Sermon in Minneapolis 22.02.2009

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, let us begin our services with opening prayer and thanksgiving. Holy and righteous God, our dear Heavenly Father, again this morning we thank you for this opportunity to gather together around the hearing and studying of your Holy Word. We thank you for the gift of salvation that you have prepared through your Son, Jesus Christ. And we thank you for that spiritual home, the Kingdom of God, in which we can dwell through faith here upon this earth, where we can own righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

So again, this morning we ask for your presence through your Spirit. And we ask that you would bless our gathering and our services so that we could be comforted, lifted, and encouraged on this way of life. And be fed with your Gospel Word. And one day be translated from this life to that eternal life in Heaven through faith. So all of this we ask in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Today is Shrove Sunday, and one epistle text for today is from the first letter to the Corinthians, the 13th chapter. And since it's a very lengthy chapter, I will read for our topic of study its last verse, first verse 13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three. But the greatest of these is charity. Amen.

Amen. Shrove Sunday is a turning point in the church year. Last evening we were in a home where we were served a delicious coffee lunch of special Finnish pastry. And they were a Danish roll cut in half with a raspberry or a strawberry filling and topped with whipping cream. And it's a roll that is traditionally offered and served by Finns at this time of the year.

Tuesday is known as Descending Tuesday in Europe, and the Finns celebrate it by going tobogganing or sliding. They come home and have a bowl of hot soup, often pea soup, and then they eat these special Finnish pastries. We know that New Orleans is known as the City of Sin or the Sinful City, and especially on this Tuesday, it's known as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, because people want to eat well and indulge themselves before beginning the 40 days of fast.

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, and that is the beginning of Lent, the 40 days of fast. So Shrove Sunday is kind of the turning point, the Sunday just prior to this, and now what is the time of Lent or the time of fast in the Christian perspective? It's not restraining from any type of entertainment. It's not just eating a restricted diet. It's fasting in the literal sense. But according to the Bible, in Isaiah chapter 58, he explains what is the true or the real fast.

But for us today, it's especially this, that Jesus is now turning his gaze and directing his footsteps for the last time toward the Holy City of Jerusalem. And only he knows what he will encounter there when he reaches that city. And in his mind and in his thoughts is looming and getting bigger and bigger before him that cross, what will happen on the middle cross of Golgotha, there on the hill of Calvary.

So for us today, this time of Lent is the time where we think about, meditate and perhaps read and study the scripture portions and in light of scripture and song, follow the footsteps of Jesus as he is approaching the moment of his crucifixion, where he will offer himself and die on the middle cross of Golgotha on our behalf.

This text for today, for this Sunday, which is the sacrificial way of love, is perhaps one of the most beautiful and perhaps one of the most well-known portions of scripture. And it is penned by the Apostle Paul. This is a portion of scripture which is often read at wedding occasions. One of the scripture readings that is read to a couple after they have said their wedding vows and gives them exhortation to love. Love one another in times of prosperity and in times of adversity alike.

But when we think of the Apostle Paul in his earlier life, how is it possible for a man, Saul of Tarsus, who was one who wanted to literally destroy God's congregation. He went from house to house dragging people out of their houses, both men and women. He put them into prison. He was a man that was literally filled with anger and had thoughts of murder.

How is it possible that such a man could then later write one of the gems of the Bible or one of the greatest pieces of literature during the history of mankind? Who was this man, Saul of Tarsus, who later was a man of the same name. The man of the same name came to be known as the Apostle Paul.

He was a man who earlier in his life knew the destructive power of envy. He knew the feelings of guilt, hatred, what it was to be inferior to another person. And he was a person, we could say, who actually lusted after power.

We remember when Saul of Tarsus was there guarding the clothes of the first adult Christian martyr, Stephen. And actually in his mind and in his thoughts, agreeing with what was happening and taking place as Stephen was being stoned to death.

From the Bible we can read words describing the Apostle Paul, earlier Saul of Tarsus. Of him it is said that he desired to destroy. Anyway, Saul dragged the people out. And he was a man, as we said already, was filled with hatred and thoughts of murder. He was a dangerous man. And he was a man literally to be feared.

But then something happened. A transformation took place in his life. And now he writes these words. Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not exalt oneself and is not puffed up. Love does not behave itself in an unseeming way. Is not self-seeking. Is not easily provoked. And love does not think any evil. Love rejoices not in evil or in iniquity. But love rejoices together in the truth.

So Paul is now transformed and writes in continuation. Love bears all things. It believes all things. Love hopes all things. Love endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will fail. Where there be tongues, they shall cease. Where there is knowledge, it shall eventually vanish.

We remember when Saul was on the way to the city of Damascus. And on this journey, on this road, he was stricken blind by a bright light. And he heard a voice. He did not see anyone, and he did not recognize the voice.

