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

November 01, 2021
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

At the center of Luther's seal he placed a black cross upon a red heart. Here is how Luther himself explained its meaning: First, there is a black cross in a heart that remains its natural color. This is to remind me that it is faith in the Crucified One that saves us. Anyone who believes from the heart will be justified (Romans 10:10). It is a black cross, which mortifies and causes pain, but it leaves the heart its natural color. It doesn’t destroy nature, that is to say, it does not kill us but keeps us alive, for the just shall live by faith in the Crucified One (Romans 1:17). The heart should stand in the middle of a white rose. This is to show that faith gives joy, comfort, and peace—it puts the believer into a white, joyous rose. Faith does not give peace and joy like the world gives (John 14:27). This is why the rose must be white, not red. White is the color of the spirits and angels (cf. Matthew 28:3; John 20:12). This rose should stand in a sky-blue field, symbolizing that a joyful spirit and faith is a beginning of heavenly, future joy, which begins now, but is grasped in hope, not yet fully revealed. Around the field of blue is a golden ring to symbolize that blessedness in heaven lasts forever and has no end. Heavenly blessedness is exquisite, beyond all joy and better than any possessions, just as gold is the most valuable and precious metal. (From: Letter from Martin Luther to Lazarus Spengler, July 8, 1530 [WA Br 5:445]; tr. P. T. McCain) Sermon Text: Romans 3:19-28. Sermon Theme: "The Heart of the Reformation!" preached for The Festival of Reformation, October 31st, 2021, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, IN by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

