FROM THE PASTOR
righteousness
We hear a lot about “Rights” today don’t we? There are people who are champions of rights; people who speak out for the rights of others; others who feel as though they are not heard, or who feel as though they don’t have a voice. There’s such things as “rights” to healthcare and property; there’s children’s rights; animal rights; equal rights; moral rights; and legal rights. We could go on. A fortnight ago we heard from Luke’s gospel:
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable”, ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector…”
Please read the rest of the story and note the contrast and attitude of The Pharisee and The Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14). I began my sermon by saying, “Two Sunday school teachers went to church to pray, only one met God; Two long term members went to the church to worship, only one went home right with God; two church council members went to the church to pray and only one met God; Two pastors went to the church…”. I think you get the idea.
God is righteous and what God does is always right.
The Problem (Law):
When someone does wrong – that person is unrighteous – and so comes under the judgement of a righteous God. Right and wrong do not go together do they? God demands righteousness – or another way of putting it: God demands absolute obedience. E.g.: “Love God – Love your neighbour”. In other words, love God fully, wholeheartedly, have no other idols. Love those with whom you don’t see eye to eye with; love those who do not act or think like you.
Martin Luther, as we ought to know, knew the righteousness of God and knew what God does was always right. He grew up with a picture of God as a stern, angry judge demanding perfection from an imperfect person; waiting to send him to hell.
Luther knew that God was not only disgusted with sin, but God hates sin. From our bible studies, and videos we’ve had on Luther, we learnt that Luther tried everything to become righteous. We could “Google” that, and list how many ways Luther tried to make it right with God. He tried to become righteous so God would not condemn him. But the more he tried to save himself from his sins the more hopeless he became.
How can a sinful person become righteous with God? This was the great question to which Luther struggled, and it’s the same question many people and Christians struggle with today. What’s the answer? To say, “Oh the sins that I do are not as bad compared to what others do”. Well that’s just a cover up. What’s the answer? To say, “I’m pretty good in comparison”. Well that’s pure self-righteousness.
The righteousness that God demands, is not found in us, but was to be found in Christ, and his righteousness. The words from Romans 3:19-28, among other scripture verses, were the words that brought peace and freedom to Luther, and are the same words that came to you and to me, as St Paul proclaims:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16-17).
The unrighteous person becomes righteous by faith! Our righteousness doesn’t come from within us, the believer, takes hold of the perfect righteousness of Christ, and stands uncondemned before God.
The Solution (Gospel)
Through faith in Christ Jesus, given in your baptism: you possess a righteousness that is not yours; you possess righteousness that you have not produced; you possess a righteousness not based on your own worthiness, or work; you possess the righteousness of Christ, given, and accredited to you – no by anything you have done. Our second reading (Rom 3:19-28) opened Luther’s eyes to the realisation that he was put right with God, simply through trusting God’s grace; Jesus’ perfect life, and innocent suffering, paying the only price bringing you and me, freedom from sin and death. The following is written by Martin Luther, this is a portion of his letter, written in Luther's Works vol. 48, to George Spenlein, (Wittenberg, April 8, 1516).
“Now I should like to know whether your soul, tired of its own righteousness, is learning to be revived by and to trust in the righteousness of Christ. For in our age the temptation to presumption besets many, especially those who try with all their might to be just and good without knowing the righteousness of God, which is most bountifully and freely given us in Christ. They try to do good of themselves in order that they might stand before God clothed in their own virtues and merits. But this is impossible. While you were here, you were one who held this opinion, or rather, error. So was I, and I am still fighting against the error without having conquered it as yet. Therefore, my dear Friar, learn Christ and him crucified. Learn to praise him and, despairing of yourself, say, (this prayer together)
“Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, just as I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and have given to me what is yours. You have taken upon yourself what you were not, and have given to me what I was not.” Amen.
We Pray For:
† The church, that it may remain faithful to the apostles’ teaching.
† All Christians, especially those under persecution, that they may imitate the martyrs in bold witness to the gospel.
