you know now |
| 10:30 | we have this train of thought |
| 10:32 | oh you’ve heard that it said you know |
| 10:36 | don’t murder but I say to you if you |
| 10:38 | hate you’ve already murdered your |
| 10:39 | brother in your heart do not commit |
| 10:41 | adultery but I say to you if you’ve even |
| 10:44 | looked with lust and another person |
| 10:46 | you’ve already committed adultery with |
| 10:49 | that person |
| 10:50 | combine all of this together and now |
| 10:53 | comes the death plunge you shall be |
| 10:58 | perfect as your heavenly father is |
| 11:00 | perfect |
| 11:02 | and there’s God’s law |
| 11:04 | literally saying |
| 11:07 | I am going to kill you |
| 11:11 | and what do you do at this point |
| 11:13 | it’s accusing you |
| 11:17 | like the six-fingered man |
| 11:20 | pick up your skirt |
| 11:23 | turn around and run as quickly as you |
| 11:26 | can away from the law |
| 11:27 | what do you do this thing wants to kill |
| 11:30 | you |
| 11:32 | answer |
| 11:35 | stand your ground |
| 11:37 | let it kill you that’s what it’s |
| 11:40 | supposed to do |
| 11:43 | God’s holy law after killing you will |
| 11:46 | lay your dead carcass at the feet of |
| 11:48 | Jesus and that’s a good place to be |
| 11:51 | so there’s the plunge |
| 11:53 | the death plunge be perfect and you’re |
| 11:56 | not |
| 11:56 | I’m not |
| 11:58 | anyone sitting there going but I’m |
| 11:59 | really close I’m you know like really |
| 12:01 | close on a scale of like one to a |
| 12:03 | hundred I’m like a good 92 93 I’m almost |
| 12:06 | there |
| 12:07 | now when I was |
| 12:10 | a legalist I’ll say it that way |
| 12:13 | the church that I attended |
| 12:16 | this was their Central verse be perfect |
| 12:19 | as your heavenly father is perfect this |
| 12:21 | is the one we had beaten into us Sunday |
| 12:24 | after Sunday from the pulpit be perfect |
| 12:27 | and when you hear that be perfect be |
| 12:30 | perfect be perfect be perfect what do |
| 12:32 | you do because there’s God’s holy loss |
| 12:34 | screaming at you and you know you’re not |
| 12:36 | pulling it off and I hate to say this |
| 12:38 | but I kind of fell for this there was a |
| 12:40 | group of people in the congregation who |
| 12:42 | you know for a long time actually have |
| 12:45 | come up with a way to make it appear as |
| 12:48 | if they were pulling this off |
| 12:50 | and it wasn’t that they actually kept |
| 12:52 | the law it’s that they got under the |
| 12:54 | hood and retooled the requirements and |
| 12:58 | so it became something like this |
| 13:00 | well be perfect as your heavenly father |
| 13:03 | is perfect well I’m pulling it off |
| 13:05 | because I’ve given up dancing |
| 13:07 | really you’ve given up dancing whoa |
| 13:08 | that’s that’s amazing oh what I don’t |
| 13:10 | play cards anymore either whoa you don’t |
| 13:13 | even play cards and I stopped going to |
| 13:15 | the movies anything above a g rating I |
| 13:17 | never go to |
| 13:19 | wow you’re so much like Jesus |
| 13:22 | oh and I don’t smoke and I don’t chew |
| 13:24 | and I’ve given up scotch |
| 13:27 | whoo that’s quite the thing oh and I |
| 13:30 | burned all my |
| 13:31 | secular music |
| 13:35 | is that person actually closer to |
| 13:37 | keeping the standard now granted there |
| 13:39 | are certain things we probably may not |
| 13:41 | want to be filling our minds with this |
| 13:43 | is true |
| 13:44 | certain things we don’t want to be |
| 13:45 | looking at this is most certainly true |
| 13:48 | but |
| 13:49 | am I closer to keeping the standard |
