e-vo for week of March 12

Dearest e-votees-

For the Wednesdays of Lent at Christ the Good Shepherd this year we are using the epistle texts from the preceding Sunday in our midweek worship.

For e-vos we will be doing the same thing. Blessings on your experience of Lent this year.

Peace,
Karl

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12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17 If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19 For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:12-19, NRSV
The plain reading of this text is that there is a difference between the transgression of one man (Adam) that had dire consequences for all and the salvation brought by another man (Jesus) that brought justification and life for all. We can read this passively as something that happened, not our doing, that caused disastrous problems and that something else happened, also not our doing, that undid those consequences. We're like spiritual drifters tossed to and fro by currents and movements much more powerful than us. We could plead inability to battle forces so much more powerful than us and thereby try to sidestep culpability.

Or we could enter into this text in a little more nuanced fashioned. The truth is that we in our unredeemed states--old Adam and old Eve--are just as likely as Adam and Eve were to strike out proudly on our own. We would seek to usurp God's rightful place. It wouldn't take long for us to transgress against any structures laid out for our care and our protection. Adam and Eve aren't distant relatives but kin as close as can be found. We would, and have, trespassed. We would, and have, merited condemnation. We would, and have, brought the full sentence of death to bear. We are the one.

Jesus comes into the world bearing the gift of salvation. All of us to a one have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus stooped and was raised up to display the glory of God's mercy and forgiveness. Through one, me, death came into the world. Through one, you, death came into the world. Through one, Jesus, life came into the world--for all, me and you and everyone else. We are made righteous. This is as much about being restored in right relationship as it is in having our slates wiped clean. The transgressions that our old selves embrace bring separation from God. God's grace and mercy refuse to let that state be the final state of affairs. Thanks be to God. Perhaps the best picture of this is the father of the prodigal son refusing to give up on one who severed the relationship. Perhaps God says to the heavenly host "Rejoice and kill the fatted calf my son, my daughter who was lost has been found!"

That is the greatest gift we could ever receive.


God, help us lean hard into the gift that you purchased for us at so great a price. Amen.