Third Sunday in Lent
Lord God, heavenly Father, who hast sent Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh, that He might overcome the devil, and defend us poor sinners against the adversary: We give thanks unto Thee for Thy merciful help, and we beseech Thee to attend us with Thy grace in all temptations, to preserve us from carnal security, and by Thy Holy Spirit to keep us in Thy word and Thy fear, that unto the end we may be delivered from the enemy, and obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Background for the Epistle Sermon
Boomers certainly belong to the Love Generation. Love has been portrayed as the great cure-all for all ills, and love has been a commandment, not the result of faith in Christ.
If someone even suggests that an action is against the Ten Commandments, there follows this judgment - "you are not being loving." If someone dares to say that certain ideas are unScriptural or contrary to Scriptures, the whip of their law is applied - "you are loveless."
The problem is that love has been uncoupled from faith in Christ, love being weaponized against all critics of the Woke Generation. This new love is so important to the Woke Generation that they will impose a military embargo on anyone who deserves to be isolated in their concentration camp - managed by the loving.
Faith and Love
KJV Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Paul wrote this epistle while he was a prisoner in Rome, and a prisoner could expect to die. This is one of the letters he wrote, and it seems to be a grand summary of Christian doctrine, inspired by the Holy Spirit. In fact, Ephesians is a great way to read a summary of Pauline thought. It reminds me of the recent trend of "last lectures," offered by famous academics who summarize their teaching.
Paul did not want the believers to be labeled as followers of Him, but followers of Christ, followers of God. This is the foundational stage for all Christians - faith in the Savior. I am especially aware of this because Jeff Hall - my classmate from Garfield Grade School (now an apartment building) - has stage 4 cancer. So I have known him and his wife Patty for about 60 years. In grade school, Patty and I got into trouble for talking too much in class, but now I get paid to do that, online teaching.
The conversion of our grade school into an apartment complex reminds us the passing of time, too. I was excited to be in the New Addition to the school, in second grade, because anything new was grand. Now I am more inclined to value what is old and enduring, because very little is.
The Apostle Paul's mission was, first of all, to teach faith in Christ as the Son of God who died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
That was and is important, because all of the spiritual wisdom of the Scriptures, Old and New Testament, is wrapped in that phrase - faith in Christ. There is only one Truth, not many truths, and only one Light, not many lights. God through the Creating Word fashioned light first, before the sun and stars were created. Truth and light came first, so that is why Jesus taught, "I AM the Light of the World."
Paul taught this universal, all races, all cultures truth -
Be ye therefore followers of God
Those who want to have their own personal following are going to lead them the wrong direction. Soon they are lodged in Doubting Castle, with Giant Despair and his lovely wife as hosts.
How can we be followers of God? He has inscribed a library of 66 books for our faith, instruction, enlightenment, comfort, and admonition. We are followers of God when we recognize and utterly trust in our Good Shepherd, Jesus. If we are lost, confused, anxious, and conflicted, that library of God's Word is always there for our instruction.
as dear children;
Faith in the Savior makes us God's beloved children through Christ. We are grafted onto Him just as a hybrid tea rose is grafted onto a hearty foundation that will last. We keep our traits but also have a union with the Savior. And that is essential. A hybrid tea rose by itself is rather fragile so it needs this foundation.
We do not think of ourselves as fragile until we are in a storm of difficulties, with wind and washing crashing in on us. That is why "Jesus Savior Pilot Me" is such an enduring hymn.
So we are not orphans, but dear children in the eyes of God, because Jesus the Savior is our Brother. Faith in Him is always the foundation of the Gospel message. If that is taken away, watered down, or converted in modern philosophy, the foundation is weak and bound to faith. But it can be renewed and strengthened by study of the Word and worship.
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us
Love is the first fruit of the Gospel (Galatians 5), but we have to remember - against the raging false teachers - that the Word of the Gospel converts people, not love. Sincere faith in Christ is the good tree that bears good fruit. A good tree - faith in Christ - only bears good fruit, so faith is first and foundational.
But love is a wonderful fruit to enjoy. First of all, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we might not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). We have to look at all experiences as part of God's love, though it seems very difficult at times.
Where faith is missing, love is also absent, though people will invent substitutes for it. "Walk in love" means to view everything in this love. The Scriptures speak of walking as the way we conduct ourselves. When disciples (not the 12) did not like what Jesus said in John 6, they no longer walked with Him.
The more we look at Christ's love for us, the more we look at life as one to be enjoyed in love, patience, and forgiveness. When things happen in the online classroom (such as late assignments or conflict among students), the temptation is to be angry and use magisterial authority. Almost always, among hundreds of students each year, the problem comes from a crisis in life - severe illness, loss, and various kinds of turmoil. I am supposed to punish students for being late, by reducing the grade, but that makes little sense with someone who has battled to stay alive for years.
Without faith, everything is the Law. But Christ has offered Himself as the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sins. In light of that, knowing that He has atoned for our sins, how can we not follow Him and walk as beloved children of God?
Luke 11:21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Satan is the strong man, who ruled the world until Christ. Satan kept his palace and all his treasures - he even offered the treasures to Christ, if He bowed down and worshiped the devil, as so many do today. But Christ was stronger than Satan and defeated him with His death and resurrection. He gave all believers power over Satan and divided the treasures of the earth with Christians.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
The Romans, like us, were surrounded by pagans and pagan behavior. We have seen our democratic Republic, Christian nation betrayed so that good is bad, and bad is good.
