Romans 5:1-11. Through faith we have peace with God. 27/3/11
(1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, {2} through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. {3} Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; {4} perseverance, character; and character, hope. {5} And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. {6} You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. {7} Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. {8} But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! {10} For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! {11} Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
In meditating on this passage in preparation for this sermon I have pondered on this idea of the peace with God that is ours as Christians. Peace. Peace with the Lord God Almighty. What an important concept for our world today and for the church as a whole; not to mention each of us as individuals!
But do we really understand it and why it is so important. As a generalization I would suspect that on the one hand this is an issue that is mentioned by many, but is very quickly brushed over, skimming the surface of the niceties of it; yet deep down within us there is an unsettledness that is unnerving to many, and a knowing that something here is not right. Within us there is that knowledge that there is much in our lives that is not good and right and which puts us at odds with God. There is that aspect of our sinful nature which wants to go against God and what he has to say to us. There is little peace within our daily lives which indicates that there are problems also in our relationship with God.
The question therefore arises; how do we try to deal with this lack of peace, and what is the real answer to this issue?
Now in our everyday life when we come across this problem of a lack of peace, as we do again and again regularly, we do many different sorts of things in order to try and overcome it. Now I will mention some, but I am sure you could add many more. Generally the first thing we do is to try and justify ourselves and our position, either openly or within ourselves. Then we try and talk our way through the situation, often in order to get the other person to see our point of view; and maybe if necessary then we will try to come to some compromise position. Most often we find the one or the other of the parties needs to dominate the scene and enforce some sort of peaceful solution; but it doesn’t solve the problem.
When we realize that we in some way are at fault, again we often seek to justify ourselves. Or if we are made of a little sterner stuff, we might set about working harder to overcome the problem, but inevitably we will always fall short to some degree. Often we find that it is either too hard or too demeaning to our pride or something and so we try and avoid the issue altogether: so we just give in and bury the thoughts; or else we get busy on other things so that we don’t have to think about it or deal with it; we get into the drink and drugs so that we can cover over the issue and blot it out of our mind; or we can do what many are doing today and committing suicide. Again none of which really solves the problem.
Even with those few examples we can already see, I am sure, some connection with how we deal with the lack of peace that we have in our relationship with God. There too, we have many who have just straight out committed spiritual suicide. They have severed all connection with God and his Church and told themselves that he doesn’t exist and when they die, well that’s it. Many others however simply try to blot out their guilty conscience and lack of peace by busying themselves with all kinds of things so that they can avoid having to think about it.
Another real problem today is that we try to tell ourselves or to gather around that which our itching ears wants to hear: such as; God’s Law and doctrine is no longer applicable to us in the Church; or that we are made in the image of God therefore we are OK; that he will accept us as long as we acknowledge that there is a god; or, we change and compromise God Word in order to accommodate our thinking and action; or we place great emphasis on us doing this, that, or the other in order for us to be right with God. We place great emphasis on feeling good and experiences of religious highs, or of a need to be more spiritual, as a means of overcoming our lack of peace within.
Here again we have to say that none of this solves the problem. The issue is still there. Unless this lack of peace is dealt with appropriately we are in trouble eternally, even if we can somehow suppress it here for a while.
Yet despite this great effort to find and gain this peace we find in this reading that it can be had very easily: Very easily indeed! It is right there for us, without us having to lift a finger or come up with the right thinking or feelings. It is there for us already before we are even aware that have a problem. And it is a peace that enables us to even rejoice in our sufferings, no matter how bad they might be.
So where is it that we can find and have this real peace today?
Paul reminded here that; at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
This wonderful message, we were reminded of as we began our Service in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. For there we were reminded that God himself was with us, because we were connected to him in baptism and thereby are enabled to stand in his presence without being destroyed. There in baptism we were connected to Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, and so are washed clean from all of that which is in us which breaks that peace which God would have for us. There we were given God’s Holy Spirit so that we can know and believe all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
As we heard his word of absolution after we had confessed our sinfulness, we were again reminded that he forgives us for Jesus’ sake for all that we have done which has broken that peace which God has in mind for us. As I said, ‘Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy on us and has given his only Son to die for us, and for his sake forgives us all our sins;’ there God himself completely absolves you from all your guilt.
