Daily Dressed In Christ's Forgiveness! Eph. 4:22-28

The Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity                              6-October-2024

Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:22-28

Sermon Theme: “Daily Dressed In Christ’s Forgiveness!”

I. In Jesus We Daily Die To Live! (Vs.22-24). II. Jesus Frees Our Tongues From The Lie! (Vs.25). III. Jesus Fills Us With His Heart! (Vs.26-27). IV. Jesus Fills Us With His Love! (Vs.28) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. Imagine going into surgery to have your diseased gall bladder removed and waking up discovering the surgeon had removed a healthy kidney instead. Some people fearing physician error in knee replacements will take a permanent pen and write “This One” on the failing knee, and “Not This One” on the healthy knee. Human beings err. Medical doctors are not omniscient, they aren’t gods who have the power to heal. They practice, administer therapies to treat illness, but only God can heal.

     Jesus is our great Heavenly Physician. He cares for body and soul. He is the God/Man - the Perfect Physician. He knows our bodies for He formed them from the dust of the earth. He knows our souls for He breathed into us the Lord and Giver of Life- The Holy Spirit. We were created alive as God the Father’s beloved children through Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Does He get our diagnosis wrong?

    Four men carry a paralyzed man to Jesus for healing. Medical doctor and historian Luke, along with John Mark report that these men go at great lengths to bring their friend to Jesus. Peter’s house where Jesus is preaching is full, they can’t get through the crowd. They don’t give up, instead they carry their paralyzed friend up to the flat roof above Jesus. While He preaches they carefully open a hole in the roof. Then use ropes to lower the dead weight of their paralyzed friend to Jesus feet. All they wanted the Lord to say was “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” Our Great Physician performs a greater healing, “Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven!”

   What! Did Jesus operate on the wrong malady of this paralyzed man? Doesn’t He understand what I need to live now? My fallen reason corrupted by sin is certain that I know what I need for life! I want my cancer gone, my children reconciled, my dead loved ones raised, my spouse to listen, my illnesses to vanish, my depression to vanish, my candidate to win, my bank account to be filled - then I could really live! Like Jacob we want to steal the blessings from our brother by crafty plans. We are torn away from our family by our falsehood, anger, and thievery. Left alone wandering in the wilderness as the darkness increases with a rock for pillow. Jacob isn’t alone in the darkness and despair his deceit earned. Jesus comes seeking His lost sheep. He is the only Ladder reconciling our fallen world to our heavenly Father. Listen! Jesus tells pious Nathanael, “Joh 1:51 .., "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

     You are not alone in your despair, deceit, sin, and death. The Ladder. The Good Shepherd. The Heavenly Physician. Jesus is here - wake up and confess: Gen 28:16-17 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." (17) And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"Let God the Holy Spirit daily and richly call you by the Gospel. Daily and richly enlighten you with His gifts. Daily and richly sanctify you. Daily and richly keep you in the One True Faith in Jesus with the whole Church! Be: “Daily Dressed In Christ’s Forgiveness!” I. In Jesus We Daily Die To Live! (Vs.22-24). II. Jesus Frees Our Tongues From The Lie! (Vs.25). III. Jesus Fills Us With His Heart! (Vs.26-27). IV. Jesus Fills Us With His Love! (Vs.28)

I. Last week God the Holy Spirit taught us through the Holy Scriptures of the war we face. Satan, the fallen angel, and his corrupted angel demon army relentlessly attack - for their days are numbered and their head was crushed by the pierced heal of Jesus nailed to tree on Calvary.

     Ephesians is God the Holy Spirit teaching us through the pen of St. Paul of Christ’s One Church in this world. Why come to Church? Today we learn we come to die! This offends our imagined self-goodness. We want to be healthy, wealthy, wise, and ever increasing in numbers. Satan, dresses up as a white devil, a spiritual devil - for the last century and a half he has peddled the lie that we can increase Christ’s Church by giving the people what they want. The Lie that if we become more worldly, then the world will fill our pews. God the Holy Spirit calls us to be counter cultural - listen: Eph 4:17-19 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, (18) having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; (19) who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. American culture is dead! Jesus lives the Victory’s Won! We are a nation past feeling. We have sold ourselves to lewdness, adopted a culture of death and butchery. Slaughtering our babies, mutilating healthy bodies to fulfill our felt needs - we work all uncleanness with greed.

