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First Lesson: Exodus 12: 1-14 Responsive Reading: Psalm 149 Second Lesson: Romans 13: 8-14 Gospel Lesson: Matthew 18: 15-20 Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Saint Martin’s Lutheran Church had recently called a new pastor in Pastor Wilson. Pastor Wilson’s first Sunday the sanctuary at Saint Martin’s is full[1]. Everyone was eagerly awaiting Pastor Wilson’s first sermon. They had been hoping throughout the call process that God would bring them a gifted and dynamic preacher. Pastor Wilson’s first Sunday contained a sermon based on our lesson for today from Romans 13[2]: “Love does no harm to the neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Pastor Wilson echoed Jesus’ words to “love one another just like I have loved you[1].” The congregation hung on every one of Pastor Wilson’s words. A few overly boisterous congregants started clapping at the end of the sermon. Parishioners were thanking members of the Call Committee after the service for bringing them such a wonderful preacher[4]. Before the next Sunday’s service, word of Pastor Wilson’s wonderful sermon had spread. Additional Chairs were now set up in the back because so many people had shown up to worship. As Pastor Wilson began to speak what seemed like the same sermon was given “Love does no harm to the neighbor.” The congregants at Saint Martin’s Lutheran were confused. They had heard the same sermon the previous week. They figured though that Pastor Wilson was merely making subtle points based on the same scripture as the previous week. They just needed to listen more carefully the next week. The next Sunday the congregation at Saint Martin’s was full once again. Pastor Wilson again gave the same sermon word for word. “Love does no harm to the neighbor.” This time it was obvious that Pastor Wilson was just giving the same sermon again and again[5]. The Church Council was upset at this point[6]. They called an emergency meeting with Pastor Wilson after the service. They asked Pastor Wilson “What’s the deal?” Pastor Wilson was stumped “What do you mean, Love does no harm to the neighbor, such a message is at the center of a Christian’s day to day existence. While Pastor Wilson made sense, the Council still asked: “Why do you keep preaching this week after week?” To which Pastor Wilson replied, “Once you actually learn to love rather than harm our neighbor then I’ll preach something different.” You see a lot had been going in the lives of Saint Martin’s congregants. They had neighbors who threw house parties that went on way too late and got way too loud. They encountered neighbors who slighted them through their words and actions. They even had neighbors who dared cheer for the Green Bay Packers! As Pastor Wilson kept hearing these things, again and again, he decided to keep preaching the same sermon again and again. The story of Pastor Wilson and Saint Martin’s brings us to our lesson for Today from Romans 13[7]. In Today’s lesson, the Apostle Paul seeks to give insight into the direction of the Christian’s life. Martin Luther spoke about God working through both hands when interacting with this world. God’s right hand is the hand by which he creates faith and salvation[8]. God’s left hand is used to protect the world around you from harm. The Church is a right-hand institution. Whereas the Government, Lions Club, School, or Family would be left-hand institutions. For Luther, it was very important that Christians not confuse under which hand they lived their life. We say no to things like letting kids play in the middle of Highway 61 or drinking and driving not because God can’t possibly save people who engage in such activities (right-hand), but rather because of the harm such activities cause to our neighbor and ourselves (left-hand)[9]. Such practices echo Pastor Wilson’s sermon from earlier “Love does no harm to the neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” I came across a Lutheran preacher named Kevin Ruffcorn who explained this well when he says[10]: “For Paul (in our lesson), the fact that Christians are eternal beings makes a big difference in how we live our lives. We have broken free of the expectations, short-sighted goals, and self-centered interests of this world. Paul invites his readers to view possessions from a perspective beyond their physical lives. Jobs become vocations and ministries. Daily life is transformed from acquisition to a life of service. Grudges aren’t worth nursing and relationships become valuable.” The whole point of the Book of Romans is the Cross of Christ flips the world upside down. God’s unconditional forgiveness changes how we understand life, death, victory, and defeat. The Cross because of this certainly brings a different perspective on how to interact with our neighbors. While in College, Thomas Steward accidentally stabbed his eye with a knife[11]. His bad eye was permanently blind because of the accident. The Surgeon fearing damage to the good eye, recommends the bad eye be removed. Thomas Steward has his operation, but there was a mistake. The surgeon had accidentally removed the wrong eye. Thomas Steward would now be blind every day for the rest of his life. Thomas Steward did not let this deter him from pursuing his education. Thomas Steward enrolled as a student at McGill University in Montreal. Such a career would seem to be a long-shot as law school requires all sorts of reading. Thomas Steward though had a brother named William who was also a law student at McGill. William Steward would help Thomas to class, he would read to Thomas all the assigned reading and write down Thomas’ words so he may submit his tests and papers. William Steward was a good student; he came in second in his graduating class at McGill Law School. His blind brother Thomas Steward came in first in the class[12]. “There are two kinds of love: we love wise and kind and beautiful people because we need them, but we love (or try to love) stupid and disagreeable people because they need us. The second kind is the more divine because that is how God loves us: not because we are lovable, but because he is love; not because He needs to receive, but because He delights to give[13].”