Sermon New Year’s Day 2007 Galatians 3:29-29
Sermon New Year’s Day 2007
Galatians 3:29-29
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Frankentrost
Saginaw, Michigan
Pastor Mark A. Loest
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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 3:23-29 (ESV)
At 10:30 a.m. this morning I wonder how many New Year’s resolutions have already been broken?
Perhaps not many—because people are still in bed, or are just getting up after a night of celebrating—so they haven’t had much of a chance to act on anything quite yet.
But then again, resolutions like quitting smoking or curbing drinking or going on a diet were probably already broken as New Year 2008 began, as those who resolved to change took the old into the new.
Maybe for some the New Year—as far as their resolutions are concerned—didn’t start at 12:00 a.m. New Year’s Day, but will start later this morning… or later in the day…or never.
Whether you resolved to be here in the Lord’s house this day is between the Lord and yourself—many people do come to church whenever possible, regardless of weather and other activities—but many more don’t make it to church, and will simply look out at weather like this and roll over in their covers. Sadly, many who have thought this way are now nice and toasty.
But this morning—even if we made it this far—the Word of God still presents us with a challenge at the beginning of the Year. It challenges us to put away that which is old and take on the new.
Jesus’ Circumcision, which is described in our Gospel Lesson, is an example of that which is old.Our Savior was obedient to this command of God in order to remain within the household of faith and be an heir of the promises made to Abraham. Simply put, Jesus was circumcised for you and for me.
Although Christ was the Son of God, being in nature very God—He was obedient to the law of God and submitted to the cutting of His flesh in order to save us. In His circumcision Jesus was doing exactly what his name says: He was saving us.
Now hearing about circumcision may make us a bit squeamish. Young people often giggle and pious grandmas may faint. Even men frown at the thought.
I once had a friend at Seminary who we talked into giving blood at a blood drive. He insisted that he could not stand the sight of blood. But the staff that was there did everything for him so that he didn’t have to see any of his blood as it was taken…until…
Until while removing the unit filled with his blood, the person assisting him dropped it, and it all gushed onto the floor. He passed out cold. We say in our house that a teaspoon of blood looks like a gallon.
Jesus shed his first blood for us on the eighth day, keeping the law of God.All the male children of God were to be circumcised.
When Moses disobeyed God on this matter and did not have his first born son circumcised God threatened to kill him, and his angry wife Zipporah had to do it.
However, things are different now that Jesus was born, lived, died and rose and ascended up in glory. With Jesus things are different. The Apostle Paul explains that we do not live slavishly under the law.
What good is it if we serve God and our hearts are not in it? Or what good is it if we are unable to accomplish all that God requires?
Just as making resolutions to quit a habit is rarely enough, all the more we cannot resolve ourselves to quit sinning. There are some holiness churches that believe that once baptized a person does not sin. They teach that even when a person breaks one of God’s Ten Commandments, somehow it doesn’t count. It’s as if it never happened.
Evangelicalism in America is getting to be that way. Religious leaders become so confident in their righteousness that they put themselves above God’s law and commit shocking, scandalous sins. Then, when they are finally caught they re-baptize themselves in a flood of tears for the camera.
God’s Word tells us that we need a circumcision of the heart, which isn’t going to happen by us. Like true circumcision commanded of Abraham, the heart is also circumcised by another. The circumcised heart has mark that remains and reminds.
When Paul connects Baptism with circumcision he is presenting God’s wonderful way of marking the child of God in the newness of life in Christ. We are daily reminded of our Baptism as we drown the Old Adam and arise with the New Adam.
Far better than circumcision, Baptism marks the heart and reminds, but more importantly comforts us when we sin again, we do many times each day.Rather than just resolve, we repent, turn to Christ and trust Him as our Savior. What is could be more encouraging than knowing that in the New Year we begin as children of God?
That no distinctions exist as far as salvation is concerned?
That, unlike circumcision, all people may be baptized?
What better way to begin a New Year than recounting our Baptisms?
In St. Paul’s words today our newly elected officers can also find encouragement and direction in the tasks they are about to undertake.He says that being justified by faith, we are all one in Christ.
This means that we start forgiven and then we act that way: forgiving and working together. Treating one another with love and respect. Listen carefully to the promises that they are going to make concerning their support of the Ministry of the Gospel.Heed the Word of God recorded also in Galatians that says, “God is not mocked.”
For our officers there ere are higher expectations because they present themselves as examples to the rest.
In His circumcision and name we see that Jesus is much more than an example for us to follow. If He was, His circumcision would in and of itself exclude perhaps more than half of all Christians.Jesus is our fulfillment of the Law. He makes it possible for us to be called the children of God. He submits to the Law completely, and we are encouraged by this.
There doesn’t remain any ritual or command that will some day find us and will demand of something of us that we don’t know or can’t do. No, Jesus is the object of faith, which means we look tot Him and believe.
Believe what the angel said, that He is the Christ the Lord, the Savior for all people.
Believe what Gabriel said, that he is named Jesus because He saves His people from their sins.
Believe what Jeuss Himself says, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
What the secular New Year 2008 will bring, we don’t know. We are told about the celebrities we have left behind, about the natural disasters, and about the wickedness of people. These things and more are old and best left to annuals.
The New Year in Christ however, is already planned by God. He will continue to be present with us. He will forgive us, wash us clean and feed us. He will renew us and refresh us each day by His Word.Christ will continue to make and keep us as His own.
And someday—it could be this year—we don’t know, He will take us to be with Him in heaven. Amen.