| 13:53 | because I don’t play cards I don’t drink |
| 13:55 | Scotch I don’t smoke and I burned my |
| 13:58 | Beatles White Album |
| 14:00 | by the way I did that that’s just |
| 14:01 | terrible I can’t believe I did that I I |
| 14:03 | I’ve been absolved of it I did it when I |
| 14:05 | was a teenager so you know |
| 14:08 | am I closer to being |
| 14:10 | holy and perfect because I’ve done all |
| 14:13 | this no and so what ends up happening is |
| 14:16 | is that where you only hear God’s law |
| 14:19 | and not the gospel |
| 14:21 | people are pushed against the wall and |
| 14:24 | so they come up with their own standard |
| 14:27 | by which they then can say hot see I’m |
| 14:30 | doing it I’m doing it |
| 14:32 | and you sit there and and unfortunately |
| 14:35 | when I was younger I thought wow I got |
| 14:37 | to be more like that I got to do that |
| 14:38 | too |
| 14:39 | and you know what it doesn’t work that’s |
| 14:41 | not the standard because what’s Jesus |
| 14:43 | talking about what’s he describing is he |
| 14:46 | describing somebody who’s not a card |
| 14:48 | player who doesn’t dance |
| 14:50 | it may be that you just don’t have time |
| 14:52 | and you’re a Norwegian so |
| 14:55 | so that doesn’t make you more like Jesus |
| 14:59 | or is it even close to perfect Jesus is |
| 15:02 | describing somebody who selflessly loves |
| 15:08 | God and others |
| 15:12 | that’s different altogether |
| 15:15 | you see the scripture doesn’t say |
| 15:17 | they’ll know we are Christians by our |
| 15:21 | non-card playing |
| 15:23 | doesn’t say that they’ll know where |
| 15:25 | Christians by are |
| 15:27 | love |
| 15:28 | let’s see |
| 15:30 | there it is again I’m not doing this |
| 15:33 | perfectly and so there’s law I’m going |
| 15:36 | to kill you you’re dead |
| 15:39 | let it kill you |
| 15:41 | you’re right law I haven’t done this |
| 15:45 | right I don’t do this right and I’m |
| 15:50 | pretty sure that tomorrow I’m not going |
| 15:52 | to do it right either in fact when it |
| 15:54 | came New Year’s resolution time this |
| 15:57 | year I made the same resolution I made |
| 15:59 | last year and that is that I resolved |
| 16:02 | that I wouldn’t make a resolution |
| 16:03 | when all if this is what I got to do in |
| 16:06 | order to be saved then I should have |
| 16:07 | resolved that I’m gonna be perfect |
| 16:11 | but how does one make oneself perfect |
| 16:16 | can you do that |
| 16:19 | hmm |
| 16:21 | let’s try another approach to this then |
| 16:23 | so let the law kill you that’s what it’s |
| 16:26 | supposed to do but let me give you some |
| 16:28 | encouraging words remember the whole |
| 16:31 | Bathsheba |
| 16:33 | Uriah the hittite thing that happened |
| 16:36 | with David and he vetted her he better |
| 16:40 | Bathsheba impregnated Bathsheba then |
| 16:42 | murdered |
| 16:43 | her husband and then married Bathsheba |
| 16:47 | nobody knew except for God and remember |
| 16:49 | when Nathan the prophet confronts David |
| 16:52 | with his sin |
| 16:54 | what does David do does he turn tail and |
| 16:57 | run and blame somebody else and all this |
| 16:59 | kind of stuff no actually he says |
| 17:02 | no you’re right |
| 17:05 | I have sinned against God |
| 17:10 | that’s what he says |
| 17:11 | and what is Nathan the prophet say look |
| 17:13 | it up in first Samuel 12. Nathan says |
| 17:17 | God has put away your sin |
| 17:20 | you will not die |
| 17:22 | direct quote from Nathan the prophet |
| 17:25 | and this is because of Christ consider |
