Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Epiphany 5, February 8/9/10, 2014 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text - Matthew 5:13-20

Let me tell you about my snowblower which has seen a lot of use this
year.  It was fully assembled when I purchased it, and when I brought
it home I was eager to try it out.  It had a number of forward speeds
and also backing up speeds.  Great!  This should be good.  There even
was a light on it to shine ahead of where I would go.
    Can you guess what I’ll tell you next?  I started it.  That was fine.  I
put it into motion.  But it went at only one speed, the others didn’t
work.  And it didn’t back up.  And the light didn’t go on.  It sure was
not doing what it was built and intended to do.
    I got out the assembly instructions and redid things.  That included
grounding the light wire to metal instead of, as it was, to some plastic.
Now the snowblower actually did what it was made to be and do.
    My dear fellow believers, we aren’t snowblowers.  But by the grace
of God we are Christians.  We are believers in Christ Jesus as our
Savior.  We have the promise of one day being where I am quite sure
we won’t have to do any snow blowing.  Since that is the case,
BE WHAT GOD MADE YOU TO BE.
I    YOU WERE LOST.  (19a,20)
    1. Our doing wrong is proof of this. (19a)
“Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and
teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of
heaven, ---.”
        a) How many of God’s commandments do you have to violate to
            fall under this condemnation?  One, only one, will do it.
        b) How many times will you have to lead others into doing
            something wrong, like school children urging others to cheat,
            or young and older people urging others to join them in stealing
            or in wrongful use of sex ?  How many times?  Once will do it.
    2. Our failure to be perfect is proof of being lost.  (20)
“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter
the kingdom of heaven.”
        a) The Pharisees were self-righteous, even adding regulations and
            laws that could make them look good.
        b) But Jesus says that you and I would have to be better than the
            outwardly good Pharisees. Yet we too, like them, are far far
            from being perfect people. 
    3. For us there is only one conclusion.  (20)
“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter
the kingdom of heaven.”
        a) Not a one of us will always be on this earth.  We are going to
            die, sooner or later.
        b) When that time comes, I want to go to Heaven with Jesus.
        c) But unless you and I are perfect, we “will certainly not enter
            the kingdom of heaven.”
II     YOU ARE SAVED.  (17-18)
    1. Jesus came to do what we cannot do.  (17)
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” 
        a) Could there be anyone who was perfect, who could be our
            substitute, who could offer Himself as a perfect sacrifice for
            sinners because He had never failed in keeping God’s holy will?
        b) Jesus, God’s eternal Son, is the answer.  He humbled
            Himself and left the glories of Heaven to live a sinless life on
            this earth so that He could be a perfect atoning sacrifice.  He
            fulfilled everything God had promised about a Savior, a
            promise going all the way back to Adam and Eve.
    2. Many voices accused Him.   
        a) False accusations came hot and heavy during His life.
        b) Then think of His trials leading up to His death.  Not a single
            charge could be substantiated.  Even Pontius Pilate tried to set
            Him free because he said there were no valid charges. 
    3. But He accomplished our salvation. (18)
“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the
smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means
disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
        a) Jesus fulfilled all.  On the cross He said, “It is finished.”  He
            paid the price that opens Heaven’s door.
        b) And now for those in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation.
        c) Using the picture of us as a snowblower, we could say that
            Jesus as our substitute did what was necessary to fix us.  But
            that also means something for us while we are still here on
            earth and before we reach Heaven.  We are to function. 
III  YOU ARE SALT.  (13)
    1. Salt serves a number of purposes.  (13)
“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”
        a) Salt can add flavor to food or be a preservative for food.  Salt
            can be put on our sidewalks or on our roads if they are icy.
        b) But what if you put salt on your meat and it tastes no different,
            or use it as a preservative and it does no good?  What if you
            put salt on your walks or on the streets and you still slip and
            your car slides?  Then what?  You might as well throw it away.
    2. Our being here also has purposes.  (13a)
“You are the salt of the earth.”        
        a) God once said that He would have spared Sodom and
            Gomorrah if there had been just a few true believers there.  In a
            similar way true Christians are a preservative for the world
            today, giving others time to repent before it is too late.
        b) That makes us ask how long our country will still last when
            true Christianity, Christ as the only Savior, is despised.
3. Don’t be throw-away Christians.  (13)
“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”
        a) Is salt doing no good?  Throw it away.
        b) If people can’t tell I am a Christian, what good am I?
        c) It’s like a burned out light bulb.  Throw it away.
IV  YOU ARE LIGHT.   (14-16)
    1. We have been enlightened.  (14a)
“You are the light of the world.”
        a) Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
        b) Yes, as believers in Jesus we have the light of life.  We have
            been enlightened.  We know the truth about being saved.
    2. Now we should function, let that light shine. (14-15)
“You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead
they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house.” 
        a) Are you truly a believer in Jesus as your Savior from sin?
        b) Show that by a Christian life, shining wherever or whatever
             you are.  Let others hear from you and see Christ in you so that
            they too may come into the light of salvation.
    3. This should be to God’s glory.  (16)
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may
see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
        a) Let people see you coming to church regularly because you
            want to worship and praise your God and Savior.
        b) Let people see you living a Christian life as a husband, a wife,
            a student, a worker, being what God made you to be.
        c) Do that so that others see the light and praise their Savior too.
V    BE WHAT YOU ARE.  (19b,13,16)
    1. Thank God for what He has made you.  (19b)
“ --- whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called
great in the kingdom of heaven.”         
        a) Jesus says we are great.  Our St. Jacobi grade school’s theme
            for this school year has been: “Be What God Has Made You.”
        b) That is an encouragement for our children in our school.  Let
            it be an encouraging theme for all of us to believe and live and
            teach God’s will and to be great in the kingdom of  heaven.
    2. So be salty.  (13a)
        a) Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth.”    
    b) Pray for strength to BE WHAT GOD MADE YOU TO BE.
    3. And let your light shine.  (16a)
        a) Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.”        
    b) Pray for strength to BE WHAT GOD MADE YOU TO BE.
   
    Let’s go back to my snowblower.  I hope it keeps on functioning
well.  But the only future it can look forward to is a junk heap.
    Our future is the kingdom of Heaven, won for us by Jesus our
Savior.  On the way there, may the Holy Spirit through Word and
Sacrament strengthen us all to BE WHAT GOD MADE US TO BE.

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