Rev. Wesley Menke
Grace Lutheran Church
29 August 2021
14th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 22, Proper 17, Complementary Series, Year B
Lutherans Christians highly value the law. We respect the rule of law, and we talk about not just one, but Three uses of the law.
- Social Order and Well Being
The first use of the law is to create structure and order out of chaos. When God’s people left Egypt in the Exodus they found themselves in the wilderness with no overlords and total freedom. God gave Moses the law to be a guide for the people. In Deuteronomy 4 Moses encourages the people to follow the law especially when they enter into the promised land. If the people would follow the law, then they would be very successful among the Canaanites and be a witness to the power and wisdom of God. In short, they will live a good life in the promised land.
When I was living in Orange County California I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Christ Cathedral as it was being remodeled. Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller had died, and the Crystal Cathedral had fallen on hard times. They sold their world class architectural buildings and land to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County. The catholic bishop invited the lutheran bishop to get a private tour. I got to go along with other Lutheran clergy and laity.
As we walked through a courtyard there was a giant statue of Moses holding up two stone tablets; the 10 Commandments. Below the statue was a placard that talked about the “Good Life.” Following God’s laws, especially the 10 commandments is the way to experience and enjoy the “Good Life.” The logic is simple and unassailable: just complete the law. Don’t change it. Don’t add or subtract. Just do it. And you too can live the “Good Life.” The words on the plaque were reinforced by the towering glass cathedral behind it.
One pastor who was in our group joked that she wished she had a can of spray paint to deface the plaque and say, “Wrong!” I thought that was a bit harsh, but I understood her criticism. As human beings we constantly fail at doing what we are supposed to do. We are sinners who break God’s law constantly. Which brings us to the second use of the law.
- Total Depravity and the Need of Salvation
The second use of the law is that it helps us understand our hopeless condition and the need of salvation from our sin. God’s law shows us that we are sinners! Legend has it that a young Lutheran pastor became friends with the esteemed Dr. Schuller. One day Schuller invited this pastor up to his office at the top of the administration building at Crystal Cathedral. As they visited the young pastor saw a cancelled check framed and posted on the wall behind Dr. Schuller. The check was for One Million Dollars. And the person who had written the check was a name that was familiar to the Lutheran Pastor. It was a member of his own church in Garden Grove!
When the young pastor saw this and put the name together he could not hold back from sharing this fact to Robert Schuller. Schuller was not surprised in the least. Many of the donors to that church were members of other churches. Dr. Schuller said to the young pastor that the Lutherans have the best theology. Your problem is that it doesn’t sell. You can’t market it or commodify it. That is why your members send me their million dollar checks! The irony is that that young pastor was now the bishop, and he told us this story as now the Catholic Bishop sat in the old office of Dr. Schuller. None of the clever marketing lasted the test of time.
This is a similar criticism Jesus makes of some of the Pharisees. Some of the Pharisees made a big show of washing their hands, washing after the market, and washing household objects. Jesus questioned if some of these rituals were kind of pointless. He goes so far as to say don’t worry about what goes into your body. What you should be worried about is what comes out of your body. Jesus said that evil and sin and all of the terrible injustice in the world comes from the human heart. That is a sobering view of humanity.
In short, the second use of the law tells us that we are the problem. We have a sinful nature. We don’t even know when we could be spewing infectious disease. The law brings this to our attention.
The GOSPEL
So what hope do we have? We aren’t capable of following God’s laws. We can unknowingly hurt others just by existing. Evil deeds spring from our hearts. What hope do we have? Well, we do have Jesus! Psalm 15 asks an existential question and points us toward an answer.
Who is worthy to dwell in the house of the Lord? Jesus!
Who will dwell on the holy mountain? Jesus!
Who walks with integrity, does justice, and always speaks the truth in their heart? Jesus!
Who doesn’t detract, speak badly, or welcome reproach of their neighbor? Jesus!
Whose eyes devalue vole, and always honors God? Jesus!
Who would be hurt personally to protect a friend? Jesus!
Who lends without expecting to return back and never takes a bribe? Jesus!
Who does all these things and never ever slips or slides? Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
We need Jesus to save us from our sins! Jesus does save us from our sins. In God’s Word proclaimed we receive Jesus’ righteousness. He gives it to us out of pure love. That’s what we call: Grace!
- The Third Use of the Law: Practice not Perfect
I give a big shout out to the Youth Ministry Network of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for coming up with one of the coolest themes for an event I have seen. They called it, “Practice not Perfect.” Or as Dr. Michael Aune who taught liturgy at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary used to say, “What do you do, when you don’t have to do anything?” You get to follow the law just for fun!
The Epistle of James is a fun book to read. Luther in particular had a lot of fun commenting on this book. James says a couple of really important things in this passage. The first is to talk less and listen more. Once you know that your actions can’t save yourself let alone anyone else it helps you be humble. It is better to listen God’s Word which really can save us, and why not listen to others while we are at it? The other thing James says is: Practice the law!
Practicing is awesome because you don’t worry about getting it perfect. Just give it a try! The Christian practice of the law isn’t about trying to save ourselves. Don’t worry about that. Jesus will take care of that one. James says that pure religion is caring for widows and orphans.
Not long after our tour of Christ Cathedral Dr. Robert Schuller died. Bishop Finck went to the funeral. At that funeral the Schuller family made an impassioned appeal for financial help. They took an offering to cover the expenses of the funeral. The people who were there gave what they could. Why? Because true religion is to care for widows and orphans in their time of need. Not because you have to, but because you are moved by love to do so.
Let us pray. Holy Father we thank you for your law. Firstly we thank you that the law helps to preserve peace and justice in the earth. We pray for peace keepers and law enforcers who strive to keep all people safe. Secondly we thank you that your law shows us just how broken and despicable we all can be. Please give us Jesus and send your Holy Spirit to help us in our depravity. Thirdly Holy God, we thank you for your law because we are free to practice it and with light hearts moved by love. Amen.
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