| 17:27 | this now let me work back through this |
| 17:28 | text just a little bit |
| 17:30 | Jesus said you have heard that it was |
| 17:32 | that an eye for an eye a tooth for a |
| 17:33 | tooth I say to you do not resist the one |
| 17:36 | who is evil |
| 17:39 | we do this |
| 17:40 | but see Jesus |
| 17:42 | kept this perfectly for us |
| 17:47 | he did not resist evil at all in fact |
| 17:52 | when evil arrested him |
| 17:55 | and put him on trial |
| 17:56 | he didn’t even raise his voice in his |
| 17:59 | own defense |
| 18:01 | and when evil |
| 18:05 | punched him in the face |
| 18:07 | and beat him |
| 18:09 | and scourged him |
| 18:11 | Jesus perfectly turned his other cheek |
| 18:15 | to make sure that they punched that one |
| 18:16 | as well |
| 18:18 | and |
| 18:22 | he gave them |
| 18:23 | his clothes |
| 18:25 | Roman soldiers gambled them away while |
| 18:28 | he was on the cross |
| 18:29 | you see here in this text we see a |
| 18:32 | picture |
| 18:33 | of the one |
| 18:35 | who kept God’s law perfectly for us |
| 18:40 | and that’s Christ |
| 18:42 | he was the one who didn’t resist evil |
| 18:44 | but let evil have its way with him |
| 18:47 | and when he was forced |
| 18:50 | to walk the distance |
| 18:52 | up to Golgotha with his own cross he |
| 18:55 | would have gone the whole distance |
| 18:56 | except for his legs |
| 18:58 | gave out his body gave out because of |
| 19:00 | the beating that he suffered and that |
| 19:02 | beating that he suffered |
| 19:04 | that was for you |
| 19:06 | it was for me |
| 19:08 | you see and the reason why is simple |
| 19:11 | because |
| 19:13 | Jesus never turns a deaf ear from the |
| 19:16 | one who begs from him |
| 19:18 | and we in our sinful miserable state |
| 19:22 | have begged God to be merciful to us |
| 19:26 | and so he has not given out on loan his |
| 19:31 | grace |
| 19:32 | he’s given it to us freely |
| 19:35 | as a gift |
| 19:36 | which means we never have to pay it back |
| 19:40 | you see in God’s law |
| 19:42 | we see |
| 19:44 | not just its accusing finger |
| 19:47 | but we also begin to see the actual love |
| 19:51 | and character of God for us |
| 19:56 | and see that’s what I mean when I say it |
| 19:58 | always accuses but it doesn’t only |
| 19:59 | accuse and so for those of us who have |
| 20:02 | heard the Absolution those of us who’ve |
| 20:06 | been brought to penitent faith in Christ |
| 20:08 | who trust in him for their salvation not |
| 20:11 | their own good works God’s law now takes |
| 20:15 | on a different role it reveals to us the |
| 20:18 | will of God it shows us his character |
| 20:21 | and in a very real way gives us an |
| 20:24 | eschatological promise I would have you |
| 20:26 | consider these words from our Old |
| 20:28 | Testament text in Leviticus 19 starting |
| 20:30 | in verse 9. When God says when you reap |
| 20:34 | the Harvest of your land talking to the |
| 20:36 | children of Israel you shall not reap |
| 20:38 | your field right up to its Edge neither |
| 20:40 | shall you gather the gleanings after the |
| 20:42 | Harvest you shall not strip your |
| 20:44 | Vineyard bear neither shall you gather |
| 20:46 | the Fallen Grapes of your Vineyard you |
| 20:48 | shall leave them for the poor for the |
| 20:50 | Sojourner I am Yahweh your God |
| 20:55 | think about that |
| 20:57 | the First Nation |
| 20:59 | in human history to have a true welfare |
| 21:03 | system that wasn’t just a handout so the |
| 21:06 | people can sit there in front of the |
| 21:08 | television and do nothing |
