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| Jonathan Bauer, Recent Paul Wendland Victim, Sausage Factory, Mequon RFD |
Emmanuel Lutheran Church » 20120916 Children's Sermon:
There’s Room at the Table: Everyone is invited
Pastor Jonathan Bauer
September 16, 2012
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
Tempe, Arizona
The invitation spells “it” out
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3: 19-28
It is the difference between making the volleyball team and getting cut. It is the difference between signing with a major record label and singing karaoke for the rest of your life. It is the difference between playing for peanuts in Double A and making millions in the Majors. And yes, it is the difference between getting invited to the wedding, the birthday party, the retirement celebration, and staying at home.
I’m not trying to get you to guess what it is. Because it is “it.” Isn’t it a little strange that the reasons for the friends we keep, the girls we like, the artists whose songs we buy on iTunes, and the athletes we watch on TV are often so ambiguous, so indefinable, that we simply refer to them as “it”? In every high school there’s the “it” girl, the “it” guy, or the “it” couple. A few years back they made a show about aspiring actors and actresses called “The It Factor.” And back in the good old days when a guy wrote a song about a girl, he specified what about her made his heart race. Now, as a as a recent country song goes, he simply says, “She’s got whatever it is.”
So do you have “it”? If you do, then you’ve never had to experience that awful feeling. It’s what you feel as you frequently and frantically check your mailbox or inbox, waiting for the invitation to arrive. It’s what you feel while you wait for word that you made the list, that you’re in rather than out. And it’s the feeling you get when you finally realize the invitation isn’t coming. You never have to feel that way as long as you have “it.”
In many ways, this book, the Bible, is like an invitation. God is the host of a banquet far greater than any we’ve experienced. And this book is the invite, written by him, delivered to you, telling you how to get there. It’s much larger than what you could attach to an email or what the Postal Service would deliver for 44 cents. So God occasionally summarized the entire contents of this book in just a few short words. The verses in front of us are a prime example. In them we will see that, when it comes to getting invited to God’s party, nothing is ambiguous. Nothing is left undefined. And as a result, we will not be left with that awful feeling of uncertainty in the pit of our stomachs. We will never be left wondering if we have “it.” Because when it comes to God’s banquet, The invitation spells “it” out.
When you’re the host of a party, you probably know exactly the people you’re going to invite. But you would probably have a hard time defining exactly what “it” is that determines who makes the list. You just know. When it comes to the banquet of which God is the host, that’s not at all the case. The word that God uses again and again in his invitation that defines what “it” is that gets you into his banquet is the word righteousness. Perfection. Doing what’s right. Avoiding what’s wrong. And righteousness is one of those things where you either have “it” or you don’t. There’s no in between. And the first thing that God’s invitation spells out for us is that you and I need “it” in order to get in to his banquet.
So do you have “it”? Once we understand what “it” is, the answer is easy. But God’s invitation says it anyway. Because righteousness, absolute perfection, is what is needed to get into God’s banquet, you, me, every person on earth has the same dilemma. God says, “every mouth [is] silenced,” “the whole world is accountable to God,” “No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law,” “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God’s invitation could not be any clearer! What’s needed to get into God’s banquet is righteousness, and the second thing that God’s invitation spells out is that everyone lacks “it.”
Now, I’m going to stop here for a moment and ask a question that sometimes troubles me and maybe does the same for you. Why would God put this on his invitation? Usually, when you get an invitation, the simple fact that you get one lets you know that whatever “it” is, you have it. Otherwise, why would you be invited? In fact, wedding invitations often say something like, “The honour of your presence is requested….” and they even spell honour all fancy, with a “u” stuck in between the “o” and the “r,” so you know they mean it. And if the hosts would be honoured with your presence, then you know you must have it. So why does God put on his invitation: Here’s what “it” is, and you don’t have “it”? Why does God say things like that in his word? Why do you have to hear thinks like that when you come to church?
Here’s why. Every family and every circle of friends has that one guy who simply assumes he’s invited to everything. He’s kind of loud. A little cocky. He always has to be the center of attention. And no matter what the event, whether it’s a big bash that everyone is invited to or a small, intimate gathering of friends, he simply assumes he’s invited. And even if he isn’t, he’s going to show up anyway.
You and I are kind of like that guy. We want to assume that we’re invited to God’s banquet. If righteousness is what we need, well then, we might not have all of “it” but we certainly have some of “it” and we absolutely have more of “it” than all those awful, awful people that we work with or live by or am related to.