Saul was literally on his way to capture the believers, to put them into prison, and to have them put to death, for they were the followers of Christ. It was his mission to destroy and get rid of every believer on the face of this earth.

Now Saul falls to the ground with that bright light, and he hears a voice that he does not recognize, and the voice calls out from heaven, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

Saul was not literally persecuting the person who was talking to him. But the Bible says that if you hurt or offend one of those who believe in me, it is like you are sticking your finger into the apple of my eye, says the Bible. So when Saul was persecuting the believers, he was at the same time persecuting Christ Jesus.

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Saul says, who are you? He didn't even recognize the person who was talking to him. Who are you who I am persecuting?

Saul was led into the city of Damascus, where he spent the next three days, fasting, did not eat, did not drink, and spent that time in prayer. And I'm sure he realized that in this state and in this condition, he is like fuel for the fires of hell. If he would die in this condition, he would not be heaven's own, but would go to condemnation and hell.

But then God sent an ambassador whose name was Ananias. And Ananias feared to go and visit with this man, for he knew what evil things this man had already done. But Ananias was encouraged to go and visit with him, for he is a tool of mine in the vineyard of the Lord.

And so Ananias went, visited, preached the gospel. And this is when that transformation took place. When Saul was translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, from the kingdom of the enemy of souls, into the kingdom of God.

So we could ask this question, is it possible for the same kind of transformation to take place even yet today? Where hatred can be turned into love? Where a persecutor can be transformed into a mission worker of God?

And from this, we can see that God is in the midst of our lives. And that's why we're here today, in this 13th chapter of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we can read this hymn, this song of a liberated person, Paul who was freed from the shackles of sin and death.

God has his kingdom here upon this earth yet today. And in his kingdom, he has his mission workers, his disciples, his ambassadors. Jesus lives and dwells, even yet today, among his own. Where two or three are gathered together in his name, he is there in their midst.

And the instructions of Jesus, the instructions of the Bible, are yet the same yet today. And the Bible, or the gospel, gives what it promises, the forgiveness of all sins.

This letter was written by Paul to people living in the city of Corinth. And if we read and study about the city of Corinth, which was a seaport city, it was known as a city of sin. And the life and immorality there was so great that it was considered so that even if a person would just visit that city and walk the streets of that city, its sin, filth, and immorality would actually cling to a person. It was such an evil city.

But there, in that city, God had his own people. He had his living congregation, a group of believers. And so Paul now is writing this first letter to the Corinthians, to this city.

And it was also a group of believers that was stricken with strife and difficulties. There were those who were debating and arguing about the gifts of ministers. Some said, I am of Paul. Others said, I am of Apollos. And yet others said, I am of Christ.

There was sexual immorality and fornication. There were even instances where some were coming to the communion table in the state of drunkenness. And there were situations where believers were bringing other believers to the courts of the land and bringing lawsuits against them.

These were some of the many difficult situations that were happening among the believers here in this city of Corinth. So up to this point, up until the end of chapter 12, many of these topics are addressed by the Apostle Paul.

And then a break or a change takes place in this first letter. And we can see this now in the last verse of the previous chapter, chapter 12. So Paul then says, Now I will show unto you a more excellent way. Or in other words, now after discussing all these issues, I wish to show you a better way.

This literary gem, this beautiful hymn, is known as the hymn of love. When we think of this word love in the English language, the English language in Corinth, in many ways is not a very rich language. For this one and same word is used for, I love your dress. Or, I love this dinner that you made. Or, a husband may say to a wife or a wife to the husband, I love you, my spouse. Or, the parents may say, I love you, my children. All these same instances, the one and the same word, love, is used.

When we look at the original language of the New Testament, which is the Greek language, it has at least three, maybe four different words that are used for the one single word that we have in the English language.

One of the Greek words is from the Greek goddess Eros, from which we get our English word erotic. And of course this is alluding to sexual relationships. Sexual relationships that are God's purpose and design and intended within the covenant of marriage.

Within the covenant of marriage. And we know how this is so much abused in our time and in our society. Breaking that commandment where it says, thou shall not commit adultery.

But then another Greek word is phileo, from which comes the name of the city, Philadelphia. And the name of the city Philadelphia means the city of brotherly love. And this is where we get the word love.

The works of philanthropy or works of charity. And this is what humanitarian aid is based upon. These are also works of love. For example, when we give our donations to the Red Cross, to UNICEF, or to some other charitable organization.

Now, then there's the third word, which is the Greek word that is used here in our text. Even though this beautiful hymn is often or perhaps always read at a wedding occasion as words of instruction to a bride.

But it is also used in the context of a young man and a young woman who have just given their vows to love each other for the rest of their lives in times of prosperity and adversity alike. These are beautiful words and nice words of exhortation.