| 21:11 | but that the poor would actually be |
| 21:13 | cared for |
| 21:15 | is Israel |
| 21:18 | and in this you see God’s love and mercy |
| 21:22 | to take care of even the least Among Us |
| 21:27 | the most in need Among Us and it’s |
| 21:30 | through this law that the Messiah |
| 21:33 | himself was able to come to us without |
| 21:37 | this mercy of God in his own law |
| 21:41 | we wouldn’t have a savior |
| 21:43 | and you say how so read the story of |
| 21:45 | Ruth |
| 21:46 | Ruth was a moabitus she was a widow |
| 21:51 | and her and her mother-in-law Naomi they |
| 21:53 | lost their husbands while they were in |
| 21:55 | Moab and when they came back to Israel |
| 21:57 | they were absolutely poverty stricken |
| 22:01 | and Boaz |
| 22:03 | the son of Rahab The Prostitute by the |
| 22:07 | way do the genealogical work |
| 22:10 | the son of Rahab the prostitute |
| 22:12 | while he’s out harvesting his field |
| 22:16 | there is Ruth |
| 22:19 | the moabitus The Foreigner the Sojourner |
| 22:22 | the one who has absolutely nothing but |
| 22:26 | you see she’s the great great great |
| 22:28 | great great |
| 22:29 | grandmother of Jesus |
| 22:32 | and while she is out |
| 22:34 | in his field |
| 22:38 | God has Mercy on her with this law |
| 22:42 | but not only that |
| 22:43 | Boaz himself has Mercy on her seeing her |
| 22:46 | gleaning he says to his workers you |
| 22:50 | don’t trouble her you leave her alone |
| 22:52 | and while you’re out harvesting you make |
| 22:55 | sure to drop a little bit more on the |
| 22:57 | ground so that she has more to take home |
| 23:00 | this shows us |
| 23:02 | the love and character of God and it |
| 23:06 | shows us our lack of love for our |
| 23:09 | neighbor but shows us God’s perfect love |
| 23:12 | for us and without this law we would |
| 23:14 | have no savior |
| 23:16 | but we do |
| 23:18 | and the story is absolutely |
| 23:20 | beautiful |
| 23:21 | it’s beautiful because it shows how God |
| 23:25 | loves and cares for each of us |
| 23:29 | and he loves us even when we are at our |
| 23:32 | worst Romans 5 says that God |
| 23:35 | demonstrates his love for us and that |
| 23:37 | while we were yet sinners |
| 23:40 | Christ died for our sins |
| 23:43 | while we were enemies |
| 23:45 | God dies for us and so when we look at |
| 23:48 | God’s law that always accuses us because |
| 23:50 | we fall short because of our sin |
| 23:53 | and we see phrases you shall not steal |
| 23:55 | you shall not deal falsely you shall not |
| 23:57 | lie to one another the reason for this |
| 24:00 | is simple |
| 24:02 | is because love for neighbor would never |
| 24:04 | take from neighbor |
| 24:06 | love for neighbor would never permit you |
| 24:09 | to deal falsely with your neighbor and |
| 24:11 | deceive him |
| 24:12 | because God never takes |
| 24:16 | God never deals falsely God doesn’t lie |
| 24:20 | God doesn’t swear falsely and God |
| 24:23 | doesn’t oppress |
| 24:27 | and so that law that wants to kill us |
| 24:30 | now that we have been buried with Christ |
| 24:34 | raised with him in the waters of baptism |
| 24:36 | been absolved forgiven |
| 24:39 | God’s law now although it still wants to |
| 24:42 | constantly accuse us Christ has caused |
| 24:45 | it to put its sword in its sheath it can |
| 24:48 | no longer do that to you |
| 24:51 | instead now that cranky law that we were |
| 24:54 | terrified of |
| 24:57 | take a closer look |
| 24:58 | in it you see the very love and |
| 25:01 | character of God |
| 25:03 | so what do we do |
