“Jesus the Justifier”
Original sermon given October 30, 2022, written and delivered by Pastor Gregg Ramirez at First Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church
Watch the sermon live here
“Jesus the Justifier”
Romans 3.19-28
Romans 3.19-28
On this Reformation Sunday, we remember Martin Luther and how he got the church back on track with his publishing of the 95 Theses on All Hallows Eve. You know what a big deal that is today: October 31, 1517 - Luther’s message impacted millions over the centuries, and one man powerfully influenced was a prominent preacher from Atlanta, Georgia named Dr. Michael King. Back in 1934, King went to Berlin, Germany to represent his church at the meeting of the Baptist World Alliance. In Germany, Hitler had just taken power and the alliance stood against the Nazis’ racially motivated antisemitism. King already had experienced racial hate in his hometown Atlanta and had become a local leader in the Civil Rights movement. Though a Baptist, King was inspired by Martin Luther’s protests against an abusive and oppressive church hierarchy, and then after visiting some of the local sites associated with Luther, King was powerfully moved by the Reformer’s proclamation of solas-salvation by grace alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone. In fact, King was so powerfully impacted that when he got home, (and this is a man with a doctorate degree and social standing), he actually changed his name from Michael to Martin, and he did the same for his 5-year-old son, his namesake. And the rest is history! We now celebrate a holiday in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
None would deny that Dr. Martin Luther King was bold in his willingness to stand for the truth, and his life parallels that of Martin Luther who courageously put his own life on the line for the saving truth of the Christian Gospel. Luther was like the shepherd boy David confronting the Goliath of the powerful Roman church which was known for burning protestors at the stake. What was it that motivated Luther to put himself under the threat of the same fate? It was this: Roman Catholic theology taught that people of themselves are able to do what is truly good to attain righteousness before God. In contrast, Luther had become clearly convinced from Scripture that this teaching was tragically wrong and that it robbed the gospel of its power. It put believers back under the slavery to guilt and fear due to failure to keep the law’s impossible demands. It made them like mice on a treadmill with no end in sight. Luther correctly recognized that Catholic theology taught that people are not as fallen as the Bible says we are. In his eyes our plight was like Humpty Dumpty who fell off the wall, fatally flawed by sin, never to be put back together again. Yes, that’s the way things were until the sinless Jesus Christ took all the world’s transgressions upon Himself at the cross and substituted His perfect righteousness for our unrighteousness. Through exercising faith in Him as one’s personal Savior, Luther insisted that we are justified, which means for you and me that God sees us just as if we had no sin.
That’s the cardinal doctrine of our faith that separates the world into two religions. You are saved by your character or by grace alone. It’s the clear teaching of Scripture and today’s lesson is packed with compressed concepts which validate this life changing truth claim which yet can save precious souls in need of a Savior from sin. This day lives are at stake with eternity in the balance.
Yet there’s something about all this that bothers me, and I hope it troubles you also. I’m speaking for myself; you’ll have to decide for yourself if what I’m saying applies to you. What troubles me is that I don’t have the same desperation Martin Luther felt when he would go on his fasts, when he slept in a cold cell and lost his health for the rest of his life, or when he’d pray for four hours because of his torment. Nor do I have his exuberance when he was on his knees going up some stairs in Rome with other penitents. Suddenly he saw at the top those words – “the just shall live by faith.” Powerfully, this verse came alive for him and so set him free in spirit that Luther began a reformation that would sweep through all of Europe. Nor do I have the excitement of Dr. Michael King that I would change my name and that of my namesake to Martin Luther King because of the transformational truths regarding the true faith that saves. For me, and many of you, we’ve been through our share of Reformation Sundays. Have they become so matter of fact, same old same old, that we have forgotten just how high the stakes are and what is involved when it comes to the ultimate bottom line? You’re either a sheep or a goat, either going to heaven or going to hell.
This rather blasé sentiment that I felt rather than a measure of Luther’s convictions has bothered me for quite a while. But then something happened that really brought it to a head. Back in my previous interim there was a wonderful man, Ken, in my Bible class. Ken was 95 and a Lutheran teacher all of his life, but twice in class, he shared that he had some good Christians friends and he was encouraging them to come to church. But they told him he was stupid. “God is love,” they said. “You don’t have to go to church.” Twice Ken interrupted the class because it really hurt him.