       Repent! The greatest healing our nation needs is found only in Jesus - the Truth, the Way, the Life! Dr. Luther wrote: 43] For consider, if there were somewhere a physician who understood the art of saving men from dying, or, even though they died, of restoring them speedily to life, so that they would thereafter live forever, how the world would pour in money like snow and rain, so that because of the throng of the rich no one could find access! But here in Baptism there is brought free to every one's door such a treasure and medicine as utterly destroys death and preserves all men alive.” Daily live your baptism! (Vs.22-24) What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. “

     Our Great Physician heals us by His sacrifice. The debt of your sins is removed for Jesus willingly took them all into Himself. He suffered the eternal hell you deserved - forsaken by the Father. He surrendered His life into your death. He did it all for you! Take heart! He forgives! His blood alone cleanses you from all sins! Baptism’s rosy waters wash you forgiven today! Daily the Holy Spirit clothes you with Jesus’ righteousness in your baptism. It is His sacrifice on Good Friday! His rest in the grave! His bursting death’s bonds forever early Sunday morning! This is yours! You live by dying!

      Rising every morning you take off your pajamas as you prepare for the day. Daily put off the old man - your former conduct - as you hear Jesus’ promise of new life - “In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” sealed upon you by His cross. The old man - only rots - he is dead in sin, walking dead following the dark prince of the power of the air at work in the sons of disobedience. He loves the lie that following his own lusts is really living. He lusts for power, sex, money, mammon - only to be chained ever tighter by sin! Drown the old Adam by daily sorrow for your sin - not loving God above all things - not loving your neighbor as yourself.

     Daily be renewed in the spirt of your mind! Confess the Truth the Holy Spirit teaches in Christ to bring us to the Father throughout His written Word! The Father is our Creator - your body isn’t a mistake - He cares for, provides, and protects you from all evil. Government is His mask to preserve order, but it has no authority apart from Him. Jesus the God/Man is your Lord! He has bought you back from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil. His Holy precious blood is washed upon you, fed you, forgives you - you are His own! Live in His Kingdom daily made new in His righteousness and purity. God the Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of your life! You believe because He is constantly at work in your ears, heart, and life through the Holy Bible. He brings you to Church that you might be daily and richly forgiven. He will complete your baptism on the last day - safely keep your body in the chamber of your grave to awaken you to life eternal - to see what Christ has already won and given you in baptism.

II.  By the Father’s grace, the Son’s sacrifice, the Holy Spirit’s indwelling you are daily renewed. Jesus is in you! Paul preaches: 2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” Lord, open my lips! (Vs.25) Free my tongue Jesus, to be Your’s! Wash it new daily, Holy Spirit - not to deceive as Jacob - but to speak Truth to my neighbor. Let me not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! To shine the Light of Truth upon the darkness of our age. Even if it costs me my life and all I own - let me never surrender the truth for friendship with the world. No fake news in the Church!

    In Christ’s Church we are members of one another. One body - we must speak the Truth to one another - lies divide - the Truth of the Holy Bible unites, Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; (5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; (6) one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

III. Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Is the daily prayer of the baptized! (Vs.26-27). The world seethes with anger, our old adam loves it, the devil fuels it with lie upon lie. It isn’t social media’s fault - it is our denial of original sin and its corruption of our human hearts. The imagination of our hearts is evil continually. We need a new heart - not of stony self-will, but of the flesh of Jesus!

      Daily the Holy Spirit in baptism transplants Jesus’ beating heart of love into our bodies! Freed from anger - we pray for those who persecute us as Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them!” We turn the other cheek - for it is Christ in us that they hate. We are angered by sin, evil, and corruption that abuses fellow human beings - what do we do - as the sun sets we repeat baptismal words, the truth of reality - The Apostles’ Creed. Then we place it all into our Heavenly Father’s hands as Jesus prays with and through us to comfort us by the Holy Spirit. Then go to sleep at once and in good cheer.

IV. God is Love! The Father loves us fully in His Son renewing and comforting us daily as the Holy Spirit richly forgives us all our sins. Baptism gives eternal salvation - it is our gift and inheritance - ours by grace through faith. Receiving all for eternity by Jesus speaking us forgiven - we take up our beds and go home to serve our neighbor! (Vs.28)

       Mammon is the false idol of stuff - we think if we have money and possessions that God is well pleased and loves us. If we are left destitute we are certain that we are forsaken, so we plot to steal what our Father has given to another. No more! Forgiveness assures you that God is your dear Father and your are His dear child! Trust Him! Work not to pile of treasure that moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. Hurricane Helena shows how fast all we have can be swept away. Instead labor to serve and care for your neighbor. Be merciful like your Father in heaven - live by giving to those in need. Clothed in Christ’s forgiveness: “...go joyfully to your work, singing a hymn, like that of the Ten Commandments, or whatever your devotion may suggest.”Amen.