[Sermon Archive]

This Week's Sermon SECOND MIDWEEK ADVENT SERVICE 12 December 2007 "We are Not an Afterthought" Romans 15:4-13 LSB Series A Vicar Heath A. Trampe Soli Deo Gloria!

Nobody likes to be picked last. Any of us here who have been the last one selected for dodge ball teams in grade school or forced to play on the JV teams in high school can attest to that. If I remember correctly, I was picked last just about every week from Kindergarten to High School. I always wondered what the other kids had that I didn't. But perhaps I was looking at it the wrong way. You see, the person picked last is still picked, and they still get to play the game and enjoy themselves as much as the next person. The Bible is sort of set up like this as well, except we aren't talking about a game of dodge ball, but our very salvation. It seems that the Jews are the stars of the show and that Gentiles are kind of a "Plan B". According to the wisdom of the apostle Paul in Romans 15, however, we can rejoice and have hope in the fact that

I. Rejoice, O Gentiles, and welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you. (vv. 4-7)
II. Rejoice, O Gentiles, and abound in the hope of Christ. (vv. 8-13)

As 2007 draws to a close, many of us can think about how we've failed in the past year. The awful tradition of making New Years Resolutions succeeds only in making us more aware of our shortcomings. While most dream of attaining a better physique in the coming year, still others of us say that we'll read our Bibles more, pray more often, and have a devotional with our family a few times a week. Sometimes we can even achieve this for a month or two, but ultimately even this falls by the wayside.

December can be the most difficult month of all. As Pastor Meyer stated in this month's Esprit article, Advent is a time for hope, but also for penitence and reflection. During this "most wonderful time of the year," however, we're often so busy partying and budgeting our money for extravagant gifts that the season is over before we even realize it. Instead of a golden calf, we worship a jolly fellow we like to call Santa Claus.

These examples serve to show us that we are certainly no better than the Jews, and we are just as guilty of forgetting God and taking His precious gifts for granted. But today's text tells us to rejoice and have hope. And this hope is for everyone.

Paul begins this section by stating that "whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope". And what hope would that be? Note what Paul says in Galatians: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:28-29). You may remember me making the statement in my sermon on Zacchaeus that we are indeed also "sons of Abraham" through Christ. This doesn't give us cause to lord our status over the Jews, however, but to live in increasing unity and hope with them as brothers and sisters in Christ.

While our daily vocations may not always bring us interaction with the Jews, it brings us numerous opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us. Remembering these words of Paul: "welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God," we can bring the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ to our friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Lest you begin to feel superior to others in this pursuit, remember that it was the Jews like Paul who first brought the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Without being sure of our equality to the Jews, and ultimately sure of our salvation, we'd always be trying to improve our status with God. We'd be like our works-driven Christian brothers and sisters who feel as if they need to act a certain way to please God. This mindset always leaves such Christians unsure of their salvation and utterly miserable when things go wrong in their lives. However, remember that Paul also said that "WHILE we were STILL sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). And how do we truly know that we are included in Paul's mention of "us"?

Baptized Christians never have to worry if they are under God's covenant of grace because of what baptism is. Christ Himself says that "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Paul goes on to mention that "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Baptism is no mere sign, but is a promise that God is our Father and that we are saved on account of His holy Word. Luther says in the Small Catechism that baptism "gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare". This promise is not only for the Jew, but also for the Gentile.

Christ has given us the ultimate gift in His suffering and death upon the cross. He even sent missionaries like Paul to preach to the Gentiles when they were still unbelievers. Even if we haven't always been the most accepting to our brothers and sisters outside of the Christian faith, we know that God the Father accepts us on account of Christ's death and resurrection, and we always have that hope. We, like the Romans, would do well to receive Paul's message of equality for salvation and Christ's love for all mankind. This love isn't won by works or adherence to the law, but is the gift of a loving Father, given through baptism, so that we might truly be considered His beloved children. Rejoice, O Gentiles, and have hope. Christ died for all sinners, and that includes you. Amen.