But actually, this hymn was not originally intended for such an occasion, even though it is very appropriate to do so. For the word, which in the old King James is charity, and actually a very poor choice for an English word for this situation, for charity means giving money to a charitable organization.

To a humanitarian aid fund or whatever. And this is, yes, a work of love. But it does not match the Greek word which is used in this chapter. The original Greek word is agape, or agape.

And it's the same word that Jesus used himself on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias. When we remember the disciples were out fishing all night long, as was many of their occupations to do so, and they caught no fish.

When the sun began to rise in the morning, they noticed someone on the shore by a pile of coals, by a bonfire. And Peter noticed that it is Jesus. And Peter had matters to discuss with Jesus.

And he became so excited that he actually jumped out of the boat, swam to shore, and there began a discussion with Jesus. Jesus had some very important questions to ask him. Or actually, he asked one question three times. Peter, do you love me?

Now when Jesus is asking this question, do you love me? He is using the same Greek word as the Apostle Paul is using in chapter 13. But apparently, Peter does not comprehend the full meaning of this question. Nor the depth of this word, love, Peter do you love me? That Jesus is asking.

Jesus asked him three times. And each time, Peter responds with another Greek word, which is not love in this sense, but we could say, Yes, Jesus. I like you.

So Jesus is asking Peter, do you love me? Peter responds, Yes, Jesus. I like you.

So what then is this word that Paul is using in this chapter and Jesus is asking of Peter there on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias?

As we have mentioned a couple of times already, this song or this hymn is read to couples getting married. And even on their wedding night, when they are firmly squeezing each other's hands and looking with a deep gaze of love into each other's eyes, and they can feel the passion, passions of love for one another within themselves.

No matter how hard they squeeze each other's hands, no human is able to produce this love of which the Apostle Paul is writing.

So what then is this love of which the Apostle Paul is writing? We remember when we go back to the first pages of the Bible when Adam and Eve fell into sin and they were chased out of the Garden of Eden and the doors of heaven were shut.

All roads to heaven were blocked. At that moment, there was no door open but the doors to condemnation and hell.

God then made a promise and he asked his son Jesus, who was there with him in eternity, that I will create a son, my son Jesus, will you go and redeem mankind?

Jesus responds that willingly, I will do what you wish. For it is my joy to be there in the midst, in the middle of mankind.

So God gave this promise that he would send his only son into the world. And when the time was fulfilled, Jesus was born. Jesus was born there in the country of Israel.

And when he grew up to be a young adult and now during the last 40 days of his life at the beginning of Lent, the time of fast, we are in scripture and in song and in prayer following the footsteps of Jesus as he is making his last journey into the city of Jerusalem with the cross looming before him in his mind and in his thoughts.

On Maundy, there is the evening he is captured. He is flogged. He is scourged. He is mocked and ridiculed. People are freely spitting him in the face. Hitting him in the face with their fists. And he is just being tossed around like a puppet.

He carries his own cross to the hill of Golgotha. And then he is there nailed by his hands and his feet to this erected cross in the middle of two criminals cursed and killed.

The worst is that person who hangs on a cross, says the Bible. And the worst of all criminals is the one who is considered to be in the middle.

The drama is so overpowering and so terrible a sight that the old preacher and brothers said in this way that nature was fleeing and even the sun was hiding its face.

At midnoon, when the sun was supposed to be at its highest peak, suddenly darkness came over the face of this earth.

Was it three hours later when daylight again reappears? Jesus says words which no human being of their own power can say and produce. They are only produced by and through this divine power which is this heavenly love.

When Jesus turns to those who mocked him, ridiculed him, beat him and scourged him, and nailed him to the cross, Jesus says, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

And was it this power, the beams of this power of love, which literally melted the heart of one of those criminals beside him?

The other criminal's heart was so hardened he continued to mock and ridicule Jesus. But the other criminal's heart melted. He turns to Jesus and he says, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Jesus turned to him with his last strength, and I am sure blood dripping down upon his face, spit upon his face, with his last breath, and with his last strength, he turns to that thief on the cross asking that question.

And he says, Today, at this moment, you shall be with me in paradise. And at that instant, that criminal was translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son.

And this heavenly love no human being could produce, it is a gift of heaven, it is a gift one receives by faith, was shed into that criminal's heart.

It is that same love that was shed into the heart of Saul of Tarsus when he received the grace of repentance and he was transformed from a persecutor of the believers into one whose pen was a noble writer.

And this is that same gift that you and I have received by faith, for love is shed into our hearts by and through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

So Jesus says about and to his disciples, Of this you are known as my disciples that you love one another. This is not love only toward God, our heavenly Father, but it is also love on the horizontal plane, love toward the fellow brothers and sisters in living faith.