“God is love, you don’t have to go to church.” How does that sound to you? Who of us would deny that God is love? Yes, those individuals would admit they’re sinners but not bad. Does that give the person permission to treat church as an option? I have loved ones who say: “I believe Jesus is my Savior.” Do they get a free pass? Often you hear: “All you have to do is invite Jesus into your heart.” Free pass? Is this happening today? It’s an epidemic in our churches where myriads have fallen away, and I believe many of you have seen this in your families and with your friends. I wondered. What would our brother Martin Luther think about this situation we face today?
So, what’s missing in this, “God is love” equation? It all came together for me when I heard a Christian apologist make the distinction between two Christian athletes; Tim Tebow in football and Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors in basketball. Tim who would take a knee at games and talk about his faith was considered one of the most divisive figures in football. While Steph Curry, a big star for the Golden State Warriors, would talk about his faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, he had Phil. 4:13 imprinted on his basketball shoes, and everybody loves him. Why? Steph Curry talks about “God is love” while Tim Tebow talks also about the cross – about sin, righteousness, and judgment – telling people that they need to live a life of repentance.
Then I got it. Why is there such a state of disrepair? People like to hear about the loving kindness of God. It’s a good deal to believe in Jesus and think you’re a pretty good person. If there’s a problem you can pray for help. That way you can live as you want apart from commitment to the church. It’s like you can have your cake and eat it too. But what about the way of the cross? If people think their sins are not that bad, the cross has lost its significance. Further, I’m reminded of Jesus’ first calls in Mark’s and Matthew’s Gospels. “Repent.” It’s a present imperative, continue to repent. Indeed, it’s the essential point of the first of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses that we remember today: The life of a Christian is the life of repentance – a call to change!
Here's the bottom line: We’re all called to be disciples, and it’s through repentance, a continued turning away from sin and turning toward the will of God – that we are in this process of being transformed into the image of Christ. Apart from this growing in discipleship, through study of the Word and the Sacrament they are missing the boat.
So, what is the way out of this dilemma? I was reminded of the founder of our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, CFW Walther, and the 6th thesis of his classic Law and Gospel, which all students had to read at seminary. “The Word of God is not rightly divided when the law is not preached in its full sternness and the Gospel not in its full sweetness.” With this in mind, I’d like to share my experience at Immanuel, Des Plaines. We used to pass out Jewel or gas cards to needy people and there were a couple of ladies, friends in their 40s who came in one day. I asked them to sit down and tell me a little bit about their faith. They said they were Catholic, but didn’t go to church, and I asked them if they’d ever heard the Gospel. They said “no” and I said that it was about the gift of eternal life. Then I asked if they believed in an afterlife. Yes, they said, and I asked if they thought they were going to heaven. Yes, they said, and then I asked how they were going to get there. Both said because they led a good life. Then I asked if I could ask a few questions. Sure. So, I asked, have you ever lied before? Both said they had, and I said I have too. Then I asked if they had ever taken God’s name in vain? Yes, and I said that’s called blasphemy in the Scripture and it breaks the second commandment and there’s a penalty of death. Had they ever stolen anything before or looked at someone of the opposite sex with lust. Yes, they said. So, I said, ladies, you’ve broken God’s commandments and the wages of sin is death. With that in mind, are you going to heaven or hell? They had to admit hell. That’s the bad news, and it’s bad news for me because I’m a sinner too. But now let me tell you the Good News. If you’re in court, and you have a huge fine debt, what if someone comes in and pays it? You get to walk. You’re free, and that’s what Jesus Christ did for you. At His cross as your substitute, He paid the fine for your huge debt of sin in thought, word, and deed. Does that make sense to you? They got it, and people need to hear it when there is the facing of an afterlife and the step out of this world. He is our parachute that enables us to land safely into the next life.
Now I believe some of you may be saying to yourselves: “Whoa, preacher you’re getting a little extreme here talking about hell.” Yet I believe when people truly recognize through the Holy Spirit what Jesus has done for them paying all their debt of sin and being their parachute, wild horses couldn’t keep them from church and growing in their relationship to Him.
Today on this Reformation weekend, I mentioned the excitement and transformation experienced by Martin Luther and Dr. Michael King who changed his name to Martin Luther King. They were powerfully moved by the work of Jesus the Justifier who caused us by faith to be just as if we had no sin. It’s a truth that has been buried under the sands of complacency by false teaching. What’s going to change this? We need a revival, another reformation. In the meantime, as you see our society become more unhinged, pray for revival, but also pray for the desire to learn how to better speak the truth in love to those you hold dear because they are in more of a desperate place than they think. It makes all the difference for this life and the life to come.