Reformation 2008– “The Word of Truth.”  John 8:28-36

 

Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.  The text for our sermon meditation is taken from the Gospel account of St. John, the 8^th Chapter:

 

“So, Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.  29And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."  30As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  33They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"

34Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.  36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:28-36 (ESV)  

 

So far the reading.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

      Word games abound do they not.  Scrabble, Boggle, Wheel of Fortune, crossword puzzles, word scrambles, word find are all examples of how words can be used.  I believe Reader’s Digest still has the page where you can “Increase Your Word Power” by choosing the correct definitions for a list of words.  ACT and SAT college entrance exams also have sections that emphasize the importance of word usage.

 

      Our Lord, in the Gospel of John speaks of the importance of words, specifically His Word.  Jesus speaks of the power and the benefit of His Word.  It is the power of truth and benefit of freedom that comes to those who continue to hold on to Jesus Word. I would like to demonstrate that briefly with a word game.  I need seven people to help me.   Seven is a holy number of completeness and indication a connection between God and His creation.  (Three representing the Trinity and four representing the four corners of the world.)

 

      You will be asked to hold up these words related to sin.  These and many more words related to sin could be added here.  Now please cover these words related to sin with words related to grace.  This is the how the Gospel works.  It covers up sin.  yet we notice that there are more words related to sin thant words related to grace.  Does that mean the grace of God does not cover all sin?  No! it means that we sometimes fail to repent of some sins, or desire to hold on to some sins, to be slaves to some sins, because we love them more than we love the freedom of God's grace.

 

      Now let’s look at what we learned.  God’s word of truth reveals two things to us.  First, we learn that we are a truly fallen race.  We wallow around in the depths and degradation of our sin.  This truth Jesus brings to bear on those who came to believe on Him.  Jesus used this moment to direct these believers to examine their life and their faith and to realize there is more to this Kingdom of God than giving only lip service.  We are not to be hangers on for the sole purpose of saying we are associated with Jesus Christ and His Church.

 

      No, there is more to the Kingdom of God than being a hanger on.  Jesus came for a purpose.  That purpose was to break the bonds of slavery to sin.  Jesus came to confront sin not only in the world but also in the life of each individual person.  That is what was demonstrated when the volunteers were asked to hold those cards earlier.  Those cards were a visible reminder that we have a great need that must be addressed.  We need to know and recognize the truth about our lives.

 

      However, as is sometimes the case, people choose to be indifferent to their condition.  Look at the response from some of those who heard Jesus Word of truth about their bondage.  Rejecting Jesus word of truth, they refuse to admit their bondage to anyone or anything.  Jesus then lays the reality before them.  You are in bondage.  If you sin, you are in bondage to sin.  You are a slave who has no inheritance or hope.  You are not free as you wrongly think.

 

      What is the truth?  These hearers of Jesus are rejecting his discipline, and his concern for their spiritual welfare.  These rejecters of the truth are incensed that any one would presume to tell them what to do.  They are angered that any one would have the audacity to tell them they need to change something in their lives.  They are put out that any one would tell them they are less than worthy to have recourse to the riches of God’s grace.

 

      In my 18 years of serving the Church, I have noted that nothing has changed with regard to what we are witnessing in the Gospel reading today.  Remember in the word game earlier the sins that were left uncovered?  I said those were representative of the sins people fail to recognize and confess.  When they are pointed out, their anger and rejection of the truth comes to the surface.

 

      It is quite distressing to me when such response comes from the mouth of those who call themselves followers of the Lamb.  Indifference is shown when those confronted with their sin turn away from the words I speak and go to a sister congregation.  These people are endangering their eternal life by refusing to heed the discipline of the Word of God.  Seeking to commune at these sister congregations they are not only endangering themselves, they are also involving their fellow believers and these unsuspecting pastors in their sin.

 

      In the same way, their anger is shown when those who are shown their sin respond by verbally speaking against the servant of the Lord.  Granted no one likes to be shown their sin, but the believer in all humility needs to accept the discipline and admonition of the Lord and correct their lives.  Instead, some have resorted to using words like vindictive, uncaring and spiteful when I addressed their error and pleaded with them to amend their lives. 