Then as we heard his Word which is read and preached week by week, we have heard again and again the Good News of God and his love for us, despite our sinfulness. That love which meant that when we fell into sin, he not only promised that he would send a saviour, but which actually came to fulfilment in Jesus Christ. There in that Word we are pointed to the centrality of Jesus death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins so that this peace might be ours, even now as we live out our lives here on this earth: even now as we struggle to live and be the people he wants us to be: even now as we suffer as we live in a sinful, fallen world.
As well, every Sunday that we come forward and receive his very body and blood, with the bread and wine of Holy Communion, we again hear that we are forgiven and assured of his presence in our lives. There we are assured that together with this forgiveness we also are saved and have eternal life with our God in heaven. So again he reminds us of the peace that has been made possible for us through Jesus’ death on the cross.
On top of that, at the end of each service we are reminded that his blessing, peace and favour goes with as go out into our daily lives to live and be the people he wants us to be. Yes God himself has declared that he himself has made peace with us, and that nothing now stands in our way from having a full and peaceful life with our God here and in eternity.
Because he knows that we struggle with having this peace in our lives every day; that is why he reminds us again and again throughout our Sunday Service, week after week of the forgiveness that he extends to us. Because we still daily sin and fall short of what we know that God expects of us, the devil and our sinful self leads us to doubts that this peace is there and is possible, so God seeks to remind us over and over again of what he has done for us through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
All, [that is now those who simply trust in this promise and gift that has been extended to us], are, as Paul says here, justified; that is, declared to be fully and freely right and not guilty before Almighty God himself. We are justified by this faith; this trust. As we trust in what he has said and done for us through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross we can now go forward again knowing that we have this peace with God.
We don’t have to work for it; we don’t have to live in uncertainty as to if it is there for us; we don’t have to try and pretend that we have it, or seek to convince ourselves by our experiences and feelings that it is there. It is simply already there for us through our Lord Jesus Christ; freely extended to each and every one of us.
So as you go from here today, be at peace because you have this peace given to you by our Lord himself. To him be all glory and honour now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
(1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, {2} through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. {3} Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; {4} perseverance, character; and character, hope. {5} And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. {6} You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. {7} Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. {8} But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! {10} For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! {11} Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
In meditating on this passage in preparation for this sermon I have pondered on this idea of the peace with God that is ours as Christians. Peace. Peace with the Lord God Almighty. What an important concept for our world today and for the church as a whole; not to mention each of us as individuals!
But do we really understand it and why it is so important. As a generalization I would suspect that on the one hand this is an issue that is mentioned by many, but is very quickly brushed over, skimming the surface of the niceties of it; yet deep down within us there is an unsettledness that is unnerving to many, and a knowing that something here is not right. Within us there is that knowledge that there is much in our lives that is not good and right and which puts us at odds with God. There is that aspect of our sinful nature which wants to go against God and what he has to say to us. There is little peace within our daily lives which indicates that there are problems also in our relationship with God.
The question therefore arises; how do we try to deal with this lack of peace, and what is the real answer to this issue?
Now in our everyday life when we come across this problem of a lack of peace, as we do again and again regularly, we do many different sorts of things in order to try and overcome it. Now I will mention some, but I am sure you could add many more. Generally the first thing we do is to try and justify ourselves and our position, either openly or within ourselves. Then we try and talk our way through the situation, often in order to get the other person to see our point of view; and maybe if necessary then we will try to come to some compromise position. Most often we find the one or the other of the parties needs to dominate the scene and enforce some sort of peaceful solution; but it doesn’t solve the problem.
When we realize that we in some way are at fault, again we often seek to justify ourselves. Or if we are made of a little sterner stuff, we might set about working harder to overcome the problem, but inevitably we will always fall short to some degree. Often we find that it is either too hard or too demeaning to our pride or something and so we try and avoid the issue altogether: so we just give in and bury the thoughts; or else we get busy on other things so that we don’t have to think about it or deal with it; we get into the drink and drugs so that we can cover over the issue and blot it out of our mind; or we can do what many are doing today and committing suicide. Again none of which really solves the problem.