† The enemies of the church, and those who curse God’s saints.
† Those who are poor, those who are hungry, and those who mourn.
† Those who are rich, those who have more than enough, and those who take life lightly.
† Thanks for those who have died in faith.
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable”, ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector…”
Please read the rest of the story and note the contrast and attitude of The Pharisee and The Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14). I began my sermon by saying, “Two Sunday school teachers went to church to pray, only one met God; Two long term members went to the church to worship, only one went home right with God; two church council members went to the church to pray and only one met God; Two pastors went to the church…”. I think you get the idea.
God is righteous and what God does is always right.
The Problem (Law):
When someone does wrong – that person is unrighteous – and so comes under the judgement of a righteous God. Right and wrong do not go together do they? God demands righteousness – or another way of putting it: God demands absolute obedience. E.g.: “Love God – Love your neighbour”. In other words, love God fully, wholeheartedly, have no other idols. Love those with whom you don’t see eye to eye with; love those who do not act or think like you.
Martin Luther, as we ought to know, knew the righteousness of God and knew what God does was always right. He grew up with a picture of God as a stern, angry judge demanding perfection from an imperfect person; waiting to send him to hell.
Luther knew that God was not only disgusted with sin, but God hates sin. From our bible studies, and videos we’ve had on Luther, we learnt that Luther tried everything to become righteous. We could “Google” that, and list how many ways Luther tried to make it right with God. He tried to become righteous so God would not condemn him. But the more he tried to save himself from his sins the more hopeless he became.
How can a sinful person become righteous with God? This was the great question to which Luther struggled, and it’s the same question many people and Christians struggle with today. What’s the answer? To say, “Oh the sins that I do are not as bad compared to what others do”. Well that’s just a cover up. What’s the answer? To say, “I’m pretty good in comparison”. Well that’s pure self-righteousness.
The righteousness that God demands, is not found in us, but was to be found in Christ, and his righteousness. The words from Romans 3:19-28, among other scripture verses, were the words that brought peace and freedom to Luther, and are the same words that came to you and to me, as St Paul proclaims:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16-17).
The unrighteous person becomes righteous by faith! Our righteousness doesn’t come from within us, the believer, takes hold of the perfect righteousness of Christ, and stands uncondemned before God.
The Solution (Gospel)
Through faith in Christ Jesus, given in your baptism: you possess a righteousness that is not yours; you possess righteousness that you have not produced; you possess a righteousness not based on your own worthiness, or work; you possess the righteousness of Christ, given, and accredited to you – no by anything you have done. Our second reading (Rom 3:19-28) opened Luther’s eyes to the realisation that he was put right with God, simply through trusting God’s grace; Jesus’ perfect life, and innocent suffering, paying the only price bringing you and me, freedom from sin and death. The following is written by Martin Luther, this is a portion of his letter, written in Luther's Works vol. 48, to George Spenlein, (Wittenberg, April 8, 1516).
“Now I should like to know whether your soul, tired of its own righteousness, is learning to be revived by and to trust in the righteousness of Christ. For in our age the temptation to presumption besets many, especially those who try with all their might to be just and good without knowing the righteousness of God, which is most bountifully and freely given us in Christ. They try to do good of themselves in order that they might stand before God clothed in their own virtues and merits. But this is impossible. While you were here, you were one who held this opinion, or rather, error. So was I, and I am still fighting against the error without having conquered it as yet. Therefore, my dear Friar, learn Christ and him crucified. Learn to praise him and, despairing of yourself, say, (this prayer together)
“Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, just as I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and have given to me what is yours. You have taken upon yourself what you were not, and have given to me what I was not.” Amen.
We Pray For:
† The church, that it may remain faithful to the apostles’ teaching.
† All Christians, especially those under persecution, that they may imitate the martyrs in bold witness to the gospel.
† The enemies of the church, and those who curse God’s saints.
† Those who are poor, those who are hungry, and those who mourn.
† Those who are rich, those who have more than enough, and those who take life lightly.
† Thanks for those who have died in faith.