july 30 2023
July 30th 2023
Old Testament: Deuteronomy 7:6-9 (10-11)
Psalm: Psalm 125
Epistle: Romans 8:28-39
Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52 (53-58)
Sermon Text: Romans 8:28-39
Sermon Title: “More Than Conquerors”
Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
“For we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose”. (Romans 8:28) “If God is for us, who can be against us”? (Romans 8:31b) “In all things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”. (Romans 8:37) Here we have some very precious promises from God’s gracious presence with us, His people. Here, we also have a few of the most misapplied passages in all of Holy Scripture.
For example, I have heard these words used by athletes after winning a game, as if God rewards Christian athletes by letting them win all the time; as if those Christians who don’t happen to win the game are somehow less faithful. I also hear these words used by false prophets/teachers/preachers who teach that if your faith is strong enough God will reward you with earthly success and that those who don’t receive earthly wealth and possessions are somehow lesser Christians.
It is almost as if the rest of the text this morning doesn’t exist. As if the Scriptures teach about winning and success, rather than about the cross. You see; These precious promises of God are true, even in, especially in, the midst of the stresses, trials and sufferings of this life. But, as Paul said earlier in the chapter, “I consider the sufferings of this present time not worth comparing to the glory that is to be reveled to us”. (Romans 8:18)
“We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose”. (Romans 8:28) “All things” literally means all things; that God is working through everything that happens in our lives. That He is working these things for “good” speaks both of our spiritual life; the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus and the “daily bread” that He provides for us out of His bounteous goodness.
It is not, as I said earlier, a promise of material wealth or possessions. Paul is also not saying here that all things that happen to us are good; only that God will work good out of “all things”; even what we would consider sin or evil. Death, sickness, war, natural disasters, famine and the like are not good things in and of themselves, but God can and does bring good out of these evil events which inevitably occur in this fallen world.
For example, remember how Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery where he suffered in many ways? Yet in the end, God brought about an end to a famine in Egypt through Joseph; what they “intended for evil, God intended for good”. (Genesis 50:20a) We will see that very clearly in the closing verses of the Epistle reading this morning.
Next Paul wrote, “For those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, He also called, and those whom He called, He also justified, and those whom He justified, He also glorified”. (Romans 8:29-30) Every aspect of our salvation has to do with God’s working, not our own.
These verses speak to the doctrine of election or predestination, which can be very comforting teaching when taught rightly, but can be confusing when it is not understood properly; especially when we try to delve into the secret will of God. We are to stick with what God clearly reveals in His Holy Word; “That Christ calls all sinners to Himself and promises them refreshment … it is His will that that they hear His Word and not stop their ears or despise it”. (Epitome, Article XI, par. 8)
Only let no one become arrogant and unrepentant, thinking that because God elected them to salvation, it doesn’t matter what they believe or how they live. For judgment and condemnation occur when people “do not hear the Word at all, but willfully despise it, harden their ears and hearts and thus bar the ordinary way for the Holy Spirit to work in them”. (Epitome, XI, par. 12)
Rather, let those who have been “elected out of the pure grace of Christ, without any merit of their own … put forth every effort to live according to the will of God and to confirm their call as St. Peter declares”; (Epitome, Article Xi, par. 13-14) “be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure”. (2nd Peter 1:10a) Martin Luther added, “one should walk in humility and fear in the sight of God and not presume upon our own righteousness, wisdom and courage. (Instead) One should rely on the power of Christ … He always conquers and triumphs”. (LSB note, Hebrews 6:6)
He always conquers and triumphs! “He who is in you, is greater than he who is in the world”. (1st John 4:4b) “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things”. (Romans 8:31-32) Paul is asking a rhetorical question with the obvious answer; No one; for we know that He is for us because of His sacrificial death for all mankind. Christ will surely provide us, who trust in Him alone, with all that we need and bring us safely home to live with Him forever in heaven; despite of whatever might happen to us in this life.
Next, Paul uses legal language to further make his point; “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the One who died (and) more than that, who was raised (and) who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”. (Romans 8:33-34) Once again, the obvious answer is no one. The case is closed! God has declared us not guilty, for the sake of Jesus’ innocent suffering, death, and bodily resurrection.
In addition, Jesus, our High Priest, who has ascended to the right hand of God is “interceding for us” (Romans 8:34b), praying for us before the Heavenly Father as the Apostle John also declares, “if anyone does sin, they have an advocate with the Father; Jesus Christ the Righteous (One)”. (1st John 2:1b) “Consequently, He is able to save … those who draw near to God through Him; since He always lives to make intercession for us”. (Hebrews 7:25)
The Apostle Paul continues with the rhetorical questions, assuming the same answer as before. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ”. (Romans 8:35a) No one! “Therefore, we can say with the Psalmist, “the Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me”? (Psalm 118:6) To prove his point, Paul lists seven difficulties that he personally experienced because of his faith and witness to Christ and he comes to the same conclusion; neither any person nor anything can separate us from the love of Christ.
