Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ! Many times you will hear ministers begin their sermons with these same words that Apostle Paul uses to open his various letters we find in the New Testament. Have you ever wondered why? Because all of us—as ministers of the Good News of the Salvation found in Jesus Christ—have received an important job…a call if you will…from Jesus to pronounce His Gospel to the world, just like Paul did in the book of Acts, and as we read today in our Epistle reading from 1 Thessalonians. And as we approach Thanksgiving this year, I think it is especially important that we study and understand exactly what God’s Grace means to each of us and how we can find real peace in our lives through the absolute power of God’s magnificent Grace.
When I think back on Thanksgivings past in my own life, especially those of my childhood, I often think of a special day each November where our extended family—mom, dad, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends gathered together for a full day of fun and feasting together. As a child growing up in Sacramento, I recall most Thanksgiving days as being overcast and cold outside, maybe even raining. Inside the house, however, it was warm from a combination of the oven that was roasting our turkey combined with the heat from the fireplace. Mmmmm…it smelled great! I can still remember the smell of the turkey roasting, the smell of the smoke from the fireplace, the smell of the all the other yummy foods cooking on top of the stove. Of course, before it was time to eat, we children were usually outside in the cold enjoying a day off from school, where we could play together. We had cousins that we saw only a few times a year, such as Easter and of course Thanksgiving. But of course, a typical cold November Thanksgiving Day was hardly going to keep us from being outside playing together…especially since we might have not seen one another since the past Easter. In fact, I doubt any of us children even noticed the temperature.
As I became a young adult, I did come to understand what a charmed life I had had, growing up in middle-class America. I came to understand that there were many people that did not have wonderful Thanksgiving such as we did in our family. I wondered, why was I so lucky? I don’t mean just great Thanksgiving days—but every day of my life seems charmed when compared with much of the poverty we see in America every day and around the world for that matter. So then I asked myself, “Why me?” “Are those who have less in this world not as good as I am?”
And so it also is with the Grace of God. So let me define Grace as it pertains to our eternal salvation. To my children, grace is those words we say before they are allowed to eat their supper. But the Grace I am speaking about today is the complete unmerited forgiveness of sins each and every one of us believers receives from our God for purely through our faith in Jesus. Our faith is the “receiver,” if you will, of God’s complete forgiveness of his children…and not through any merit or work on our part, but based completely…100%…on the work of Jesus on the cross. Martin Luther put it quite distinctly when he said, “Scripture teaches that we are justified before God through faith in Christ.”
One of the important lessons we learn from Luke in the Book of Acts is that the Good News of Jesus Christ was to be taken to the Jews first—before it was to be taken to the Gentiles. The Hebrews were, after all, God’s “chosen people.” And since God had promised to send a Messiah to His chosen people, the Good News of Jesus was to be taught to Jews first. And once they either accepted it or rejected it, the Apostle Paul was then free to take the message to the rest of the world. You see, this does not mean that Israel was more important than the rest of the world to God; in fact, by God’s plan, the Jews were to receive the Gospel first to give them the opportunity to take it to the rest of the world. God wants the Good News of Jesus to be preached to every living soul. But because most of the Jews at that time rejected it, God directed the Apostle Paul to take the Gospel himself then to the Gentiles so that the early church could grow. No one group was better than the other in God’s eyes; they are all part of His Plan. And so it is with people who have more—or less—“things” today. We are all His children. Our God is in an infinite God and there are things we just cannot comprehend. That includes why some people are more materially or financially blessed than others. But the earthly material “things” we have are just that…”things.” That old expression, “You can’t take it with you” rings so true because what does matter to God is what we feel in our hearts…not the “things” we have or the outward appearances we show. God knows each and every one of us. And He knows how very imperfect each of us is. That’s why God sent his only Son to die for us, so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. And that brings me back again to the discussion of the Grace and Peace we find through our Faith in Jesus Christ.
In one of my seminary classes this fall, I have been studying the book of Acts. Many Biblical scholars view the book of Acts as a blueprint for doing the Lord’s work in the Great Commission—taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all ends of the earth. And it is. Because the Gospel of Jesus Christ contains a relatively simply message: Salvation through Grace Alone, from Faith Alone, in Jesus Alone. What does this mean? Our belief as Christians that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that He came to the earth as God in the Flesh, that He lived a perfect life, and voluntarily died on the cross so that our sins might be wiped clean. In the 6th and 7th chapters of Book of Acts, we read about the first martyr to die for Jesus, who was Stephen. Before he was stoned to death for his faith in Jesus, Stephen told the Jews that they were, “Stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears!” Believe it or not, that was quite an insult to these Jewish priests. And it was also a truthful assesment of them. You see, Stephen reminds these Jewish Priests known as the Sanhedrin that they are making the same mistake that their forefathers had made so many times before: when they were presented with a prophet from God, instead of listening to that prophet, they cursed, ignored his message and many times actually then try to kill him. They initially rejected Moses. And of course they rejected Jesus so much that they did have him murdered. Yet they were supposed to be the “Religious Experts” of the time. These were supposed to be the “Holy of Holies”… the High Priests of God’s chosen people. But truth hurts! So telling them that they were stiff-necked, with uncircumcised hearts and ears must have really hurt. Outwardly, these priests tried to put on the image of being the experts. But inwardly—the part that God sees—they really fell short from God. They didn’t have God’s will in their hearts…they were just interested in being the “top dogs.” So how can we keep from falling short? What do we need to do to be right before God?
