"The Heart of The Lutheran Reformation!" Romans 3:19-28

The Festival of Reformation (Transposed)           27-October-2024

Sermon Text: Romans 3:19-28

Sermon Theme: The Heart Of The Reformation! I. All Are Guilty! (Vs.19-20). II. God Has Judged Us All In His Son! (Vs.21-24) III. Christ-less Cross-less Religion Has No Rest! (Vs.25-26). IV. Christ Alone Comforts Crushed Consciences(vs.27-28). by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. Where is peace found? Our nation seems to be tearing itself apart over politics. Each party assures us they’ll bring peace we elect them to power. Every news cycle disturbs our peace. There is no peace in power and politics.

    A young Christian man sought peace for his conscience. God is holy and just - he was a sinner. Where was peace of conscience to be found? He hit the books and studied trying to find peace in knowledge. He would be a lawyer, surely there would be peace in law and order. Still his conscience cried out convicting him a sinner. Tragedy struck, death swallowed up one of his best childhood friends. Funerals aren’t celebrations of life, they are a stark reminder of the reality of death - sin’s wages. Returning to university a sudden thunderstorm threatened the young man’s life. As lightning struck around him, he cried out to St. Anne to deliver him, pledging his life to Christ.

    He kept his word. Certainly peace would be found in a strict moral life and its religious rites. He entered the Augustinian Order seeking peace for his troubled conscience. No matter how he worked, prayed, sung, studied, or punished his body - sin remained. His conscience convicted him as a damned sinner with no hope before Christ the Judge. He punished his body to the point of exhaustion. His father confessor gave him Jesus. Peace isn’t found in punishing our sinful flesh. Peace is only found in Jesus. Look to Jesus! Say with the Psalmist, “Psa 119:94 I am Yours, save me;....”

     Restless the young man studied St. Augustine and the writings of the Church Fathers. Sent to Rome he found no peace in its religious rites and ceremonies. Earning degree upon degree - he was led into studying the book of Psalms in order to teach it. “The righteousness of God” echoed through the Psalms. He hated the term for it exposed him a sinner and robbed him of peace of conscience. He wrestled with God in His Word, like Jacob on the banks of the Jabbok.

       He writes:“I meditated night and day on those words until at last, by the mercy of God, I paid attention to their context: "The justice of God is revealed in it, as it is written: 'The just person lives by faith.'" I began to understand that in this verse the justice of God is that by which the just person lives by a gift of God, that is by faith. I began to understand that this verse means that the justice of God is revealed through the Gospel, but it is a passive justice, i.e. that by which the merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written: "The just person lives by faith." All at once I felt that I had been born again and entered into paradise itself through open gates. Immediately I saw the whole of Scripture in a different light. I ran through the Scriptures from memory and found that other terms had analogous meanings, e.g., the work of God, that is, what God works in us; the power of God, by which he makes us powerful; the wisdom of God, by which he makes us wise; the strength of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God.

I exalted this sweetest word of mine, "the justice of God," with as much love as before I had hated it with hate. This phrase of Paul was for me the very gate of paradise. Afterward I read Augustine's "On the Spirit and the Letter," in which I found what I had not dared hope for. I discovered that he too interpreted "the justice of God" in a similar way, namely, as that with which God clothes us when he justifies us. Although Augustine had said it imperfectly and did not explain in detail how God imputes justice to us, still it pleased me that he taught the justice of God by which we are justified.”

        The year was 1519. Dr. Martin Luther found peace in Christ Jesus! Learn this morning that peace of heart, peace of conscience is: The Heart Of The Reformation! I. All Are Guilty! (Vs.19-20). II. God Has Judged Us All In His Son! (Vs.21-24) III. Christ-less Cross-less Religion Has No Rest! (Vs.25-26). IV. Christ Alone Comforts Crushed Consciences(vs.27-28).

I. Since the day of Adam’s rebellion all of us are born liars. We lie to ourselves that we have no sin. Foolishly attempting to quiet conscience we seek to anesthetize and deaden it with lies. Lies deny truth. God the Holy Spirit writes through the pen of St. Paul, Rom 1:18-19 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. We are wise, lying, fools whispering in our hearts - “There is no God.”

       Lies bring no peace to conscience. If an oncologist diagnoses me with cancer, positive thinking on my part will not make the reality of my disease disappear. Wise liars tell themselves man created God. They rebel against His Law written upon their hearts, and make an idol that looks exactly like the sin they want to pursue. Dead spiritually, they dishonor their bodies, rebel against authority, and proudly boast of their depravity as progress and freedom. It is a lie. Like a man stepping off the top of a 100 story building boasting that he’s free from the law of gravity - seconds later his self-deception brings death and after that the judgment before the Creator God.

