Text: Rev. 14:6-7
Facebook live: The gospel is free and for all
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
Many years ago when we had a preschool here at Peace, I had an opportunity to stop by for a visit with Pastor Merrell. I was probably in the area for work and took a few minutes during the day to stop and say hi.
While I was here, the preschool was in session and there were 30 plus children in attendance. As I walked over to see what was going on with the children I saw something interesting. The children were milling around and a bit loud and talking. As I walked in, the teachers, seeing me, began raising their hand with their finger extended. It took only a moment but very soon the room was quiet. The children knew that when the finger went up they needed to be quiet and listen to the teacher speak.
Things have changed. Our preschool is closed and listening has become a lost art. The din of noise in the world has gotten louder and louder as one voice struggles to be heard over the other. In our world, loud becomes louder, as differing views cease to listen and simply yell louder and louder to be heard over each other.
The Catholic Church has been taking its lumps lately. And I don’t mean this as a pretext to my Reformation sermon. One news anchor recently threw out the term ordinary Catholic as opposed to - I suppose - the term extraordinary Catholic or as we might surmise, a believing Catholic; and we need not leave this dilemma to only the Roman Catholics as Lutherans, Baptists and I would assume all other Christians face a similar problem or question.
Do we actually believe what our faith teaches?
So, from our perspective as Lutherans, what does it mean to actually believe the message as opposed to just appear to be going through the motions?
Our first reading begins:
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
As I began this week to think about the reformation and my sermon for this weekend, this text jumped out at me:
With an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
What is it?
What does it mean?
And who is it for?
That’s what Martin Luther, a faithful believing Roman Catholic, wrestled with as he compared faithful Catholic teaching with the word of God.
Martin knew his sin. It is why he became a Monk and found his place in the monastery and service there to somehow and in some way to appease God and his wrath.
How many prayers must he pray?
How many sins need to be confessed?
How can a sinful man stand before a Holy God?
Our Epistle and bulletin cover tells of the problem and solution:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom. 3:24-25
So let’s get back to what it is, what does it mean and who is it for.
What is it?
Our brokenness in sin has separated us from God. But, by God’s gracious work in Christ and for us as a gift we have redemption!
What does it mean?
Well, it means that no longer does God see us who believe as his enemies but as his children and by the gift of faith we have God’s peace and favor.
And who is it for?
Well it’s for all who have sinned and so it is also for all, by faith, that the gift has been given.
with [this] eternal gospel, [it is to be] proclaimed to those who dwell on earth,
Every Nation,
Every Tribe,
Every Language,
Every people,
It’s for you and it’s for me,
No one is left out of this Good News!
If that is what it is, what it means, and who it’s for, then who opposes it?
Well, the devil opposes it,
Saint Peter tells us to, 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
And the world opposes it,
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:14; 17
Our own sinful flesh opposes it,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6:23
Concluding with the gospel promise,
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It is God’s work!
Ill. [I was reminded of this story last week by a friend.]
Many years ago I would go to my friend Rob’s studio in Royal Oak to play guitar. We didn’t see each other often so when we had a chance to hang out a bit, play music and get lunch, it was a fun time. You probably have those kinds of friends too?
This particular time I had parked my car around the block and was walking to Rob’s studio on 5th street near Main when I heard “Excuse me sir could you help me?”
I turned to see a black man about my age at the time approaching me. He said he had just gotten out of jail and wondered if I could spare a dollar for bus fair so he could get back home.
My mind is saying … “Oh no, go away! I’m busy! Can’t you see I’m here to see a friend? I have no time for you right now?” but, I don’t say that … I stop and look at him and he continues telling me something about being picked up by the police and mistaken identity. “They just let me out … could you help me? Do you have a dollar to spare?”
What’s the Christian response?
At this time in my life the Holy Spirit had been working overtime on me. I was reading the word of God and my conscience was telling me to help him. So I looked in my wallet. I had three bills - a dollar, a ten and a twenty. What to do? If I give him the dollar I thought, I can meet his need and what he asked me for and get on with my day. The twenty, I was going to use for lunch for Rob and I, but there was the 10 dollar bill, so I handed it to him and said,
“Jesus loves you and so do I. I hope this takes care of the bus fare and gets you something to eat.”
I can’t believe those words came out of my mouth. In public no less and I looked … and he had a tear in his eye. He gave me a hug and we went our separate ways. I quickly looked back to see which way he was going and he wasn’t there. Not sure where he went or what to think, he didn’t have time to go far but that verse in Hebrews 13:1-2 kept coming to me:
13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ESV
We, you and me, walk in our communities as children of the King. He is the light of the world, and we as children of the King shine that light of Christ in our daily lives wherever we are.
The devil, the world, and our own sinfulness raises its finger in the world telling us to be quiet and to keep your faith to yourself, even at times saying what one former member said to a fellow believer here at church as they discussed God’s word and the Bible, saying:
“You don’t really believe that do you?”
That really is the problem. Do we really believe God and his word?
When we speak of believers or believing Christians needing to be, in the world but not of the world, we may also find those who call themselves Christians and who even come to church weekly who are in the church but not of the church, neither knowing Christ nor believing his word.
As our reading in Revelation concludes,
7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
As Luther found out, there is no hiding place from God. Not in the monastery, not in our homes, and not in the world!
He is righteous and holy. Not someone to leave behind as we depart from the doors of our little church and make our way into this vast and broken world by ourselves, but someone who goes with us, and is in us, by his Spirit. As we live our lives, God, by his word turns us to repent of our sins and comforts us in Christ that our sins have been forgiven by God on account of Christ’s work.
This joy we feel must be shared, because it is not only our blessing, as those redeemed from sin, death, and the power of the devil, but also must be our proclamation as we lift our hand and finger in a world, calling them to listen, while they remain
determined to shout us down and drown us out.
Dear friends, we have good news to share and an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by [God’s] grace as a [free] gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord!
Believe it!
Receive it!
Proclaim it!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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