During the time of the early church, it was a common saying, when those on the outside of God's kingdom beheld the believers, they even witnessed and said, Behold how they love one another.

As I mentioned already, this 13th chapter of Corinthians was not originally intended for wedding occasions. For when we ask this question, if we would put one of our names here, could we stand up to these words of exhortation?

For example, James suffers long and is always kind. Peter never envies. Ruth never boasts herself up and has never puffed up. Phil does not behave himself unseemly and never seeks his own, is never easily provoked or thinks no evil.

So if we would take one of our names and place it here in the place of the word that is used here, charity, none of us could fulfill what is being asked of us. No human being.

So when Paul is using this word charity or love in the original sense, the only one who can fulfill it is Jesus Christ himself.

Jesus suffered and died, lived that perfect life, fulfilled the demanding law on our behalf, something that no human being could accomplish.

For after the fall into sin, God looked down from heaven to see if he could find anyone who could correct that fall. And God answers, there is no one who is good, no not one. There is no one who is righteous, no, not a single one. All have fallen short of the glory of God and all have sinned.

So if we would replace the word here charity with Jesus, he is the only one that can fulfill what is being spoken of here.

And so with our hands honestly upon our bosoms and hearts, we must lament and say, I am a sinner, I am faulty, and I am often prone to stumble and fall.

No human work of ourselves is able to satisfy the demands of God, the Heavenly Father.

As Paul says, even though I would speak with the tongues of men and speak like angels, and I would not have this love, perfect, perfect, demanding love, I would be just like a sounding brass or a tinkling, a ringing cymbal.

And even though a person would have all the gifts of prophecy and be able to understand all the mysteries of the world, would have all knowledge and even have so much faith that they could move mountains, but that person would not have this perfect, heavenly love of which Paul is speaking. That person is nothing.

Jesus once told a parable of a man who was indebted 10,000 talents. And it's such a great sum of money that no human being earning a typical wage would be able to repay that debt. It would be millions, thousands of years of a person's salary.

So we can just agree and say a debt so large that it was impossible to repay.

So the creditor was coming after the servant and saying, Repay what you owe me. And the one who was indebted said, Yes, give me time and be patient with me. I will repay it. But it was literally impossible.

But then the creditor had compassion and forgave that person his debt out of love, out of mercy and grace.

And this is that debt that you and I have received. Forgiven. It is a debt of sin.

None of us could ever get to heaven with any might, knowledge or skill or ability of our own. The only thing we have merited or earned are the fires of hell on our own part.

But God is so merciful and loving that through the merits of his son Jesus Christ, he has forgiven us our sins. And this debt of 10,000 talents has been wiped away.

So now this person who received that great debt of 10,000 talents forgiven, now turns to his fellow servant who owed him 100 pence, which is no small sum of money. It's about three months wages.

If someone would owe you three months of wages, you would feel it. You would know it. Especially during this time of recession.

And so that person who received that great debt forgiven turns to his fellow servant who owed him three months of wages, grabbed him by the throat and he said, pay up what you owe me.

Jesus then tells the conclusion of the parable. And he said in this way, that if you do not forgive your fellow servant their sins, neither will God the Heavenly Father forgive you your sins.

I remember from this pulpit one brother told an example. From Finland, there was a certain individual that they had had several many meetings with and tried to visit about issues and that individual made repentance and promised to live the life of new obedience.

But after some time, the same thing happened again. And so at the conclusion of yet another meeting where issues were discussed, and matters were forgiven, two brothers were on their way home and began discussing what had happened again this evening.

One of the brothers contemplated out loud that, I wonder if this individual really even yet understood that fruits of repentance appear, or will he again fall into the same thing.

What should we do? What do you think? The other individual listened and he said, it's our duty to forgive. And again, forgive. And again, forgive.

The kingdom of God is a kingdom of grace and the forgiveness of sins. It is a kingdom where there is this unconditional gospel, a gospel that is infinite in depth and never run dry.

Brothers and sisters, would we ever make it to the destination if we wouldn't be able to own for ourselves, receive again, time and time again, for our faulty, sinful, and unworthy heart, this gospel of the forgiveness of sins.

That power which lifts us, carries us, and will one day carry us from this life to that eternal life in the glory of heaven.

We can believe sin is forgiven in Jesus' name in blood.

And so, the Apostle Paul, paints this picture of what is there awaiting for us after this travel of trials and tribulations.

Now, here in time, abides faith, hope, and love. These three, but the greatest of these is love.

So may the warmth of the heavenly love of God warm your cold, dry, weary, and parched hearts even this morning.

Just as you are, just as you find yourself, you can believe sin is forgiven in his name and precious atonement blood. You can believe unto peace, freedom, and joy.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.