Sunday, February 20, 2005

Faith Alone • February 20, 2005

Second Sunday in Lent
Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Once again, we have some wonderful readings today. I love the story of the nighttime rendezvous of Jesus and Nicodemus found in John chapter 3. Jesus, the carpenter, proclaimed prophet and rabbi by the people; Nicodemus, the Pharisee and Jewish Leader. Nicodemus’ risky inquisitiveness gives us a classic conversation of the New Birth, being born again. And of course, that chapter contains that most famous verse:
John 3:16 (NLT) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Our Psalm today, Psalm 121, is a song for ascent to Jerusalem. I find this Psalm as comforting and uplifting as the famed 23rd Psalm (“The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want. . . ”).
Psalm 121 (NLT) A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.

I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never tires and never sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not hurt you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
But I want to focus today on Faith Alone from the readings found in Genesis and Romans.
Genesis 12:1-4a (NLT) Then the Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went with him.

Romans 4:1-5 (NLT) Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from God's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous."
When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.
The story of Abraham begins when God first speaks to him at age 75. The Scriptures that reference this time often mention “the law,” which in Abraham’s day, meant the 282 laws of the Code of Hammurabi that governed standards of conduct and behavior. Most of the laws pertained to reasons you might be put to death, matters of conducting business, and slavery (lost slaves, stolen slaves, etc.). I like this one: “Number 53: If any one be too lazy to keep his dam in proper condition, and does not so keep it; if then the dam break and all the fields be flooded, then shall he in whose dam the break occurred be sold for money, and the money shall replace the corn which he has caused to be ruined.”

Anyway, the scripture says of Abraham that he believed God, and it was this simple act of faith which was "credited" to him as righteousness. Paul refers to this in our reading from Romans, arguing that Abraham was justified by faith apart from works of the law. The promised blessing of an eternal kingdom made to Abraham was not given because of his obedience to the law, but rather because of the gift of right standing that was freely his through the instrument of faith. As Paul stated, “people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.”

In Romans Chapter 4, Paul makes two points: First, Abraham was saved by faith and not works of the law (this from our reading in verses 1-5). Second, the covenantal promise of an eternal Kingdom made to Abraham and his descendents never depended upon obedience to the law, but rather rested on a gift of righteousness obtained through the instrument of faith (you find this further into the chapter, in verses 13-17). Everyone who follows the example of Abraham and puts their trust in God, finds that their faith is credited to them as righteousness. God therefore justifies them, declares them right and worthy in his sight. As worthy sons they inherit the Kingdom promised long ago to Abraham, they inherit eternity. They inherit it as a gift of grace acquired only through faith.

Paul was writing to two ethnic groups in the Roman church: Gentiles and Jews. Both groups had reason to boast. The Gentiles had Rome, a great empire that dominated the known world. The Jews were God's chosen people, with Abraham as their ancestor. Both Jew and Gentile alike sought God's blessing based on the law. So who deserved God's attention? And why?

One problem with seeking to obey the law, doing good works, Paul points out, is that this effort substitutes for faith. Seeking to keep the law is like working for wages. You get what you earn, what you deserve. If we are justified by works, then we have something to boast about, and no longer have any need to trust in God, or even to call on God. Too often we may forget that the things that make us righteous before the world, give us nothing to boast about before God. This, then, is the eternal problem – good deeds, all that we do, give us nothing to boast before the Lord.

Fortunately, we have an eternal solution: Christ died for us. Christ took our sins upon himself and took it with him to the grave. In the resurrection, Christ gaves us new life in him. For Jesus "was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25). As a result, we now share in the promise given to Abraham, we are reckoned as righteous, not because we deserve it, but freely given to us by our faith. For us that means that sin no longer rules over us because God considers us righteous and God's opinion is the only one that matters. Being declared righteous we are free from the law.

Charles Wesley sums up the teaching of this passage from Paul's letter to the Romans when he says: "Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, and looks to that alone". Faith alone is the instrument through which we appropriate the grace of God. No other instrument assists it. Righteous living, godly living, faithful living – all are worthy in themselves and expected of the Christian walk, but they play no part in appropriating God's grace. Our standing in the Kingdom of God is through faith apart from our good works. We see the promise of eternity and by resting on it we are given it.

How does "faith alone" apply to us in our Christian lives? Well, those of us here do good things for others, good things for the church. Whether it is helping out with the Turkey Supper, serving on a committee, working with scouts, giving of our time and tithe – all these and so much more are good Christian acts. But they do not make us righteous, they give us nothing to boast about, and they do not grant us everlasting life (“get us into heaven”). So do we stop doing these things? Of course not. But all that we do, if done with a heavy heart, a hard heart, done without committing head, hands and heart to God, done in the absence of faith, is meaningless in the eyes of God. Faith alone justifies us.

Faith alone?! That scares even me. I question God, I have doubts, and I am not perfect – not a perfect person, not a perfect Christian. I guess that leaves me out, maybe you too, right? Thankfully, the answer to that is “wrong!” I believe that so long as you have faith in God, believe that He has a plan for your life, you are free to question Him, even get angry with Him. Job was a perfect example of this. But there are things that you can do to strengthen your faith. By now, these should be familiar to you: prayer, study the scriptures, and participate in worship.

So go forth and practice good Christian habits. And May the Faith be with You!

Michael R. Martin – February 20, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

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