Jesus speaks to you today saying,
“And if a son of peace
is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.”
God does not let you choose Jesus, in order to be saved. No
matter your intentions, the things that Jesus is doing in your life today, is
not the Gospel. The things you are doing for Jesus no more makes you a son of
peace than it makes you a Christian. You do not choose to be a son of peace,
Jesus makes you a son of peace.
“At this point, what difference does it make” has become a
famous saying, recently, and even though it was said in complete disregard of
duty and decency, it makes a point.
We have the internet, so what difference does it make if I
write a letter or an instant message? We have government run social programs,
so what difference does it make if I neglect those in need? We have over 25
“churches” within the city limits of Rensselaer ,
what difference does it make which I, or anyone else, go to?
Familiarity breeds contempt. You have so many options that
you begin to treat the true Church with contempt. Day after day, Church does
the same thing. Maybe you need to spice Sunday up a bit and go somewhere else.
What difference does it make?
Life is the same way for you. Will you go to college or some
other school, after High School? Will you buy or build your house? Will you get
married or remain single?
Life has become a smorgasbord of “what difference does it
make” and no one is going to tell you what to do or how to do it. Don’t tell me
how to live my life. Just because you think I’m wrong doesn’t make it so.
What’s true for me may not be true for you.
With this same mindset, you come to Church and you read the
Holy Scriptures. Religion becomes a big buffet table where you take what you
want because you like it and leave what you want because you don’t. But,
Christianity in America
is so far down the rabbit hole, at this point, what difference does it make?
What do you say about your church, the LWML, or the Synod to
others? Or better yet, what do others say about St. Luke? Is it enough to be
open, warm, and caring? Is it just ok if someone comes and feels welcome? Is it good
enough that the programs we put on all look the same as everywhere else?
If St. Luke wants to look
like everyone else then there is no point in the doors remaining open. If the
evangelist had nothing new to say, then he had no business writing a third
Gospel. If Christianity, indeed, Lutheranism is no different or doesn’t have
something more special to offer, why are we here?
Repent! The Apostles knew they had something different;
something that the world would hate and kill them for and yet they preached Christ
Crucified loud and proud. St. Luke didn’t try
hard to be different, exclusive, or marketable. All he did was present the
Gospel which is more than enough to reveal sin and reveal the Savior.
Jesus is different. He has come to kindle a fire that is completely
different than anything the world gives and He comes to give Peace very much
UN-like the world has to offer. That is because this fire and this peace comes
through suffering and through the cross.
Jesus is the Son of Peace Who is made man, suffers, and dies
in order that the Gospel reach you. Not the gospel of a wonderful life or the
gospel of having it made in the shade. This is the Gospel of the one, true God
Who offers up His Son in your place, reconciling you with God.
Where we need 2 or 3 witnesses. Jesus witnesses of Himself.
His Word tells us He is born of a virgin, that He is true God, and true man.
His Word reveals to us a Law that has been transgressed and a Savior that has
freed us from that Law.
It is only by the Word of Christ that pastors have anything
to preach. It is only in the Word of the Cross, that true faith is given. It is
only in the preaching of the Gospel that salvation is produced in you.
What St. Luke offers in his gospel account and what St. Luke
Evangelical Lutheran Church, the LWML, and the Synod have to offer Rensselaer is Christ crucified. What we want people to
walk away with, when they visit, is, “those folks sure do talk about Christ a
lot. They must be Christian.”
Do you see? Did you hear? A true son of peace is only
recognized by the fact that all he talks about is true peace found in Jesus.
Likewise, the community will know we are Christians by our Christ and His Word
and Sacraments.
If we only talk about Bibles and verses, they would call us
Biblicists and Verseasists. If we only talk about good works and love, they would
call us social workers and hippies. If we would only talk about ourselves and
God doing good things to us, they would call us narcissists.
Thank God for the Gospel. Thank God for Christ. We do not
have to talk about anything other than Jesus, for He is the author and perfecter
of our faith. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift from above. He is
the true Baptizer, the true Speaker, and the true sacrifice.
I count all but loss that I Christ may obtain and this is so
important, that the Church created the Small Catechism and the hymnal for just
this purpose. That in those you may find simple truths that truly separate a
son of peace from a son of perdition. The difference St. Luke, the LWML, and
the Synod can make in this community is very simply speaking the plain words of
the small catechism, not just to others, but to our own families as well.
So, what difference does it make? It is the difference
between life and death. We do not want to throw around God’s Word as if nothing
happened when we did. In fact, each time we speak a part of Holy Scripture, God
is speaking and something is generated. God’s Word is a two-edged sword that
should not be taken lightly.
The Lutheran difference; the Small Catechism difference is
that God has given His Word in the 10 Commands, the Apostle’s Creed, and the
Lord’s Prayer. That God has shown us salvation in Baptism, Confession and
Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper.
Most importantly, Jesus has revealed that this is the only
way God is working in the world: through the Word. If you can not find it in
the Word, God is not doing it. If you can not hear it from the Word, God is not
speaking it. Your feelings and decisions are not in the Word; Jesus is.
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