- C.S. Lewis. I want to close with a story this morning. This story illustrates the meaning of Pastor Wilson’s repeated sermon that I referenced earlier. It’s a story that gets at the meaning of our lesson over how the Christian life centers on loving our neighbor to prevent harm. Even if they might seem to be “stupid” or “disagreeable.” Miss Thompson was a new teacher in town[14]. Miss Thompson had a student in her fifth-grade class that every teacher dreads. Ted Stallard was anti-social, easily distracted, he dressed sloppy, didn’t care about his appearance at all and looked like he just didn’t care. Ted was the worst student in class and had no friends. Night after night, when correcting papers, Ted’s papers were red mark after red mark for all his wrong answers. Miss Thompson would have found something interesting if she had studied, Ted Stallard’s records[15]. 1st Grade: Ted shows promise with his work and attitude, home life is troubled. 2nd Grade: Ted could improve. Mom is seriously ill. 3rd Grade: Ted is a good kid but always serious never smiling. Ted struggles with learning. The mother died last year. 4th Grade: Ted is very slow and way-behind, he is well-behaved but disengaged. Ted’s dad doesn’t seem to care at all. So Christmas arrives during Ted’s 5th Grade year[16]. The Children place their gifts upon Miss Thompson’s desk. Ted brought Miss Thompson his gift. Ted’s gift was merely contained in a brown paper bag wrapped by duct tape. All the children gather around to watch Miss Thompson open her gifts. Out of Ted’s package falls a bottle of the cheap perfume. The children began to laugh at Ted’s gift. Miss Thompson normally would have placed the gift aside, but some power came over her, so he sprayed her hand. The children grew silent. At the end of school that day, Ted comes up to Miss Thompson’s desk. Ted says “Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother… I’m glad you like the present.” These words convicted Miss Thompson that it was her not Ted that needed to change. Once Ted left the room, Miss Thompson got on her knees and prayed that God changes how she loved her neighbor daily. The next day, Miss Thompson was a different teacher. She saw the slow children as just as valuable in God’s eyes as the gifted ones. Through Miss Thompson’ efforts, Ted began to show great improvement. By the end of the school year, Ted had even passed a few students in her class. Years soon passed without hearing much from Ted. One day seven years later, Miss Thompson received a note. Dear Miss Thompson: Wanted you to know. I will be graduating second in my class.” Ted Four years later[17]. Dear Miss Thompson. I just found out that I will be graduating top of my class at the University. I wanted you to know because of your impact on my life. Ted Four years later. Dear Miss Thompson: As of Today, I am Theodore Stallard M.D. I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married also next month; she’s a great girl, you’d really like her. The 27th next month to be exact. I want you to sit where my mother would have sat if she were alive. You are my family as Dad died last year[18].” Ted The next month, Miss Thompson would be escorted down the aisle at Dr.Stallard’s wedding[19]. Today in many Churches is known as “Rally Sunday.” The first day of fall where Churches envision their ministry to the communities that they serve in the “new” school year ahead. To reach out requires the courage to believe that God doesn’t see people as the world sees them. It takes courage for a new preacher to keep giving the same sermon again and again till the message gets through. It takes courage for a new teacher to wear a cheap perfume like it’s a fragrance that came down from heaven. It takes courage to reach out to the community that can be different from us in so many ways. As Christian people, we celebrate “the new” because we believe that a God powerful enough to bring us back from the grave, believes the Ted Stallards around us are worthy of love, forgiveness, and “new life” also! Amen [1] McLarty, Dr.Phillip. W. “Love One Another.” Sermon Writer. 2005. Web. Aug.16.2017. [2] There is some creative re-imagining taken with Dr.McLarty’s analogy. [3] John 13:34. [4] McLarty, Dr.Phillip. W. “Love One Another.” [5] McLarty, Dr.Phillip. W. “Love One Another.” [6] McLarty, Dr.Phillip. W. “Love One Another.” [7] Romans 13:8-14. [8] Madson, Meg. “Aitken’s Not Achin’ Over the Harm.” Cross Alone Blog. 21.Jan. Web. Aug.16.2017. [9] Madson, Meg. “Aitken’s Not Achin’ Over the Harm.” [10] Ruffcorn, Kevin. “A Different Perspective.” Sermon Central. 13.Sept.2011. Web. Aug.16.2017. [11] The following analogy comes from John MacArthur’s New Testament Commentaries [12] Llewellyn, Tony. “Sermon Illustrations: Love.” Hot Sermons. Web. Aug.16.2017. [13] Stier, Leon. “Two Kinds of Love.” Email Mediations.8.July.2017. Web. Aug.16.2017. [14] Johnston, Joe. Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear.SP Publications. 1990. Print. Pg.111-113 taken from Sermon Illustrations website. [15] Johnston, Joe. Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear. Pg.111-113 [16] Johnston, Joe. Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear. Pg.111-113 [17] Johnston, Joe. Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear. Pg.111-113 [18] Johnston, Joe. Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear. Pg.111-113 [19] Johnston, Joe. Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear. Pg.111-113 Comments are closed.
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