 

      Amending sinful lives is the goal today as it was with our Lord.  Jesus is seeking to restore what was lost because of sin.  He is calling sinners everywhere to recognize and repent of their sin.  Jesus seeks to reform the lives of his hearers and to give them the freedom which comes through the forgiveness of sins. 

 

      We see this when Jesus speaks of the Son of Man being lifted up.  Jesus lays before the people what their sin will do.  He says:

 

      “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he …”

 

Certainly, Jesus is speaking of the fact that some who are listening to him at that time will have a hand in his crucifixion.  But more than that, it is their sin that will bring this Son of Man to the cross of suffering shame and death.  Every one in that crowd will have a part in the crucifixion of Jesus.  For Jesus will take their sins upon his sinless body and carry the guilt of their sins in their totality to the point of dying to make atonement.  This is the truth.

 

      Jesus did this for you and for me as well.  We certainly were not present when Jesus spoke these words of truth.  Yet, we are no less guilty before the Lord of causing his crucifixion and needing the atonement earned by him upon the cross. Bound in the slavery of sin we can find no relief outside of the Sacrifice for sin made by Jesus Christ.  That was clearly shown when we covered the words describing sin with the words describing the work of the Gospel.

 

      The Jews, who rejected Jesus, did this on the basis of their human lineage.  They claimed to be the Children of Abraham, the children of the promise.  They mistakenly thought they had preferential treatment awaiting them because of their blood line back to Abraham.  God had established them to be a chosen covenant people and heirs of His promise.  However, they had forgotten on part of the covenant.  They had forgotten that they needed to be completely faithful in all their ways, to turn from sin and seek the mercy of the Lord.

 

      It is the same today.  I have encountered many people who think they have a foot in the door of eternal life because of their family faith history.  With great pride they say, “I’m Lutheran, my parents were Lutheran, and my grandparents were Lutheran.”  Or they may claim another Christian denomination as their heritage.  You know the joke that circulates about the believer who went to heaven.  St Peter warns him to keep quiet when walking by a certain group of people saying, “Those are the _____ and they think they are the only ones in heaven.”

 

      The Children of Abraham are those who seek the mercy of the Lord.  The Children of Abraham are those who do not reject the call to repent.  The Children of Abraham are those who do not turn their back on the called servants of the Jesus Christ.  Rather, the Children of Abraham, in all humility, repent of their sin and seek the precious word of absolution from the mouth of the Lord of Life.  The Children of Abraham recognize and believe that true freedom comes only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the places where that shed blood is given.

 

      Have you been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?  You have been baptized into the body given for sin and the blood shed for sin.  You were placed on the threshold of discipleship and ushered into the freedom that comes through faith in the Son of Man – faith in that very Son of Man who was lifted up to raise you up out of the slavery to sin.

 

      Have you been admitted to the Holy Supper of Christ’s body and blood?  You have been nourished on the very Bread of Life who was proved on the crucible of the cross.  In his body, he bore the marks of your sin.  On his heart, he bore the pain of your rejection.  In his ears, he received the words which reviled his call for repentance.  In his mind, he suffered the oppressing weight of your indifference.

 

      Still the call to freedom from sin continues to pour forth from these means of God’s grace.  These simple earthly elements are the visible Gospel giving atonement and absolution to the sinner who repents of their sin and looks to the Son of Man as the sacrifice for sin.

 

      It is for this reason that we confess these truths in the Creed:

 

      “Jesus Christ conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died, was buried, and on the third day rose bodily from death to life.”

 

      We are directed to look outside ourselves and to see what truth is.  We have no merit or worthiness in or of ourselves.  We must therefore seek a different righteousness, a righteousness of God’s making.  When this righteousness is presented to us, we must kneel before our Lord in penitence and faith and ask our Saviour to dress us in this new clothing.

 

      Even though the blood of human heritage seems thicker than the blood of Christ’s Cross, we must strive in faith to lay it aside.  It is but bondage and slavery and reek of sin and death.  The Blood of Christ’s Cross is freedom, life and salvation.  It is truth.  Those who live in this truth are found pleasing to the Lord.

 

      God grant that His truth will remain in us and live in us.

 

Rev. Robert W Schneider

Evansville, IN

 

S.D.G.