Today’s Scripture

Psalm 46         Revelation 14:6-7        Romans 3:19-28          John 8:31-36

 

            In the last words of Scripture God gives the vision of his holy angel “who had the Gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people,” [Revelation 14:6].  It is a great promise.  It is a great work.  It is a great comfort.  It is God’s saving work that continues throughout all time, including today, and will continue until the day Christ comes again in judgment that includes your salvation.  The fact that this Gospel will be proclaimed announces to all that Jesus’ command to teach and baptize all nations will happen as you and I and all believers continue in this command he gave just before his ascension [Matthew 28].

 

            The true Gospel is a universal message.  It is a universal truth.  As we understand that word, universe, it means the entire creation, even the parts we cannot see or imagine.  It is all-inclusive of God’s creation.  Universal applies to all things.  Many of you have a “universal remote” that operates the television, the cable/satellite dish, the DVD/VCR, and other appliances.  One size fits all.  And in the universal truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, one message is for all. 

 

            But the world does not understand how salvation works in that way.  The world views itself as universal, one world for all beliefs.  That is the extreme opposite of what the Gospel is, one belief for all people in the world.  Jesus instructs us with these words from Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”  That narrow gate is the universal truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That Gospel message is proclaimed by Jesus in today’s account from John, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set your free,” [8:31-32].

 

            Paul explains that truth to us in his words to the Romans about the law and the Gospel.  The law is there to tell us God’s expectations and how we and all people have fallen short of that glory.  That is not good news except that Paul continues, “…and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.,” [3:23-24].  There is no other way to be saved except through faith in God’s love to you in Christ Jesus.  That is the universal truth.  That is the universal Gospel.  That is the one and only way to heaven that Jesus calls the narrow gate. 

 

            Getting that one universal message out is the Reformation.  The seeds of the Reformation were planted from the beginning of the church.  John writes to believers to “test the spirits…because false prophets have gone out,” [1 John 4:1].  The apostles warned early believers about those who stressed living “by the law.” in contrast to living by God’s grace in the Gospel.  In the two hundred years before Luther were Wycliffe (14^th century England) and Huss (15^th century Prague) who challenged the well developed false teachings in the church that contradicted the truth of the Gospel.  Throughout time from the formative years of the church through today have been teachings that although Christ died for sins, there are things/works that man must do to merit, to earn heaven.  Some of these are obvious such as doing certain acts of penance and making gifts of penance on behalf of yourself or someone else.  These were called indulgences at Luther’s time.  Today, they are still indulgences although that term has been put aside for “political correctness.”  Satan does all he can to deceive.

 

            Some of those works are more subtle using good “faith” words such as faith and prayer.  There is the taunt that you have to have stronger faith, that your weakness in faith is the reason for shortcomings or unfortunate things happening to you.  That takes the miracle of faith out of God’s hands and into your own.  Satan tries to deceive you telling you that your faith is not strong enough.  It is another way he tries to put some more guilt on you to make you think you cannot be saved.  Remember Jesus’ words about faith as small as a mustard seed being able to cause impossible things to happen?  God gives you faith and strengthens you in that faith through his word and in the sacraments.  He allows you to be tested so your earthly experiences bring you to learn to trust him more and more.   

 

            Prayer is another word as Satan would have you believe that prayer is your personal work that earns things.  Prayer is sometimes tossed around as a nice wish for someone.  Sometimes Satan lures you into that trap that you didn’t have enough others praying for you and here comes that guilt again, you couldn’t get enough buddies to bail you out.  Satan puts guilt on you telling you that the reason you do not have the answer you expected is because of lack of faith or nor praying “hard enough.”  Instead, prayer is God’s gift to you that you can go to him at any time, that he always hears, that he always listens, and that he has already answered your prayers in his almighty and all knowing and holy way.  Prayer is a gift of faith as when you pray you trust him and his will as you ask that his will becomes your will.  Prayer is a gift that God has given you to use in faith in him and his plans for you and others.  Prayer is a gift that God gives all of us, that together we trust in him as we gather together as a congregation, in groups praying, and circulating our petitions.  God wants to hear our pleas and our trust in him.  That is why we have a weekly prayer list in e-messenger, lists of petitions in the prayers during this service, and other groups who share prayer requests.  Prayer draws us together trusting God’s graces in all things.    

 

            And, Satan himself.  As we travel the streets and walk through the stores, the devil is depicted as just another character we can have fun with and about.  Peter’s description is far more accurate describing the devil as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Luther knew how real Satan is and declared that openly.  We too need to remind ourselves daily how real and destructive Satan is as we pray Luther’s morning and evening prayers that God would, “…send his holy angels to be with us that the evil foe would have no power over us.” 

 

            The Reformation:  Luther brought the truth of the Gospel to the people and through that the people to the Gospel.  Luther knew and proclaimed from God’s word that by having God’s word in the hands of common people was more powerful (and more truthful) than any and all of the church leaders (popes, bishops, priests and pastors) and councils.  Luther knew from God’s word that the one and only way of salvation was by God’s grace in the saving work of his son, Jesus Christ.  Luther knew and proclaimed that faith comes from hearing the word as the Holy Spirit then works the miracle of faith in a believer’s heart.  Luther knew and proclaimed from God’s word that the “means of grace,” that is God’s act of saving his people is only through the word and the two sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  Luther knew and proclaimed from God’s word the universal truth of the Gospel that it is by God’s grace alone that one is saved through God’s word alone and by faith alone.  It is a work of God, not of any of ours, and of that no one can boast.  Instead, our boasting is as Paul writes, boasting in Christ Jesus.

 

            As we look at ourselves and see nothing but sin and its wages, death, we look to the cross and see God’s love, forgiving all sins and giving eternal life in Jesus Christ.  As we look at the world we see the same sin and looming death.  As we know that cold and hard fact, we know that we have the truth that sets one free in faith in Jesus Christ.  We know that we are called as individuals and as the holy, Christian church to take that truth, that universal truth out to family, to friends, to colleagues and classmates, to those we do business, to those we pass by and greet on the street.  That angel in Revelation brings the Gospel message through pastors, through congregations and church bodies that remain true to that Gospel, and through individuals such as you who witness God’s love in thought, word, and deed to others in this world.  The Holy Spirit does the rest in their hearts.

 

            The Reformation “officially” began 490 years ago this week.  In truth, the Reformation is a constant working in this world, bringing the truth of God’s love to his people.  That truth is: he is our maker; he is our redeemer; and he alone is the one who makes us holy again.  That is the universal truth.  That is the universal Gospel that his holy angel oversees in this church and throughout the world.  That is the universal truth by which all men must be saved.  That is in Jesus’ undying love.  Amen.