        Stop deceiving yourself! (Vs.19-20) The Law convicts all! Fools who deny our Creator God, are convicted by their self-made laws. They cry out against carbon dioxide while flying their private polluting jets around the world to spread their self-justifying lies. All mankind is under God’s Law, even if you deny the Creator - His laws of physics still apply to you.

      You cannot find peace of conscience by your doing the law - your law - or God’s Law. Your own self-chosen standards convict you as a liar - how much more than God’s Holy Ten Commandments. We aren’t sinners because we sin - we sin because we are sinners! A corrupt tree only bears corrupt fruit. Law mirrors dead depraved heart - you are a damned sinner. Run from this truth, try to party it away, shout it down - your conscience convicts you - sinner - “Rom 1:32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

II. Sitting in a pew every Sunday it is easy to raise our nose at those terrible sinners in our society, as we try to calm our conscience with our moral life. “After all, I’m here - “Those people! Aren’t!” The trouble is, when we point the finger at those sinners out there, we have at least three fingers pointing back at ourselves. Listen! Rom 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” Hell is filled with good, upright, moral people. They scoffed at those sinners in the world imaging that their live earned them a right to be called the children of God. They boast in their goodness, but it cannot save them. Listen! Jesus preaches: Mat 7:22-23 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

      Hear the power of God unto salvation! (Vs.21-24). God has judged every sinner in the cross of His only-begotten Son, infleshed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. God’s righteousness isn’t something we earn. The goodness of God leads us to repentance - not to lifting our noses to boast of our high moral standards. The Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets , testify of Jesus - 2Co 5:19-21 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. (21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  Christ Jesus died for all!

      This is the unbelievable powerful message of the Gospel. This isn’t universalism - for many are called, few chosen - why? Many reject the Holy Spirit’s call through the Gospel to cling to Jesus by faith in His cross. Dear Christian - repent - get off of your moral high horse - tell your neighbor, your family, your enemy - “Listen! Christ died for your sin! Trust in Him as Your Savior! “ All have sinned! All have been justified freely - it is God’s gracious gift found only in Jesus! Call your fellow sinners to believe it for God has spoken it! He cannot lie! He is Truth!

Peace is found in God’s grace in Christ Jesus redemption alone! Be still and see the salvation of our God - nailed to the tree FOR YOU!

III. A Christ-less, cross-less religion, even if it markets itself as Christianity brings no rest to troubled consciences. No matter how much you promise to do, you fail. Light candles, pray to the dead, sacrifice all you have - it brings no peace.  Satan isn’t anti-religion, he is anti-Christianity. He masquerades as a white devil promoting spirituality to save you. Why go to church - worship a god in nature! Why sacrifice - doesn’t god help those who help themselves! Satan peddles a false Jesus without a cross. Follow his false Jesus and you’ll be healthy, wealthy, and wise - just buy my book, follow my seven spiritual exercises and you’ll have it all! Don’t buy it!

     Peace of conscience is found in the blood mess of our Savior’s innocent flesh nailed to the Tree - cursed by His Father - swallowed by death - breathing out the Holy Spirit - FOR YOU! Listen! (Vs.25-26). The Jews were entrusted with God’s written Word - but they thought their sacrifices bought them peace with God. The Holy Spirit calls, Rom 2:21-24 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? (22) You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (23) You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? (24) For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," as it is written.” Memorizing the Small Catechism won’t save you. You may know God’s Law, God’s Promises, God’s Prayer, God’s gift - but if they lay at the surface of your hard heart - Satan snatches the Seed away. The sacrifices of the Old Testament all point to Calvary - to Jesus finishing it once for all us damned sinners - to God the Father proclaiming us reconciled by the physical resurrection of our Brother, our Savior - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews - King of us sinners! Our Judge who declares you sinner - SAVED! Washed new every morning in His blood!

IV.  Reformation isn’t about Martin Luther. We don’t worship Luther - we fix our eyes only upon the Crucified! (Vs. 27-28) Dear fellow despairing sinners - look to the Cross! Take your sins and place them on the Lamb of God - He takes them away in His suffering and death! Boast only of Jesus - here is the heart of the reformation- “I am Jesus’ own - though I struggle with my sin, fall daily, He picks me up with His nail scarred hands. God the Holy Spirit daily and richly forgives me and all damned sinners who by His daily renewing power alone believe that Jesus died for me! As often as Satan convicts me of my sin, my guilt, my just sentence to hell - I tell him, Satan - you lie! I am a sinner! Listen to the Word of my God! Mat 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Amen.