Sermon Tone Analysis

A Holy Identity

Many trees appear to be healthy when we see them in summer.

But, in the winter, after their leaves have all fallen off, we sometimes find that hidden underneath the lush green of the summer foliage was a parasitic plant called mistletoe, which had been slowly sucking away some of the tree’s vitality.

We as Christians sometimes have hidden sins—which like the mistletoe—slowly suck away our spiritual vitality.

Although not always evident in times of outward spiritual health and fruitfulness, we must always examine ourselves for those small, often unseen, parasites of sinful habits that will sap our vitality.

And we must also remember that just because they are not apparent now does not mean that in another season of our life God will not reveal them for all to see.

My place in this World

The Christian theologian therefore performs his holy office, first of all, in order that sinners may believe in Christ and obtain salvation through Him.

But sacred theology effects not only conversion, but also sanctification and good works.

This objective the Christian theologian must constantly bear in mind, urging with holy zeal those entrusted to his care to be zealous of good works.

: “These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.”

However, good works are not the means by which eternal salvation is obtained, but rather the effects and fruits of faith.

Good works, in the Scriptural sense of the term, are such works as are done by those who already have obtained salvation through faith in Christ.

: “A man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law”; 6:22: “But now, being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness.”

Mueller, J. T. (1999).

Christian dogmatics (electronic ed., pp.

65–66).

St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.

How are you living?

Life in Adam

In Adam, God is distant.

You only know God as He engages you for either instruction or punishment.

He may be the God of creation (), but He only shows up to tell you what to do, or to punish you when you do wrong ().

Life in Moses

Under Moses, God comes closer, and gives you His Law, but He is still Alien.

You only know Him through His Acts (),

and you respond with praise (),

but you know only His will, not His heart.

Life in Christ

When Paul writes this portion of Romans, he has already led you through the previous ways of identification before God.

He has shown you how those other ways don’t lead to peace with God, but instead leave you mired in anxiety and anger, because God may be your Maker, and He might be your Lord, but He doesn’t feel like He is your Savior.

You might fear Him, you might even reverence Him, but you cannot love Him, because you don’t know Him.

In Christ, God does for you what He didn’t do before - God does a new thing ()

Through Christ’s life, His preaching of the Gospel, His death on the cross, and then His resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit, we finally, truly, taste and see that the Lord is good - not just morally excellent, but beneficent.

beneficent /bɪˈnɛfɪs(ə)nt/ ■ adjective doing good or resulting in good.

—DERIVATIVES beneficence noun beneficently adverb —ORIGIN 17th century: from Latin beneficent-, from bene facere ‘do good (to)’.

COED

COED

In today’s Epistle reading, Paul doesn’t argue or persuade from fear, but from identity.

You are now identified with the Crucified Christ, with the Risen Christ.

Christ died to sin and for sin.

Sin can no longer be your master.

Christ rose from the dead; you are no longer under Law, but under grace.

The Law caused you to view God as a tyrant, One Who viewed you as an object of His wrath.

In response, and in keeping with your fallen, Adamic nature, you rebelled.

In return, God chastened.

The Gospel shows you a side of God, one that was always there, but hidden, behind the fire, behind the cloud, behind the stone tablets, behind the veil.

God said that He is merciful, but you didn’t believe it.

Now, through the Gospel of Christ, God shows it.

In response, we surrender.

Under the Law, we were captives of sin -

Through the Gospel, we have been made sons of God -

No longer a rebel, no longer a slave to the Kingdom of Darkness.

We have good news for those who do not know, for those who think that God does not care.

The love of Christ controls us, too, like it did Paul.

Just as we have been made new, others can, too.

The Good News isn’t just for a few.

Living and sharing Christ’s Good News isn’t a burden; it’s a blessing!

Not because I say so, but because “you’ve tried Him and you know Him - you’ve found Him to be a friend!”

When you know the goodness of Christ, it makes no sense to bury it, so that you won’t lose it.

Rather, you know that He has promised to be with us as we go into this world working with Him as He works in us.

Christ has already won, and we are the proof of it.

The devil cannot defeat Him, nor will he defeat us.

Everywhere we go -

People ought to know -

Whose we are -

So we tell them.

We tell them in our neighborhoods, as we engage in our vocations.

We tell them by our actions, as we walk in love, with them and with one another.

We tell them in this worship, as God offers us His gifts and we, in thanksgiving, receive them.

We tell them whose we are, so that they can know that they can be too.

We tell them His good news, so that they can experience it too.

We tell them of His great love for all, so that they can be a part of it.

We welcome them to join us, because the marriage feast of the Lamb is near, and there is still room.

In the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, may His peace be with you, Amen.