e-vo for week of October 21

Dear e-votees-

This Sunday is the Sunday set aside to commemorate the Reformation. May your worship be full of stirring music, deep and profound preaching boldly proclaiming God’s word and lavish grace.

Peace,
Karl

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Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.

Romans 3:19-28, NRSV

Wasn’t so long ago that I was preaching at a friend’s installation. One of his chosen texts was Psalm 82. It made mention of showing partiality to the wicked. I took that scripture as an opportunity to remind my friend and those in earshot that one of the ways that we show partiality to the wicked is when we temper and soften the sharp edges of scripture because we deeply care for the folks we are addressing. I said that he had been called to serve a wicked people (not necessarily more wicked than anyone else but wicked nonetheless). I encouraged him to preach boldly and show them no partiality. Some who heard took offense that I had called them (and all people) wicked. Some of us don’t like having the old Adam and the old Eve called out.

The truth is that we have “all sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. No qualifications. No softening of this. All of us are sinful and wicked. All have need of salvation that comes from outside our own efforts.

The law is set aside as a means of justification through Jesus’ glorious work on the cross. We are saved by faith--not works. We are saved by grace--not works. We are saved by Jesus’ work and fulfillment of the law and the prophet-not by the law.

We don’t boast. We don’t Lord it over others. We receive it by faith and point others to the same gracious banquet that we have stumbled into by God’s mercy.


God, be glorified in our worship this weekend. Help us live into your radical salvation by grace through faith. Draw others up to the table as well. Use us as seems good and proper to you. Amen.