Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity (2024)

Galatians 3:15-22

When we read the Bible, we want to make sure that our focus is ever fixed upon Jesus. We are accused of being Christocentric by others, to which we ask, is that a bad thing? Didn’t Jesus chastise the Pharisees who went looking to the Scriptures of Eternal life not recognizing that the Scriptures were pointing to Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God. For that is the promised offspring that was promised to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Judah, David, and finally born of Mary. In our Passage for today, St. Paul strikes down everyone who believes that salvation is by our works, our efforts, our fulfilling of the Law, and instead of being given to us by a promise from God.

How Does God Save Us?

This is about dividing Law and Gospel.

If you lack the ability to do this, the Bible will remain to you a closed book and seem to be so full of contradictions. For you will treat all passages the same, and you will wonder why in one section does God demand perfection of people and then in this other place forgive their sins adn act towards this in mercy. It becomes quite confusing and you just want to throw up your hands and quit! We will get into that. In our text today, it is shown from the Old Testament that it is the Gospel that saves us.

God promised a Savior before the Law was given.

When God made the promise to Abraham, that was over 400 years before Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments or had the laws and regulations regarding clean and unclean for the Jewish people. It

If the promise was given before the Law, then works won’t save.

This is what he means by saying that law came afterward. The promise of the savior had already been given by God to Abraham, and even to Adam and Eve that there would be an heir. The promise was already given and it is that promise that save Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So if the law was necessary for your salvation, then how were they saved?

You are saved by grace.

That is to say not by works, for if that is the case then it rejects the promise and annuls the covenenant that God had made and makes the promise of the savior null and void. So we receive this inheritance not based upon what we do, but based upon God’s Word, which faith receives.

Why then the Law?

What use is the Law, if it doesn’t save?

This was the cry of the people troubling the congregation at Galatia, it was the question that frustrated the Pharisees who had dedicated their lives towards it, and it was the question leveled at Lutherans in the time of the reformation.

This angers people.

It happens consistently, but why is that? Why is it that the folks who seem most fervent for the faith would be amongst those who so strongly oppose this. Because they misuse the Law, and don’t understand its purpose. They think that the purpose of the law was to make good people out of wicked people. That by following the Law they would receive greater rewards and become so great that God will welcome them into heaven based upon their great accomplishment, which is to say they have no need of grace. The Law was given for two important reasons.

The first purpose is to restrain sinners.

It serves as a guide rail to prevent us from committing the sins we want to do with threats of punishment. If we were good people we wouldn’t need the threats, for we would do what is right naturally. People are not naturally good, but given to selfishness, greed, godlessness and the like. This ties into the second purpose for when you tell a willful sinner to not do something what happens?

The second is to reveal the depths of sin.

For through the Law comes knowledge of sin, not our righteousness. The Law does not make us good, it shows how deep sin goes inside of our hearts and the corruption is far worse than most folks realize.

The Power of the Law

It shows that no one is good.

From the newborn child to the most dedicated philanthropist. No one is good in God’s sight. This upsets folks because we have a desire to be good, or at least appear good, because the Law is written on our hearts.

It magnifies evil inside of us

We try to excuse the evil, and pass it off as being what everyone does. Who doesn’t utter a quick or frustrated curse word? Whose eyes don’t flick or perhaps linger when something goes by that tempts us? Who doesn’t have idle thoughts, or is dissatisified with what have? Who isn’t frustrated by those in authority over us especially when they appear incompetent? Yet the Word of God condemns this and reveals it as evil. That is why

Every one is called to repent.

Doesn’t matter how good you think you are, what great works you have accomplished, because the evil that sits inside is enough to condemn us to hell itself. For it is not enough that we repent in one area, or only once, but rather our life is to be one of repentance recognize the evil that exists inside of us.

It brings us to despair.

For we realize that even though we can see what is good, and know what we ought to be doing, what we ought to say think, and even feel? Yet we find ourselves in rebellion against it and thus earn the condemnation of the Law. This is why sinners become angry because why would God give us a Law for salvation that we couldn’t fulfill. But salvation is not by the Law.

The Promises of God

The Gospel points you to the offspring.

That singular child of Abraham that had been promised from long ago who would be our savior. Not in Abraham’s offsprings, that is in all of Abraham’s children, but through this one child salvation would be found for mankind. This is why

Salvation is found only in Jesus.

Because that is the promise that God gave to us. It is not in your works, your accomplishments or who you are as a person, salvation has always been about what God had promised to do through Jesus. You didn’t do anything to be saved, Christ did it all for you.

Faith relies on God’s promises.

It says amen, this is what Jesus has done for me, He has borne my sins, my punishment, my imperfections, He paid the debt that I owed so that I might be at peace with God. I didn’t do anything to that end, it has all been given to me as a gift.

Which is why we say gladly, I am baptized.

It wasn’t by my actions, my decisions, my works, it was God who washed away my sins and gave to Me His Divine and Holy Name and the gift of the Holy Spirit that as God’s child I might not only cry out Abba Father, but that I might also be an heir of eternal life. It this is message of Good news that brings a

Peace that Surpasses Understanding

Reason seeks peace in our works.

But it never finds it, if you are trying to be a good person, the natural law is written on your heart and no matter how much you do, you cannot remove the sins from your heart or your mind which is what the Law demands.

The Law requires you to be holy as God is holy.

That is a standard that none of us can achieve. No matter how great you might think yourself to be. The Law demands that you be perfect just as God is perfect. Those who trust in their works throw up their hands and say what then is the point?? But those who rely on God’s promises know that this teaching is good for we are not led astray to trust in our own accomplishments. Rather

Faith finds peace in Jesus work for you.

For there is nothing left for you to do, Jesus saved you. What could you add to that, that would make more worthy or more certain of your salvation? Jesus said it is finished, so what are you trying to add to the work that Christ declared done? Rather be at peace for the Son of God not only shed His blood to save you, but also promised to you eternal life.

My Brothers and sisters, if you mix these teachings it creates poison for the soul and destroys people. The Law is good, it restrains sinners, and humbles the proud that we might confess that we are sinners, but don’t look to it for your salvation. The Gospel is what saves us, but if you were teach only the Gospel, there would be no restraint from wickedness, and people forsake faith for they have no need of a savior. Both teachings are vital but they must remain in their proper place as the Scriptures explain. So flee from all sin and wickedness and confess your failings, but then hear of Jesus who is the promised offspring, the savior of the World who has shed his blood for you. In Jesus name. Amen.