| 25:04 | as Christians |
| 25:06 | in the now and the not yet that’s where |
| 25:09 | we are right now where we walk by faith |
| 25:11 | and not by sight where we still have our |
| 25:14 | sinful nature who well that sinful |
| 25:16 | nature of ours only wants to take care |
| 25:19 | of itself |
| 25:20 | think about number one but you are a new |
| 25:23 | creation in Christ and so what we are |
| 25:25 | called to by Christ himself |
| 25:29 | is to daily deny ourselves |
| 25:32 | take up our cross follow Christ |
| 25:36 | put our sinful Natures to death |
| 25:39 | begin practicing now remember the words |
| 25:41 | that I said and I noted the what the |
| 25:43 | Greek actually says Jesus’s words you |
| 25:48 | will be perfect |
| 25:51 | future tense |
| 25:53 | as your heavenly father is perfect |
| 25:56 | so in the now and the not yet while we |
| 25:58 | long for and wait for the Redemption of |
| 26:01 | our bodies |
| 26:02 | that day when we will no longer |
| 26:06 | be subjected to sin and falling short |
| 26:09 | and having to plead for God’s |
| 26:11 | forgiveness day in and day out |
| 26:14 | in this time we now look at Jesus’s |
| 26:17 | words you will be perfect that’s what it |
| 26:19 | says in the Greek you will be and we see |
| 26:21 | it for what it is promised |
| 26:23 | there is a day coming brothers and |
| 26:25 | sisters |
| 26:26 | and if you are alive to see it with your |
| 26:28 | own eyes glorious will be the day and if |
| 26:31 | well you fall asleep in the meantime and |
| 26:34 | we have to put you in the graveyard |
| 26:36 | don’t worry you’ll still see it with |
| 26:37 | your eyes because he’ll call you from |
| 26:39 | the grave and when you are raised from |
| 26:41 | the grave you will be perfect |
| 26:44 | as your heavenly father is perfect we |
| 26:47 | will then again as a race perfectly |
| 26:50 | reflect the image of God |
| 26:53 | there will be no lies we will beat our |
| 26:57 | plows and our swords into plowshares we |
| 27:01 | will always speak the truth to each |
| 27:04 | other perfectly love each other |
| 27:06 | perfectly love God there will be no more |
| 27:09 | curse no more sinning No More Death no |
| 27:11 | more disease no more pain no more guilt |
| 27:15 | all of that |
| 27:17 | goes away |
| 27:19 | so when Jesus says you will be perfect |
| 27:22 | as your heavenly father is perfect is it |
| 27:25 | threat or is it promise |
| 27:28 | well it depends |
| 27:31 | are you dead |
| 27:33 | and made alive in Christ |
| 27:36 | or are you still trying to run away from |
| 27:38 | the law and not let it kill you |
| 27:40 | do you trust in Jesus |
| 27:42 | are you looking for the resurrection of |
| 27:44 | the dead and the life of the world to |
| 27:45 | come well now it’s promised if you are |
| 27:48 | impenitent and you stubbornly stay in |
| 27:50 | your sins and refuse to trust Christ |
| 27:53 | refuse to admit that you’re a sinner |
| 27:56 | well |
| 27:57 | then it’s the threat |
| 28:01 | you see the difference |
| 28:03 | it always accuses |
| 28:05 | but it doesn’t only accuse in the name |
| 28:08 | of Jesus |
| 28:09 | amen |
| If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, you can do so by sending a tax-free donation to: Kongsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Ave NW, Oslo, MN 56744 We thank you for your support. All of our teaching messages may be freely distributed as long as you do not edit or change the content of the message, and, again, thank you for listening. |
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