Paul warned the Christians against the immorality and crudeness that marks the habits of unbelievers. They had no land of the free to escape to, but they could resist the temptations of Roman habits. Several centuries later, Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium (Constantinople in time, now Istanbul) and created a Christian center for Rome. He left paganism behind and brought families with him. That actually created a Christian empire that lasted 1100 years.
as becometh saints
The English who established the American colonies were fleeing from persecution and the evils of Europe. Many were imbued with
the concept of avoiding those same evils in America. Participating is a step in influencing others. So it is strange that a Pietistic synod, WELS, influences all its new students with a secret initiation rite that they deny exists. The nature of this ritual is to unite the future pastors in repudiating this passage. Hollywood and the media do the same, introducing and de-sensitizing people until evil is OK for children's hour at the library and everything Biblical is mocked.
but rather giving of thanks.
When we are thankful to God, it changes our focus, but we have to have another perspective, faith in Christ, present for that to happen. Faith fades away when removed the the source of its power, the Gospel. Some adhere to success centers, which glorify mankind rather than God. Others go to where denial of the divinity of Christ (sometimes re-imagined as a new philosophy) is a virtue.
nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Coveting is such a destructive influence, starting with the mind, that the 10 Commandments have two statements against it. A news report today would say, "Twenty percent of the 10 Commandments are devoted to coveting. However, critics of the Ten Commandments claim..."
Coveting is an evil desire for something that does not belong to us. Evil actions come from that evil desire, even if they are cloaked in the most pious and innocent words. Coveting is the same as worshiping the image of a false god, making an image of something desired so someone can find happiness in possession.
7. Likewise with covetousness: we are to understand that it is not to be named of Christians. That is, should one be covetous, should one defraud another or contend with him about temporal advantage, as evidently was true of the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:1), the offense must not be suffered to go unreproved and uncorrected. The Gospel must be carefully upheld and preserved among the multitude, “that our ministration be not blamed.” 2 Corinthians 6:3.
I make this point for the sake of those who, so soon as they observe that all Christians are not perfectly holy, but will occasionally stumble and fall, imagine there is no such thing as a Christian and the Gospel is impotent and fruitless. Just as if to be a Christian meant the mountain already climbed and complete, triumphant victory over sin! The fact is, it is rather a contest, a battle. Wherever there is a contest, or a battle, some of the combatants will flee, some will be wounded, some will fall and some even be slain. For warfare is not unaccompanied by disaster if it be real warfare.
8. The writer of the epistle goes on to assign the reason why it does not sound well to hear such things concerning Christians — because they are saints and it behooves saints to be chaste and moderate, and to practice and teach these virtues. Note, he calls Christians “saints,” notwithstanding that in this life they are clothed with sinful flesh and blood. Doubtless the term is not applied in consequence of their good works, but because of the holy blood of Christ. For Paul says (1 Corinthians 6:11): “But ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.”
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
We always need to be "testing the spirits" because dangers come clothed in honors, promotions, fake friendships, and elite status. I have read accounts of people who had to walk away from situations and the benefits, because they were expected to participate in criminal activities that would bind them (as in blackmail) for life.
Paul experienced these losses with those who left the Gospel entirely and betrayed their brothers in Christ. There are many examples around us of those who took the poisoned bait and were always alienated afterwards, but use many fine words to explain it.
Pastor Palangyos says there is a lot of paganism in the area of his birth. But we are assaulted each day. It is rare when I do not see or hear an example each day. I see exquisite devil's heads tattooed on the shoulders of younger people in the store. I see ads for entertainment which is devoted to the Satanic. We know that this is being shut down on a massive scale during this storm wrapped in a virus.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Everyone in Paul's circles was a convert. He even listed where they came from, and confessed his own guilt from the past - persecuting Christians. So we do not walk as though we could not fall into disbelief and alienating sin.
The Light of the World has given us the true light of the Gospel. Darkness keeps us from seeing dangers and distorts everything. But God's Word is a light to our path.
Psalm 119:105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
God does not fail us. He guides us and our nation. Many have seen a change in the country's outlook and perspective, one which has caused bitterness and hatred on the Left.
One reader wrote to me astonished that a book written almost 30 years ago is so current today. All the bad things listed in the book are even worse today, because many knew this and did nothing to stop it.
21. Peter similarly counsels (1 Peter 4:3) to let the time past of our lives suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles, and no longer be partakers with them, but live the rest of our time to the will of God. While we were gentiles we knew not that all those things were sin, because of the darkness of unbelief, which prevented our knowing God. But now we have become a light in the Lord. That is, we have been so amply enlightened through Christ that we not only know God and what he desires, and understand what sin and wrong are, but we are also able to light others, to teach them what we know. Paul commends the Philippians for being a light in the world, among an evil and untoward generation. Philippians 2:15.
And, similarly, when we were gentiles we not only were darkened, not only were ignorant and went astray, but we were darkness itself, leading others into the same condition by our words and deeds. We have reason, then, to be thankful unto him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9), and to “walk as children of light.” “For the fruit of the light [Spirit] is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.”
