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Many are the blessings God has bestowed on our two congregations through the years, founded as Pilgrim Lutheran Church, in 1949, and as Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, in 1966. Can one even begin to imagine the number of babies baptized, of youth and adults confirmed, of couples married, and of loved ones buried, through the ministry of our congregations, over these last 65 years?
But the greatest blessing we have is the Word of God, and its message of God's gift of salvation, in our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a message that has now been proclaimed by the Christian Church for more than 20 centuries. It is a message, though, that sometimes was confused and unclear, and perhaps almost lost, more than once.
One of those times was back in the 16th century, when the Christian Church, of that day, so emphasized the good works that Christians should do, that many people tried to depend upon their own goodness, to get to heaven.
It was then, that God sent a pious young monk named Martin Luther, to study God’s Word, and rediscover, first of all for his own personal comfort, and salvation, the good news of God’s gift of heaven, through faith in Jesus.
Because Luther found this to be such comforting good news, he could not but spread it around, and so, tonight, in 2014, we celebrate the 497th anniversary of the day the Lutheran Reformation began, when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, his 95 statements for correcting errors, in the life of the Christian church of his day. The first verse of our First Reading tonight, “Then I saw another angel, flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation, and tribe, and language, and people” (ESV), has led some to think of the role God gave to Martin Luther.
What is it, then, that we believe, as Lutherans? We believe the teachings of God’s Word.
God’s Word says in tonight’s Second Reading, Romans 3:23, that “all have sinned, and fall short, of the glory of God,” (ESV). How true that is! As we approach yet another election day, this coming Tuesday, we see that in the leaders of our nation, no matter what political party they belong to. We see that, so often, in the evil in society, all around us. We see that in the breakdown of civility, in impoliteness and rudeness, evident in the young, and even in the old.
And, most of all, I see that, when I read God’s Commandments, and then look into my own heart. “The good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do,” (Romans 7:19, KJV). And the Bible tells me that is true of each of your hearts as well. Yet there is still hope, for you and me, for that day when each of us will stand before God, as the judge of all. Now, just what is that hope?
It is this: That God Himself has justified us, meaning that God has forgiven us. St. Paul proclaims, in verse 24: “(all) are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (ESV). What Good News this is: “in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them,” (2nd Corinthians 5:19, ESV). “For by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast,” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV).
What a precious thing it is, to realize, and keep on realizing, that forgiveness is given freely to you, and me, because of Jesus Christ. Yes, someone has to pay for it, but it was Jesus that took care of that – He did all the good work needed, and then He paid the price, for all our bad works. “For our sake, He made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God” (2nd Corinthians 5:21, ESV).
God’s Word also reminds us, in verse 22: “the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, for all who believe.” How do you find salvation? How do you find comfort and peace for your spirit and soul? God’s Holy Spirit empowers you to trust Jesus to be your Savior, to take care of it all for you, whatever “it all” may include.
But trusting, just trusting, is often such a hard thing to do for us, isn’t it? We trust others in life, parents, children, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and so forth, and often, our trust is sorely disappointed.
But God says, you can trust Him. He gives us many examples throughout His Word, Old and New Testaments, of how He can be depended on, to help people. His Holy Spirit works in you, through His Word, and His Sacraments, of Baptism and Holy Communion, to remind you of all He has personally done for you, already, in your life.
And, most of all, He lifts up His Son Jesus before us, dying on the cross for our sins, as the ultimate example, of how much He loves us. As St. Paul puts it, elsewhere in Romans, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up, for us all, how will He not also, with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, ESV).
And how can you be sure of this? Well, how can we really know anything for sure in life? If you are lost, in an unfamiliar town, and you stop to ask directions, how can you be sure, you will receive the right information? Has your GPS ever given you bad directions? (Mine has!) If you are sick, and you talk to the doctors, and different doctors say different things, how can you know, which is right? Can you even depend totally upon yourself? Or do your own memory, and body, also fail you?
Martin Luther would suggest that ultimately we can be sure, only of what God says to us, and that we can be sure, that the Bible is God’s true, and reliable, Word to us. If the Bible says it, then God says it, and of that, you can be sure. And so the Word brings us sure good news tonight, in verse 28: “For we hold that one is justified by faith, apart from works of the law.” The first two verses of our Third Reading, from John chapter 8, gives us Jesus’ good promise: “… If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” (ESV).
Verse 21 says, “But now, the righteousness of God has been manifested, apart from the law, although the Law, and the Prophets, bear witness to it,” (ESV). God’s Old Testament people were also saved by His grace, through faith, through their faith in the promise, of a Savior to come. All the Scriptures are full of Christ, either promises pointing forward to Him, or proclamations, pointing back to Him.
It is this belief that Martin Luther was led to rediscover, almost five hundred years ago now, and God has worked through him, and those who learned from him, to spread the good news of Jesus, to many others.
As a result of that spreading of the Good News of Jesus, our spiritual forefathers came to the United States, and continued to spread that Good News, so that it came, ultimately, to each of you.
It was a pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church, and some of her members, who brought about the founding of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, in Longview. God has gathered us here tonight, to celebrate this Good News of salvation, as a gift, through faith in Jesus. And now, God asks each of you to take a part, in that ongoing spreading of His message, ultimately to the ends of the earth.
Today God has blessed our Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod with open doors, to spread the Good News, in many foreign countries, and, in recent years, among many immigrants, and foreign college students, who have come here, to our own country. The opportunities continue to grow, every year.
So what is it that we believe? As a church body, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, as the congregations of Pilgrim Lutheran Church, in Kilgore, and Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, in Longview, and as individuals, we believe that we have been sent forth, by God’s blessing, to spread His Good News, of salvation, only by grace, only by faith, based only on Scripture, through Jesus Christ.
We pause tonight, to give Him thanks, for His many blessings upon us in the past, blessings as individual Lutherans, as members of our congregations, and as members of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. How greatly we have been blessed! Look at how much we have to share with others! Let’s be eager, to look for every opportunity, to share this good news with others, for we are sent forth, by God’s blessing! Amen.