Even with those few examples we can already see, I am sure, some connection with how we deal with the lack of peace that we have in our relationship with God. There too, we have many who have just straight out committed spiritual suicide. They have severed all connection with God and his Church and told themselves that he doesn’t exist and when they die, well that’s it. Many others however simply try to blot out their guilty conscience and lack of peace by busying themselves with all kinds of things so that they can avoid having to think about it.
Another real problem today is that we try to tell ourselves or to gather around that which our itching ears wants to hear: such as; God’s Law and doctrine is no longer applicable to us in the Church; or that we are made in the image of God therefore we are OK; that he will accept us as long as we acknowledge that there is a god; or, we change and compromise God Word in order to accommodate our thinking and action; or we place great emphasis on us doing this, that, or the other in order for us to be right with God. We place great emphasis on feeling good and experiences of religious highs, or of a need to be more spiritual, as a means of overcoming our lack of peace within.
Here again we have to say that none of this solves the problem. The issue is still there. Unless this lack of peace is dealt with appropriately we are in trouble eternally, even if we can somehow suppress it here for a while.
Yet despite this great effort to find and gain this peace we find in this reading that it can be had very easily: Very easily indeed! It is right there for us, without us having to lift a finger or come up with the right thinking or feelings. It is there for us already before we are even aware that have a problem. And it is a peace that enables us to even rejoice in our sufferings, no matter how bad they might be.
So where is it that we can find and have this real peace today?
Paul reminded here that; at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
This wonderful message, we were reminded of as we began our Service in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. For there we were reminded that God himself was with us, because we were connected to him in baptism and thereby are enabled to stand in his presence without being destroyed. There in baptism we were connected to Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, and so are washed clean from all of that which is in us which breaks that peace which God would have for us. There we were given God’s Holy Spirit so that we can know and believe all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
As we heard his word of absolution after we had confessed our sinfulness, we were again reminded that he forgives us for Jesus’ sake for all that we have done which has broken that peace which God has in mind for us. As I said, ‘Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy on us and has given his only Son to die for us, and for his sake forgives us all our sins;’ there God himself completely absolves you from all your guilt.
Then as we heard his Word which is read and preached week by week, we have heard again and again the Good News of God and his love for us, despite our sinfulness. That love which meant that when we fell into sin, he not only promised that he would send a saviour, but which actually came to fulfilment in Jesus Christ. There in that Word we are pointed to the centrality of Jesus death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins so that this peace might be ours, even now as we live out our lives here on this earth: even now as we struggle to live and be the people he wants us to be: even now as we suffer as we live in a sinful, fallen world.
As well, every Sunday that we come forward and receive his very body and blood, with the bread and wine of Holy Communion, we again hear that we are forgiven and assured of his presence in our lives. There we are assured that together with this forgiveness we also are saved and have eternal life with our God in heaven. So again he reminds us of the peace that has been made possible for us through Jesus’ death on the cross.
On top of that, at the end of each service we are reminded that his blessing, peace and favour goes with as go out into our daily lives to live and be the people he wants us to be. Yes God himself has declared that he himself has made peace with us, and that nothing now stands in our way from having a full and peaceful life with our God here and in eternity.
Because he knows that we struggle with having this peace in our lives every day; that is why he reminds us again and again throughout our Sunday Service, week after week of the forgiveness that he extends to us. Because we still daily sin and fall short of what we know that God expects of us, the devil and our sinful self leads us to doubts that this peace is there and is possible, so God seeks to remind us over and over again of what he has done for us through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
All, [that is now those who simply trust in this promise and gift that has been extended to us], are, as Paul says here, justified; that is, declared to be fully and freely right and not guilty before Almighty God himself. We are justified by this faith; this trust. As we trust in what he has said and done for us through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross we can now go forward again knowing that we have this peace with God.
We don’t have to work for it; we don’t have to live in uncertainty as to if it is there for us; we don’t have to try and pretend that we have it, or seek to convince ourselves by our experiences and feelings that it is there. It is simply already there for us through our Lord Jesus Christ; freely extended to each and every one of us.
So as you go from here today, be at peace because you have this peace given to you by our Lord himself. To him be all glory and honour now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
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