Reformation Day (Observed) (2024)

Romans 3:19-28

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ as we celebrate Reformation, we want to make sure that we understand why this is a day of such great joy for us, and why we gather together boldly confessing and singing these hymns that our forefathers have sung for centuries. Many misunderstand what the Reformation is about, and it is not that we celebrate the division or disunity of the Church. For even today, we desire that the Truth be united around the Word. We rejoice for the Church had become deformed was reformed again around the Holy Scriptures and that glorious and wonderful message which has been proclaimed throughout the History of the Church from Holy Scripture we are justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Every Mouth is Stopped

Everyone is under the Law.

The Law holds sway over the entire world and no matter where you are, or who you are, there is Law that has been given to mankind. This is why you find across the globe common laws, that it is not proper to disrespect your parents, it is not right to murder, and that it is not right to steal. This is because God is the Creator of all things as we learned last week, and all of creation is held accountable to Him, for how they have made used or misused his creation.

You cannot prove your innocence.

To be justified means that you are innocent. You cannot do enough to satisfy the demands of the law, that’s why it says no human being will be justified in His sight. For God sees all, and he weighs your life based not just on what your hands do, but he sees your heart, and soul. When we talk about murder, God is saying it’s not just your hands, but your lips are not to call your brother idiot, or heart to bear any hatred for your neighbor. The Law does not justify us.

The Law was given to show your sin.

It reveals to the entire world the desperate need we have of salvation from the oldest of us to even the newborn child. The Law reveals our sins, our failings, and our shame. When it comes to honor the sabbath day, how many times has Christ offered his body and blood at the altar and yet you were absent because you had something better to do than to receive what Christ won for us through His own death? You weren’t sick, you weren’t saving the life of your neighbor, you just decided even though God was handing out forgiveness, you didn’t need to Jesus gave His life to give to you. When God stands before you on Judgment and he asks what was more important than hearing his words, and receiving the gifts that Jesus won for you by suffering in your place. You have no defense. Even if you amend your life today, you cannot change what you have already done. This is why all who rely on the Law are under a curse, for they only learn of their sin.

Righteousness Apart from the Law

This righteousness is through faith.

Now faith is passive, which means that righteousness is not based upon what you do, but rather upon what is given to and done for you. Instead of looking to your own hands, your heart, your will. It depends entirely upon Jesus and what Jesus has done for you.

This is difficult because it removes your works.

As people, we like to think that maybe we can help, maybe we can contribute, and maybe this just sounds a little too good to be true. So why not add a bit of my works in? Because your works aren’t good enough. Your works have to be perfect, and they aren’t. So when it comes to your salvation, don’t rely on being a good or decent person, confess that you are a sinner. For

This righteousness is for all who believe.

The the root word here is the same word as faith, but faith in what? It isn’t enough to just blindly have faith, or to have faith in yourself, rather Faith clings to the work of Jesus and the gifts Jesus won for you.

Jesus your Propitiation

God has great wrath.

If you don’t understand this, then you will not and cannot understand why Jesus came to earth to take your place, nor will you understand why its important to receive forgiveness weekly. The whole world is held accountable before God, that God in His goodness, had to punish sin, and that meant death and hell. For God is angry at sin, and Psalm 5 tells us that He hates evildoers. Sin is evil, and since you commit sin, that means you are an evil doer. There is a very real and present danger that every man, woman, and child. This is why it is so wonderful that

Jesus is the Savior of sinners.

Not of the good, nor of the righteous, but of Sinners. In fact if you are not a sinner condemned by the Law, then you don’t need a savior, but if you have sinned, and are under God’s wrath because you have failed, then you see why Jesus’ death is so precious to us and so lovely.

Jesus takes your sin to suffer God’s wrath.

That is what it means that Jesus is your propitiation. It’s a big word but what it means is that Jesus stands between you and the Father. Because if the Father did not punish sin, if he did not punish evil, God would no longer be good. Jesus stands between you and God’s wrath. Where does he do that? As he hung upon the cross suspended between heaven and earth, that is why we fix our eyes upon Jesus and Him crucified. For it was at the Cross that Jesus saved me. What work could I add to that? Those who remain in the shadow of the Cross will be saved.

Without Jesus What Happens?

The wrath of God falls on you.

If you try to replace Jesus, if you try to wander outside of the shadow of the Cross, then God’s wrath’s will destroy you both body and soul with torment. Do not do that, don’t throw away what Christ has done. Consider

Your sins brought great suffering on Christ.

If God’s wrath against sin is so great, that when your sin is found on Jesus that He does not spare His own son from suffering, why do you think you will be fine outside of the shadow of the Cross? That’s foolishness.

How can we boast of that?

To think that we don’t need Jesus, that we can rely on our own works instead of Jesus’ Sacrifice? That’s I’m such a strong Christian, I don’t need the Supper, I don’t need the absolution, I can even abandon my baptism, but many walk away from faith, and think that because they are good, or decent people that they will be saved, but they perish.

The Law of Faith?

Not one we do, but how God gives this gift.

God points us to the Cross of His Son, and Jesus binds us to Himself through the Sacraments. When we are baptized like Noelle we are baptized into Jesus’ death, we are hidden in the tomb with Christ, that we might rise with Him. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus gives you His very body and blood that were sacrificed for you, so that you might not only have forgiveness, but also peace with God. These promises belong to the law of faith.

We are justified apart from our works.

The purpose of the Law was to warn us against the very real danger of sin, and show us that it was so great that no matter what you did, there was was no way to prove your innocence. Which means the only way to be saved is not by the Law, but by trusting God’s promised Savior who fulfilled the Law for us.

Jesus did this for you to secure forgiveness.

Jesus did this for all who believe, and secured redemption that is received by faith that is trust in God’s promises. That is how much you are loved by God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity working in unison accomplished your salvation.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this is the message that was lost to the Church at the time of the Reformation. Instead of looking to the Cross, they were told to look to their hands, to their lips, and into their hearts to find forgiveness, and tragically churches fall back into this trap of thinking to find their salvation in the Law of works. Our justification, our innocence does not depend upon our works, but upon the work of Jesus Christ who won for us. So do not neglect the gifts that Jesus won for you the gifts of His Word, of Baptism, Of Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. For through these things the victory of Christ is given to you, and strengthens you. So do not flee from them, but every time the church bell rings come with glad and joyful hearts, for there is Jesus, the Savior of Sinners. In Jesus name. Amen.