Christmas 2C/01.03.10/Fort Q & IH/Ephesians 1:13-14
· Do and done.
o The difference between these two words is the difference between your salvation and your damnation.
§ Seems too simple doesn’t it?
· Do and done.
o One grants you entrance into heaven and one sends you to hell.
· One is a verb and one is a past participle.
o One of the words indicates action needed and one indicates action completed.
§ Do and done.
· The difference between these two words is the difference between Christianity and all other religions of man.
o Do and done.
· One word calls you to action – the other word calls you to trust.
o One word calls you to look to yourself – the other word calls you to look outside yourself.
§ Do and done.
· We naturally tend to be people of action.
o We are doers.
§ We don’t like to be told we can’t do something.
· You tell me I can’t do something and I will show you I can.
o Anything you can do I can do better.
§ The rebellious nature in us all rises up against the cant’s of life.
· I can do that. I want to do that. I will do that. Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.
o I will do what I want, where I want to do it, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it.
§ We are doers.
· Every false religion of man is a religion for doers.
o And that is why we find them so attractive, so seductive.
§ Every false religion is an attempt to bridge the gap between us and God.
· In one way or another every false religion is an attempt to do something to appease God or earn His favour.
o This plays to our pride. It gives us the false sense that we can do something.
§ Some Christians even get this wrong – they will say all you have to do is believe. All you have to do is make a decision.
· Do, do, do.
o All this doing will damn you.
· You cannot do what is demanded.
o You cannot do enough.
§ You can never bridge the gap.
· You cannot do anything to appease God or earn God’s favour.
o Even what you do “do” is tainted with sin.
§ The Buddhists have it wrong.
§ The Muslims have it wrong.
§ The Jehovah’s Witnesses have it wrong.
§ The Mormons have it wrong.
· Some Christians have it wrong.
o Some Lutherans have it wrong.
§ Do you?
· If it is not done by Jesus it is left to you to do.
o If it is left to you to do - you will fall short because of your sin.
§ This not a question. This is certain.
· Your sin will damn you no matter what you do.
o If the doing is left to you and not to Jesus you are damned.
§ That is what will be done with you if Jesus has not done it all for you.
· Do and done.
· Listen to what St. Paul writes in his letter to the Christians at Ephesus nearly 2000 years ago and hear it as if it were written to you:
o “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (1:13-14)
§ Listen to what has been done by Jesus for you.
· You were sealed with the Holy Spirit – this is baptism.
o This is not something that you do.
§ This is something that is done to you.
· This is something that has been done.
o No “do” here. This is past tense.
§ Nothing left to do.
§ It is done.
· The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News of the Christian Faith, is so foreign and so unnatural to us that we instinctively reject it
o We are doers
§ And Jesus comes and says we can do nothing and He has done it all for us
· Without the work of the Holy Spirit in us we spit in Jesus’ face
o We become offended and angry at Jesus for telling us what we can and cannot do.
§ Without the work of the Holy Spirit we turn to the false religions of man and their false ways of “doing” to appease God and earn His favour.
· Without the grace of God working through the Holy Spirit we are lost and dammed in our own doing.
· But the Holy Spirit does come through the Word and Sacraments in the Church
o Jesus does not leave you in your lost state of hopelessly doing. He sends the Holy Spirit, the comforter.
§ The Holy Spirit comes and does His gracious work in your heart
· The Holy Spirit works in you to make you recognize your sin and your complete lack of ability to do anything for your salvation
o The Holy Spirit works in you so you come to repent of your sin and seek forgiveness
§ The Holy Spirit turns you from looking at yourself and your “doing” to looking to Jesus and what He has done for you.
· Do and done.
o Take comfort dear Christian – it is done.
§ There has been nothing left undone.
· There is nothing left to you to do.
o It is done.
§ In Jesus all has been done.
· You have been sealed and guaranteed it.
· In Holy Baptism all that Jesus has done is given to you.
o His perfectly lived life without sin or failure.
§ His death upon the cross for your disobedience.
· His resurrection from the dead.
o It is done.
§ Nothing for you to do.
· It is something that is given to you – it is outside you.
o It is done.
· In the Words of Holy Absolution the removal of your guilt and sin is done to you by Jesus
o There is no “doing” here.
§ It is based upon that which was done by Jesus.
· Jesus grants you forgiveness because of His life, death, and resurrection.
o It is done.
· In the Sacrament of Holy Communion you come forward and receive the body and blood of Jesus
o Nothing you do makes it so
§ It is done because Jesus promises to be here for you in His body and blood granting you strength and faith.
· It is done.
· This is the Christian Faith.
o It is a “done” faith.
§ It is done by Jesus.
· It is done to you.
o It is done for you.
· It is not something that is left “up in the air” as if we wonder how things will turn out in the end.
o It is done.
§ The devil has been defeated. Death has been destroyed. Sin has been slain.
· Jesus has done it.
o He has done it for you.
§ It is done.
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1 comment:
Hi Mike
Wondering if your sermon notes (or part of them)for DO and DONE could
be transformed into one or more small BIble studies. Our circle of women take turns leading short studies when we meet.
Laurie
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