“Shall tribulation (NO), or distress (NO), or persecution (NO), or famine (NO), or nakedness (NO), or danger (NO), or sword (NO)”? As it is written, For your sake, we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered”. (Romans 8:35b-36) The answer to all of these things is, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”. (Romans 8:37) “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. (1st Corinthians 15:57) This is also what Jesus promised in the Gospel of John, “In this world, you will have tribulation. But, take heart; I have overcome the world”. (John 16:33b) This is not a promise that everything will go well in this life, but rather that He is with us always, “even to the close of the age”. (Matthew 28:20b)
In case you missed the point, Paul continues building his case, by speaking of ten different realities that threaten us and our faith in Christ, but reminds us that by His death and bodily resurrection, Christ has triumphed over all opposition to His kingdom. For Christ Jesus is “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but in the age to come … He is head over all things”. (Ephesians 1:21-22a) “He is before all things and in Him all things hold together … in everything He is preeminent”. (Colossians 1:17b, 18b)
In this confidence Paul boldly proclaims the good news, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Romans 8:38-39) Again, these things threaten to separate us from Christ’s love, but Christ has triumphed over them. “He who began a good work in you (in your baptism) will bring it to completion, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Philippians 1:6)
This should give us confidence, even in this wicked world; even with the enemies of Christ; the devil, the world and our own sinful flesh battling against us. He is working out all (bad, evil) things that happen in this life (wars, famines, persecutions, pandemics, etc.) for our ultimate good; that we may spend an eternity with Him when we die. So, this has nothing to do with prosperity or good health or a long life or any other material blessing; “It has everything to do with being ‘rich towards God’ (Luke 12:21) and ‘storing up treasures in heaven’ (Matthew 6:20)”. (Marquart, “The Saving Truth: Doctrine for Lay People”, page 80)
Again, Paul is not giving us any promises that we will avoid trouble; but rather that we will experience crosses and trials as Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”. (Matthew 16:24) Our situation is like that of the Psalmist who Paul quoted, “For Your sake, we are being killed all the day long; regarded as sheep to be slaughtered”. (Psalm 44:22) No, these things will happen to us in one form or another, but until we die or Jesus comes again in glory, we cling to Him and His precious, life-giving Word and promise, that He has “gone to prepare a place for us … and will come again to take us to Himself, that where He is, we may be also”. (John 14:3)
At the end of the sermon last week, I spoke of preparation for the Lord’s Supper, and I want to continue that discussion for a moment to conclude the sermon today. In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther wrote 20 questions and answers for those who are preparing to receive the Sacrament, noting that these questions are “not child’s play … let each one pay attention and consider it a serious matter”. These are part of examining of ourselves that I spoke of last week.
He starts with what we may consider basic questions, but ones we must get right. Do you believe that you are a sinner? Yes, I believe that I am a sinner, based on the Ten Commandments, which I have not kept. Are you sorry for your sins? Yes, I am sorry that I sinned against God and I know that I deserve His “wrath and displeasure, temporal death and eternal damnation”. “But, I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them”.
Do you hope to be saved? Yes, that is my hope, by trusting in my dear Lord Jesus Christ. Who then is Christ? He is the Son of God, true God and true man. What has He done for you that you trust in Him? He died for me and shed His blood for me on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. How do you know this? From the Holy Gospel and from the words instituting the Sacrament.
Do you believe then that the true body and blood of Christ are in the Sacrament? Yes, because of His Word, “take eat, this is My body … take drink, this is My blood”. (Matthew 26:26, 28) What motivated Christ to die and make full payment for your sins? His great love for the Father, and me and other sinners caused Him to become “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”. (Philippians 2:8b)
Finally, he asks, why do you wish to go to the Sacrament? So that I may learn to believe that Christ, out of His great love for me and all mankind, died for my sin and rose from the dead on the third day; and also that we would learn from Him to love God and our neighbor. This is why we should receive the Lord’s Supper frequently and admonish and encourage others to do the same. First, because of Christ’s command and promise and second because of our great (and constant) need for forgiveness; encouragement; and strengthening of our faith.
Luther wrote in the Large Catechism, “we must never think of the Sacrament as something harmful from which we should flee, but rather as a pure, wholesome, comforting remedy … it will cure you and give you life both in soul and body”. (Large Catechism, “Sacrament of the Altar; par. 68) “For He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him, graciously give us all things”. (Romans 8:32) Amen.
The peace of God …