Pastor Mark Loest

Immanuel Lutheran Church of Frankentrost
Saginaw, Michigan
Trinity 13 (August 17, 2008)
Text: Trinity Luke 10:23-37

MP3 audio

 

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, who have been redeemed by the perfect compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God for us this morning is the Gospel Lesson, Luke 10:23-37 (ESV)

 

There are just two ways to heaven.

The first is the way of the Law. And the second is our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The first way is by perfect fulfillment of the Law. The lawyer in our Gospel Lesson knew it well, as do we. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” As a matter of fact, Jesus says that if we do this, we shall live.

But who can? Which among us can keep the Law of God perfectly? Even the man who tested Jesus realized that there are aspects of the Law that need defining: like, who is my neighbor?

 

Yet, Jesus doesn’t let us off the hook so easily. The Law of God is good and wise. If there is a problem in fulfilling the Law it is not with the Law, but with us. It is we who are lacking, not the Law. And the thing we are lacking most is love. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. Perfect love —which, of course, none of us is capable.

 

To begin with, the First Commandment requires us to have no other gods. “We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.” But do we have this love of God? As with the lawyer, Jesus is able to look deep into our hearts and find that one thing that we are unable to let go of in order to love Him perfectly.

 

Our Lord knows that one sin,

—that one burning desire,

—that one pang of the guilty conscience,

—that one hate that keeps you separated from true love of God.

 

And even if someone here this morning was foolish enough like the lawyer to claim that he has perfect love of God, then, like the lawyer, he needs to be reminded that love of neighbor is also demanded of us in the Law.

 

And loving our neighbor can be tricky. Early in human history God’s Word records for us that our first parents Adam and Eve already had a problem with loving God. The devil tempted them to love themselves more than God and they bought into his lie. They wanted to be as God, and not the creatures He had made them to be: to fear, love and trust in Him. Their sin removed them from the wonderful Garden of Evil and worse of all, from the presence of God that they enjoyed before they sinned.

And afterwards their sin was compounded when the first born human being Cain broke the second part of God’s Law by killing His brother Abel. And Cain’s words to God come down to us through the lawyer’s question to Jesus: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” “And who is my neighbor”

 

The answer of course is: “Yes, you are your brother’s keeper.” “And, you are your neighbor’s keeper.” “And, everyone is your neighbor.” You are to love every single person on the planet.

 

How easy it is for people in a tight knit group/ such as we find ourselves here in Frankentrost/ to love our neighbor but disregard the outsider. Family and friends are easy to love. But what about those who are from outside? How far are you willing to go?

 

And what about walking past those we see are in need, like the priest and Levite? Even in our own families we see those on the paths to destruction but we rather keep our mouths shut.

 

Alcohol abuse. Porn addiction. Abusive personalities. Unhealthy relationships. Don’t we know of such things but hurry along the other side making excuses such as “we want to keep peace,” or “it’s none of my business” or “that person has always been that way!”

 

The way of such compassion is difficult, if not impossible. And while the Samaritan is a “good” example of love and compassion, we find an even better in Jesus.

 

Jesus is true compassion. He loved each of us so much that He willingly came form His home in heaven to live here on earth. Jesus was willing to be subjected to the testing, scorn and ridicule in order that God’s will and way may be made known. He was subjected to false accusations by false witnesses and after being put on trial He was sentenced to a cross to die. There He spoke the greatest words of love ever/ in the greatest act of love ever/ when He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing.” And when Jesus died, He died completing what we are unable to do: the Law of God, which is love of God and neighbor.  And He said “It is finished.”

 

Jesus is the other way to heaven that I spoke of at the beginning of this sermon. The way to heaven is open because of Jesus. The faith we have in Jesus is believing that He is God Son sent to suffer and die for us and that God forgives all who believe in Him. It is not by works that we are saved, but by faith. And saving faith is a gift of God. We are unable to boast.

 

Faith in Jesus as our Savior also means that God counts Jesus’ righteousness as our righteousness. When we love God in the name of Jesus: we fear, love and trust in God perfectly because by faith, God sees it in Jesus. When we show love and compassion to others: God sees it as perfect love and compassion because by faith, God sees it in Jesus.

 

The lawyer that tested Jesus would never have kept the love of Jesus perfectly on his own. He needed Jesus—desperately. He lacked faith. And without faith, his “perfection” came up short.

 

Each of us needs Jesus desperately. We need His forgiveness. We need His Holy Spirit to help us believe. We need His Word to guide us in living out Christian lives.

This morning Jesus again forgives and heals. He pours out His forgiveness that we first received when the Baptismal waters were poured on us, and cleanses our souls. He heals all our sorrows and sin-wounds by giving Himself for us to eat and drink. He strengthens us for life’s way. He comes to us as a friend who would deal compassionately with us.

 

Jesus is that certain and only way to heaven. And He bids us come, and partake of His heavenly healing. Amen.