And what’s worse, because we think that way we are inescapably destined to show up at the door to God’s banquet and, and show him whatever “it” is that we think makes us worthy to get in. And make no mistake, unless “it” is complete and total righteousness, God will look at us and say, “That’s ‘it’?!?” Out you go. God makes it inescapably clear that everyone lacks what he requires. Trying to show God that there’s a difference between us and other people is like taking a piece of wedding cake and trying to separate the flour, the eggs, and the sugar that were used to bake it.
So, friends, let’s not be troubled. Rather let’s be thrilled that God’s invitation spells “it” out, thrilled that God’s invitation reminds us that when it comes to what’s needed to get into God’s banquet, no one has “it.”
And let’s be even more thrilled that the invitation says more. Just as God had previously said that all people have the same problem, his invitation also tells us that he has provided all people with the same solution. God’s invitation says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified,” that means to declare someone righteous, “and are justified freely by his grace.” Did you hear that? God provides us with the solution to our problem. Not just freely. Not just by his grace. But “freely by his grace.” It would be like walking into Best Buy, seeing the flat screen that you’ve always wanted but could never afford. Only this time there’s a sign that says, “Free.” And it also says, “$0.00.” Once again, God’s invitation couldn’t be any clearer! His gift of righteousness is absolutely free. Just as there was no difference among those who lack “it” there is also no difference between those who are given “it.” Because “it” free of charge, there’s no one who can’t afford “it.”
Now, I’m going to stop again for a moment and ask a question that’s even more troubling. How can God’s invitation say this? He made it crystal clear. Righteousness is what we need to get in and righteousness is what we lack. So how can he say, “Oh, nevermind. I’ll just give it to everyone for free”? I mean, it sounds like good news. But it sounds like he’s going back on his word and so it doesn’t sound at all like God.
Thankfully, the invitation says more. God says, “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” You see, God couldn’t just ignore that fact that we all lack righteousness and deserve death and condemnation. He couldn’t change his mind about sin or its punishment. But because he loved us so much that he desperately wanted to give us righteousness as a free gift, he had to find another place to take out all of his pent up anger against sin. And so that’s what he did. He found a scapegoat. He found his Son. Instead of punishing us for our lack of righteousness, God “presented [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement.” In so doing, God found a way to reconcile two seemingly opposing characteristics, his demand for perfection and his unconditional love and mercy for those same people. He found a way to write two seemingly contradictory statements on his invitation. What it is that is needed to get into his banquet is still righteousness. Everyone still lacks “it.” But now God’s invitation spells out that through the work of Christ, the world’s scapegoat, the world’s substitute, God has provided “it.”
Was there a specific name and face that came to mind when I mentioned that loud, egotistical friend who always assumes he’s invited to everything? If you know someone like that, you probably also have seen that their arrogance almost always serves as a mask for deep-seated insecurity. The people who act the most sure of themselves are often the ones who are the least. And the same is true of you and me. We’re strange creatures that way. As much as we are prone to think that we must possess some redeemable quality that makes us worthy to get into God’s banquet, deep, deep down we are also prone to doubt whether if we’re really good enough. We’re burdened by insecurity and guilt and fear in our relationship with God. We know that righteousness is what he expects and no matter how hard we try, we don’t have enough of it.
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| WELS re-issued this Dreck in 2011. |
So thankfully the invitation spells it out, and spells it out clearly. Having the righteousness that God demands from us hinges only on two things. The grace of God and the work of Christ. And God’s invitation makes it clear that both of those are for everyone. [GJ - Reading comprehension - total failure.]
And since that’s the case, give me one good reason why he wouldn’t let you in. Name one sin that makes you unworthy. Name one character flaw that means you don’t belong. We might think to ourselves, “What about the fact that I lose my temper with my spouse and my kids and my coworkers? What about the fact that I’ve got secret sins that would make the devil blush? What about the fact that I don’t feel like I fit in with the church crowd? What about the fact that this child doesn’t have the intellectual or rational capabilities of an adult?
Let me spell it out. Let God’s invitation spell it out. It does not matter. Everything that is important about having the righteousness God demands doesn’t involve you. God’s grace. Christ’s work. That’s it.
