Sermon Tone Analysis

Pentecost 5, July 9, 2006

A Fair Exchange?

*Text:* 2 Corinthians 5:14–21

*Other Lessons:* Psalm 107:1–3, 23–32; Job 38:1–11; Mark 4:35–41

* *

*Sermon Theme:* Jesus’ righteousness becomes ours by faith, and our sin becomes his.

*Goal:* That the hearer be encouraged by the great exchange of his sin for Jesus’ righteousness before God.

 

                     1.

Though sometimes God doesn’t appear to be fair, we tend to pursue righteousness only when it suits us.

2.

In fact, God is perfect in righteousness and justice, so that for us to please him a great exchange had to take place.

3.

That is precisely what happened when Jesus, the Word made flesh, became our substitute.

Jesus’ Righteousness Becomes Ours by Faith, and Our Sin Becomes His.

                     4.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

5.

And as a result, we have been given a ministry of reconciliation.

1.

Life just isn’t fair, is it?

Just when we think things are beginning to go real good for us, a sudden life-threatening illness in the family; a sudden and unexpected terrorist attack; a murder in our own neighborhood; even the everyday troubles we face, like increasing taxes; parking tickets, and any number of other things—it’s just not fair!

And we wonder, God, how could you let this happen to me?

The point is this: Sometimes, God doesn’t appear to be fair.

But, what does that say about the way we pursue righteousness?

Does it show that we are particular about getting justice only when we are directly affected by the misdeed?

After all, that is when we tend to call upon God to make things right, to take away the injustice because, It’s not fair, especially to us!

 

2.

Our call for righteousness is often selective.

Do we readily call attention to injustice when we’re guilty of the same thing?

These days, it seems that the way we see righteousness in ourselves is based on whether we get caught, or not.

Even getting a parking ticket can be such an injustice when previously we have gotten away with parking over the limited time.

We are a people fixed on our own pleasures.

Justice is only important insofar as it makes our life pleasant.

If it interferes with our lifestyle, we’d just as soon have nothing to do with it.

We are hypocrites, to say the least.

God, on the other hand, is a God of perfect righteousness and justice.

His demands are clear.

“Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev 19:2).

Justice requires us to measure up to the righteousness of God or face the consequences of our sinfulness.

I think the Psalmist is right when he declares, “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Ps 14:3).

So, let us beware of crying for true justice, lest God deliver it to us.

God does deliver true justice to us, but not in the way we might expect.

3.

He sends Jesus, the Eternal Word in human flesh to be our substitute under His Divine Law.

Jesus is the second Adam, undoing what the first Adam brought to all of us by his disobedience.

And, because Jesus is God in human flesh, He takes our place before his Father and buys back all of humanity.

What He has done in true righteousness has no limit to its extension.

The price of unrighteousness is paid for all, meaning that the whole world is reconciled to God (v 15).

True Righteousness in man is what Jesus brings to God in our place.

He exchanges all that He is for all that we are and does away with our sin at the CROSS.

What a tremendous exchange He has made for us—that is true righteousness.

Jesus’ Righteousness has Become Ours by Faith, and Our Sin has Become His.

 

4.

Wow! Here’s what it all means: Our old sinful self is crucified with Christ so that we died there just as surely as He died, there, on the cross.

And from death rises a new man fully redeemed and cleansed in waters of Holy Baptism—all to the glory of Christ our Lord.

Paul says it so clearly in these words: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (v 17).

Now, suppose you were just told that your condition was such that you had less that a 20 percent chance of living through a necessary operation.

Would you pray for God to extend your life if that be His will?

You could!

Your life in Christ allows you to do that.

And, suppose God answered your prayer just that way.

When you returned home you might even feel like a whole new person.

You might even begin doing things differently.

You might cherish every part of your life, and the life of others.

This is precisely what you are enabled to do when by faith you live “in Christ.”

You see, His declaration of righteousness to you begets righteousness in you.

You are a new creation—all praise be to God.

5.

Now, here is the test.

In what ways are you making known the joy your heart possesses as you contemplate the new lease on life you’ve been given through our Lord’s great exchange?

I am talking about the ministry of reconciliation that as people “in Christ” we now have.

I am talking about being the ambassadors of glory who are given ability to make known the wonders of God that comes as new life.

If your life does not quite measure up to this: you need more time with God.

You need more study of the Scriptures.

You need more guidance of God’s Spirit.

You need to think more about who and what you are “in Christ.”

You need to stop kidding yourself and begin struggling to make your salvation sure.

You need exactly what the Church offers in its ministry of reconciliation.

And you are all welcome to participate.

In fact, this is precisely why you are here today—to be refreshed and built up in Christ.

It is our need and thirst for righteousness—true Righteousness—that allows us to search for it.

Outside of Christ—no thirst, no desire!

In Christ, we are always being led from one degree of glory to another so that we are truly refreshed by the Word of truth we encounter in our preaching and teaching of reconciliation.

God bless you all with what truly refreshes each and every day.

Amen.

\\ Liturgical Setting

Most of the Propers for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost follow the clear motif of the /Gospel/, Jesus stilling the storm.

The /Psalm/ emphasizes the power and the might of God in the midst of his people.

The seas roar and men faint.

Then, in the midst of their helplessness, they call to God for mercy and he rescues them.

What follows is thankfulness and praise to God for their deliverance and salvation.

The /Old Testament Reading/ calls to repentance those who would question God’s actions because God’s power and wisdom is supreme in all things—from the very foundations of the earth to the limits of the sea.

In the Gospel, the disciples are overcome with fear and doubt and call upon Jesus to save them.

When “God with us” speaks to the wind and the waves, they become silent in obedience to his command, and the disciples are awestruck at God’s mighty power in the person of his Son.

The /Epistle/ is a reading unto itself, but it does fit beautifully into the theme for the season of Pentecost.

Jesus died for all, the powerful Gospel that moves us into the whole world, for all are included in God’s plan of redemption.

Textual Notes

/Vv 14–15:/ the universal vicarious atonement of Christ, “one died for all.”

Christ takes the place of the whole world under the cross.

This love of Christ, therefore, “compels” (NIV), “controls” (ESV), “constraineth” (KJV) (/sunechei/) us; the purpose of our life is to live for Christ, who died in our place and was raised again.

Note Chrysostom: “First, we live because of Christ.

Second, Christ died for us.

Either of these would be enough by itself to put us in his debt, but taken together our liability is overwhelming” (Gerald Bray, ed., /Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture/ [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999], p. 247; used by permission).

/V 16:/ We are no longer to relate to one another in an earthly sort of way.

While we may have seen Christ as limited by his humanness, we no longer do so.

We now are able to view him in the light of the glory of his resurrection.

All things have now been placed under his feet.

This power of his resurrection has been conveyed upon us.

Our life according to the flesh has been transcended.

We have been born again by the Spirit and have also learned a different way to relate to one another.

/V 17:/ Being “in Christ” makes /anyone/ “a new creation.”