My friends, again, we are saved by Faith Alone in Jesus Alone. That means that there is nothing more we can—or need—or should do. You see, if you are trying to “earn” your salvation by doing good works in some attempt to gain favor with God, then you will never, ever be perfect enough. God’s pretty tough. He demands 100% perfect perfection. So how can you ever hope to be good enough? You can’t! There is just no way anybody…you or me…can ever be good enough to earn our own salvation before God. The book of Romans in my favorite book of the Bible because it is so straightforward when it comes to explaining God’s grace to us. Let’s read Romans 3:22-26, and if you have your scriptures, please follow along.
By believing that Jesus is the perfect son of God and his death on the cross is the perfect solution to your—and my—imperfection, we suddenly do become perfect in God’s eyes! We don’t have to do anything more than to believe in Christ Jesus because whatever else you can think of to “earn” salvation has already been done by Jesus Himself. His death on the cross is all-encompassing…it covers every possible scenario. It means exactly what John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Period.
So then does that mean we can now run around committing sins with the thought in our minds that, “well it’s o.k. I’m forgiven through Jesus, so I’ll just go ahead and do it.” Let’s go back to Romans one more time and read Romans 6:15-23. Again, if you have your scriptures with, please feel free to follow along:
Many of the pseudo-christian cults out there today, like Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses teach their members that they must do work in addition to their faith in Jesus in order to be saved. I guess this means that they believe that “their” Jesus’ work on the cross was insufficient. Or that “their” Jesus was not perfect. I’ve even had them ask me point blank before, why I don’t go around sinning since I know I’m saved. But my answer to them goes back again to the book of Romans. I love Jesus so much and am so grateful to him, that I just can’t imagine voluntarily doing something against His will…not because I might make him so mad that he’ll take away my Grace, but rather because I know the sacrifice God made to offer us a plan of salvation through Jesus Christ our LORD. I’d like to read a true story I received from a good friend called “The Room.” Some of you may have heard it before, and it’s a bit long, but I think it is right to the point about what we are discussing here today:
The Room
17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a
class. The subject was what Heaven was like. "I wowed ’em," he later
told his father, Bruce. "It’s a killer. It’s the bomb. It’s the best thing I ever wrote." It also was the last.
Brian’s parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it
while cleaning out the teenager’s locker at Teary Valley High School. Brian
had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece of
his life near them-notes from classmates and teachers, his homework.
Only two months before, he had handwritten the essay about encountering
Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen’s
life. But it was only after Brian’s death that Beth and Bruce Moore
realized that their son had described his view of Heaven. “ You feel like you are there." Mr. Moore said.
Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was
driving home from a friend’s house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road
in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck
unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.
The Moores framed a copy of Brian’s essay and it is displayed among the family
portraits in the living room. "I think God used him to make a point. I
think we were meant to find it and make something out of it, " Mrs. Moore
said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son’s vision of
life after death
Brian’s Essay:
The Room...
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the
room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered
with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list
titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which
stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction,
had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was
one that read "Girls I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through
the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the
names written on each card.
And then, without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for
my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small,
in a detail my memory couldn’t match. A sense of wonder and curiosity,
coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and
exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a
sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to
see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed."
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have
Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at."
Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I’ve yelled at my
brothers." Others I couldn’t laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger",
"Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to
be surprised by the contents.
Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I
hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived.
Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these
thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this
truth. Each was written— in my own handwriting. Each signed— with my
signature. When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I have watched ," I
realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed
tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the
file. I shut it, ashamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by
the vast time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run
through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its
size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt
sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage
broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards!
No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane
frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and
burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the
floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled
out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning
my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With."
The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled
on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my
hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And then the
tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started
in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried
out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file
shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this
room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him.
Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open
the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response.
And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow
deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why
did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across
the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t
anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to
cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so
many things. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one
end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His
name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could
find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t
be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so
alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the
other cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but
the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to
my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished."
I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its
door. There were still cards to be written.
Of course, we don’t know if there is such a “room.” But I think you get the point. Yes, I know I am forgiven through Jesus’ blood. But it would personally hurt me so much to know that I was committing another sin that Jesus would then sign his name to.
This Thanksgiving, as we get together with our families we can all remember that we have much to be thankful for. We live in the greatest country in the world. Here in America, we are free to worship God without persecution or without having to look over our shoulders. We can be thankful for our families, whether they are near or distant. We are blessed to have a wonderful, close church family here at Shepherd of the Valley. We all have each other as Christian brothers and sisters to help each of us to remember that Jesus is the Christ…the Lamb of God who came to take away our sins. We can all be so thankful to our loving, caring God who came up with a perfect plan to save us from ourselves—from our own sin. How glorious it is to know that all that needs to be done for our salvation has been done for us already. As Jesus said during that one last painful moment on the cross, “It is finished.”
Prayer:
Dear God, Heavenly Father,
We, your unworthy servants, do give you most humble and hearty thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all the world. We thank You for the Holy Scriptures which were written through the inspiration of your Holy Spirit. Grant that we may we read and understand the messages in them that you would have us know. Father, uplift our souls to the holiness of your presence that with pure hearts we may adore you and worship you, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our LORD, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Now may the Grace and Peace of God which surpasses all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our LORD, Amen.