So whenever you stand before your God, whether it’s today as you to worship, whether it’s tomorrow when you work or study, whether it’s the day when you stand before him in judgment, don’t feel like you need to bring a gift. Don’t feel like you need to bring a bottle of wine. By all means don’t bring your arrogance and your self-righteousness. By all means don’t bring your doubt and despair. Why? Because the invitation spells it out. God demands righteousness. You need it. Everyone lacks it. In his grace and through Christ’s work, God provides it. So by all means, bring it. Amen.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
~ Romans 8:28
'via Blog this'
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GJ - I thought chapel sermonettes at Mequon were bad, but this one really bottoms out. Almost all of it is a meaningless digression designed to be clever, lacking any discernment about the Word of God.
But that is the point of UOJ - nothing matters, because everyone is forgiven and everyone is saved. Ask the boss, Delusional Pope Buchholz, MDiv. Those Muslims who just burned down the Lutheran Church? They are forgiven and saved. Done. Period. Finished. Ask DP Buchholz.
The citation is from the Classic NIV, which I spotted for lacking the imaginary "all." Oh, how they ache for that "all" in WELS. Jay Webber probably covets it too, although he speaks against the New NIV as the roving ambassador for the Little Sect on the Prairie. The ELS and the LCMS do not like the New NIV. Will they break fellowship with WELS and ELCA over this? No - they all love UOJ.
Why is the [i] left there from the Bible Gateway version? That is a sign of Wiki-itis. Students copy Wikidpedia and leave the footnote markings. Since the footnotes are linked [embedded in the text - something Mequonites do not grasp], the little blue marks take the amused professor right to source, which is Bible Gateway in this case, the NIV promotion site.
Pastor Bauer should have used a proper citation, so the innocent readers know the Classic NIV was being used. It does make a difference to most people. Mequon is different. As bad as the NIV is, the 1984 version preserves the distinction between all have sinned and all who are justified.
Some people, mostly Mequon graduates, bristle when I make fun of their extremely low capacity in reading and writing. Reading comprehension is an aptitude that gets one into graduate study or bars the door.
The entire section quoted repeats the message of the Apostle, with a three-fold emphasis upon the righteousness of faith. As Luther's Galatians Commentary constantly teaches, there is -
1. The righteousness of the law.
2. The righteousness of faith.
The UOJ fanatics hide their one-and-only-message: forgiveness without faith. Let's look at one complete section from this passage, using the Classic KJV.
KJV Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
This is a wonderful statement of the Gospel, emphasizing faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Justified freely is not universal absolution, as anyone can tell. The UOJites who yell "propitiation" must see propitiation through faith in His blood. But they do not. They are blind guides. They must see that He justifies those who believe in Christ. They do not - but change that to "those who believe in UOJ."
The turning point in this farrago of false doctrine is the red paragraph. According to Bauer, righteousness has nothing to do with faith, nothing to do with the Word, nothing to do with the Means of Grace. The Holy Spirit working through the Word? No - this Mequon Enthusiast says that God's grace and Christ's work equal the righteousness of the entire world. Done. Finished. Period. End of story. Fire up the coffee bar.
I wonder if the assignment was to write a sermon that used Romans 3, ignored faith, and reversed the meaning of Paul's Gospel, because anything other than the righteousness of faith is the righteousness of the law.
Luther made this point - that Enthusiasts talk about Jesus but tear down the bridge to Him, the Means of Grace. They denounce the efficacy of God's Word but fill the world with their own words.
Since I mentioned being victimized by Paul Wendland - one can find the same maladroit approach to St. Paul, or should I say - the same dishonest approach. Doubtless both are convinced because both were germinated in the same greenhouse of Halle Pietism. But still, both are dishonest about the actual text, even while striving to be true to Holy Mother WELS.
One LCA pastor used to say, "Holy Mother Church is a whore." Everyone would be better off remembering that bit of wisdom. There is a vast difference between the visible, institutional church and true, invisible Church.
Sadly, the apostates are in charge of the Lutheran Church and working hard to exterminate faith. Jesus said, "When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith?"
Someone should have warned Jesus not to talk about faith so much. The beloved apostle, John, really overdid faith. So did Paul.
Not to worry. The New NIV will obliterate and obscure anything left of the Gospel. Faith is separating the visible Christian Church. That is a scandal. Once removed, everyone will be united in a common lack of faith.
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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Emmanuel Lutheran Church » 20120916 Children's Ser...":
Ichabod -
Thanks for posting this; not because it is another abomination example of universal objective justification work's righteousness; but, because you again evidence (substansiate) your continued assertion that WELS is on the wrong track.
Nathan M. Bickel
www.thechristianmessage.org
www.moralmatters.org
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GJ - WELS leaders are too proud to admit they jumped the tracks a long time ago. They re-issued J. P. Meyer as evidence of their blindness.