Episode Notes

The Festival of Reformation                                 31-October-2021
Sermon Text: Romans 3:19-28
Sermon Theme: The Heart of The Reformation!  by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus preaches to us on this festival of the Reformation. Truth frees, the lie enslaves. Truth brings life, the lie brings death. Lies that God’s Word doesn’t matter and we need only to follow our hearts and feelings. The lie that God’s doesn’t really care for your life - body and soul. The lie that God helps those who help themselves. The lie that whispers truth is only a social construct and everyone is free to re-imagine their own truth. The lie that every religion leads to the same God. The lie that assures us that we are good enough to earn heaven. The lie that whispers that God cannot forgive the secret sin you’ve hidden from everyone else. The lie that claims there is no God. The lie that we are cosmic evolutionary accidents. The lie that says death is only a natural part of the circle of life. The lie that there is no natural law and universal truths. The lie that we can create heaven on earth by redistributing wealth. The lie that murder solves the adulterating of the Creator’s gift of sex within marriage. The Lie that flows from the father of lies - the Old Evil Foe - Satan - the Devil - who has is the father of all lies and a murderer from the beginning. He cannot stand Truth. He enslaves the world in the Lie that he may murder mankind and rob them of the Truth. The Truth in the Flesh Who alone can save sinners from death, the power of the devil, and hell.
          Satan backs up the Lie with worldly wisdom, wealth, and power to suppress the Truth in unrighteousness. He masquerades as an angel of light camouflaging the Lie in religious sounding words and finery to destroy Christ’s Church from within. He once used St. Peter’s mouth, which had just confessed that “Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God”, to tempt Jesus to forsake the cross. Beware Satan can well use our feelings, wisdom, and wagging tongues to bite and devour one another and fracture our fellowship under Christ’s cross. Be sober, be vigilant - Satan, your adversary seeks to devour you. Resist him and the Lie he whispers by remaining steadfast in the Faith. The One Holy Christian and Apostolic Faith restored by God the Holy Spirit through Christ’s Word preached, spoken, and confessed by His humble servant Martin Luther.
            Learn well from the Spirit of Truth testifying through the pen of St. Paul: “The Heart of The Reformation!”
        Five hundred and four years ago an Augustinian monk, a Doctor of Theology, posted a petition with 95 points to debate the selling of forgiveness through indulgences by the Church of Rome. Indulgences were papal decrees in which the pope promised forgiveness and time off in purgatory for all who bought them and performed acts of penance. In essence indulgences took the sinners eyes off of Jesus crucified for our salvation and focused back on how I could save myself. Luther, a parish pastor, was concerned for the souls entrusted to his care. He didn’t crave notoriety or novelty. He only wanted his parishioners to find peace in Christ Jesus alone. He wanted them to fix their eyes on Christ crucified for their sins and raised again to declare them forgiven, reconciled to God the Father, fully bought back from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil.
   This wasn’t a new teaching or doctrine. St. Augustine had taught sinners to look only to Christ Jesus as the One and all Sufficient sacrifice for sinners. Augustine had stood against the lie that salvation rests upon what we choose or do for God. Augustine learned this from St. Paul’s letters, especially his letter to the Romans. Paul had learned this truth from Jesus, who called him to be an apostle and breathed out the Spirit of Truth upon him.
            Our old sinful adam doesn’t like the truth. (Vs.19-20) Truth is that all human beings born in a natural way from Adam are sinners. God’s Word sings forth the Truth: Rom 3:10-12 As it is written: "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE; (11) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. (12) THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE." We love to lie to ourselves that we have no sin. Our problems are caused by others, not our own rebellion against our Creator, our self-idolatry, greed, and spiritual deadness. God’s Law thunders forth - the soul that sins shall die! Sin - breaking God’s Holy Ten Commandments by what we think, say, do, or neglect to do. Removing God’s Law from public view in the U.S. doesn’t negate the truth. Sin is lawlessness. Sin’s wages are death - now and forever in hell. The truth of the Law preached in its severity is that it shuts our mouths. We are guilty before God. We cannot work our way from the just sentence of hell upon us into God’s favor. Justifying ourselves by our good deeds works as well as a dead man giving himself CPR. The Law exposes and diagnosis our sin - it cannot bring the dead sinner to life.
            Luther, born November 10th, 1483, was baptized the next day November 11th - St. Martin of Tours day - so his parents named him “Martin.” His parents loved their children and the Church. Luther was raised by god fearing parents and grounded in Rome’s teaching. His conscience struggled to find peace with God through living a perfect life according to God’s Law. He could find no peace as Rome turned him back in on himself to be reconciled to God by his prayers, works of contrition, and amending his own sinful life. Rome had painted Jesus as the Perfect Judge - Harsh - Uncompromising - Unforgiving. Fearing death and seeking peace would lead Luther from the university into the monastery. From the monastery into the priesthood, then into the study of the Scriptures. As he studied the Psalms he struggled with the term “the righteousness of God.” He had been taught that it meant the justice whereby God is just punishing the unjust sinner. He grew to hate a just and angry God.
        God the Holy Spirit preached to him through St. Paul. (Vs.21-22) God’s righteousness isn’t found in the Law. St. Paul like Luther was certain that he was zealous for God’s righteousness as he arrested and put to death followers of The Way - of Jesus. The Truth met Saul on the road to Damascus and called him from death to life in the Gospel. Now Paul, the preeminent old testament scholar of his day, had the Scriptures opened up to him by Jesus. The veil was lifted in Christ Jesus and instead of reading God’s Word as a prescription for what we must do to earn God’s favor. He saw it shine with God’s love and promise to save sinners in the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus alone. Salvation is found by faith in Jesus Christ. Trusting God’s Promise to send the Seed of the Woman to crush Satan’s head - Adam and Eve were declared righteous. Their sin was atoned for by the blood of the Innocent. Their nakedness was covered by the skin of the Innocent sacrificed into death for them.
        Luther wrote, “Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that “the just shall live by his faith.” Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before the “justice of God” had fille dme with hatge, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gate of heaven. “   Dear Christian listen to the heart of the reformation. The heart of Christianity. The Truth (vs.22b - 26) The Law condemns us all. I cannot save myself from the just sentence of hell I deserve. I have sinned. God declares me “not guilty” not because I am good, but because He is good - He is grace - He is mercy - He is Love. God’s justice is met through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Jesus took my place under the Law and fulfilled it perfectly for me. Jesus took my place under God’s justice and suffered the eternity of hell I deserved fully. His perfect life is clothed upon me in baptism. I am 100% saint, though this side of eternity I still struggle being also 100% sinner. It isn’t by what I do, but by God the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith I cling to Jesus alone as my righteousness, my salvation, my peace, my hope, my life.
      God in His forbearance passed over the sins previously committed. That is in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection covered all the sins before that historical event - for all who by the Holy Spirit working through God’s Word clung to the promise of Christ Jesus made to Adam. This is the Faith of Abraham - believing in God’s promised Male Seed - in Jesus as the One sacrifice for sinners - he was declared “not guilty” “righteous” by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
          The Truth frees. It freed Adam - and all who his descendants who clung like Eve to God’s Word of the Promised Savior. It frees all who by God the Holy Spirit working through the visible gospel of Holy Baptism to trust in Jesus. They know their sin is washed away in Jesus’ blood. They are clothed with Jesus’ perfect life. Declared beloved children of their heavenly Father. Freed from the prison of self to live their faith in loving service to all their lives touch as a thank offering for so great a salvation.
          Celebrating the reformation fixes our eyes on Jesus alone! (Vs. 27-28) Luther wanted all to look only to Jesus, to study God’s Word the Holy Bible daily in their homes. He wrote the Small Catechism that we might know the Truth. Truth of God’s Holy Ten Commandments - which expose our sin as a mirror. Truth of the Faith - The Apostles’ Creed which teach us of our God who created, redeemed, and makes us holy through His Word and Sacraments. The Truth that God is our loving Father and we can cry to Him for all our needs as Jesus prays with us. The Truth that within Christ’s Church God the Holy Spirit floods us with cross won, empty tomb certified forgiveness in baptism, absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. The Truth Satan cannot suppress by his lie - we are justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. God makes us His own through Christ’s flesh and blood. Now nothing can separate us from the love of God! We are His - He saves us! Abide in Jesus’ Word - Live in His Word - God the Holy Spirit will teach you the truth - you will be freed - forgiven by the Son to abide in His House forever. Amen.    

 

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