1ST SUNDAY IN ADVENT (2)
Text: Romans 13, 11-14
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Oh gracious God, you have mercifully permitted us to begin another new church year; with prayers and supplications we turn first of all to you, O Fount of all blessing and salvation. Yet for what shall we ask today, because you say in your Word, "Open thy mouth wide, and 1 will fill it?" Ps 81,10b. What grace shall we ask of you, who are always ready to hear our prayers and give us what we desire? -- Lord, there is one thing which we ask of you: As you have given us your holy Word and Sacraments in their truth and purity in the past, preserve unto us these greatest gifts of your love in the new year as well use them to keep your believers in your grace and entice those among us who are on error's path to return; and if in the new church year you take someone from the church militant, let your Word be their light in the dark valley of death; receive them in that invisible temple where your perfected saints sing songs of triumph in your presence forever. Hear us for the sake of Jesus Christ your dear Son, our Savior. Amen.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus.
Today, the first day of the new church year, dawns again as a time of great joy for us Christians; it is the beautiful, glorious Advent season. Indeed, in these weeks Christians, as it were, once again go back in spirit to the time of the Old Testament, the period before Christ; the Advent season contains only the most beautiful aspect of the Old Testament, the time of rich promises and sweet yearnings and hope. Ahead of the believers of the Old Covenant lay the time of Christ's coming into the world with all its glory; in the weeks before us lies the holy gracious Christmas season; even now we feast our eyes on the dawn of Christmas. Nothing else buoys the Christian's spirit more. He is like the seafarer who is still on the tossing waves but in the hazy distance he can see the shores of that long-awaited land.
As the heart of the child, who has been separated a long time from his father, beats for joy, even though he does not see him but only hears his voice and says, "He's coming! he's coming!" -- in like manner the Christian's heart beats when in the advent season Christ's gracious advent, his coming into the world, is again told him. As our children even now are thinking of Christmas gifts with trembling anticipation, so Christians these days think with great joy about the joyful message of the heavenly hosts on the fields of Bethlehem and
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of the glance which their faith casts upon the lovely Child Jesus in the manger.
But are not Christians just imagining their Advent joy? -- Definitely not! How does the Advent announcement of all times read? We find it in Zechariah's prophecy, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation." Zech 9,9.
What does that mean? Simply this: All of you who believe in Christ, you child r en of the true Zion, you children of spiritual Jerusalem, be happy and of good cheer, rejoice and shout for joy; see, through his Word and Sacrament Christ is always coming to you, and that means in the new year as well; not as a Hoses to preach the gloomy Law to you and tell you what difficult works God de
mands of you, not as a Hoses to pronounce upon you his threats and wrath and hell because of your transgressions of God's divine Law. No, Christ is always, and in the new year as well, coming to you as your King; and what sort of a King? -- as a just King, a King who helps.
That contains inexpressible comfort. Bear in mind, my dear believers, if a king deals justly his whole nation is then justified. Since Christ is a just King, he in the name of his people deals justly and thus justifies his whole nation; and since he is a King who helps, he helps his subjects from all their misery. If you Christians must confess today that you are still sinners and unable to stand before God in your own righteousness, then do not be worried any longer; you are not to come to God in your own righteousness but trusting in the righteousness of your King of Grace. Or, if you perceive that you can not help yourselves out of your sins and danger, do not despair; you are not to help yourselves; Christ wants to be your Helper from all your sins, from all your perils, in all your needs, and though your last hour may come today or tomorrow, this year or the next, he wants to help you cross into that other kingdom which he founded and adorned for his believers on the other side of the grave.
Oh, what blessed people Christians are! How joyfully they can begin every new year ! What rest and security they enjoy! Their former sins are forgiven, their present state is a state of grace, and as far as the future is concerned they see nothing but new grace and help and at the end of their journey and open heaven, salvation, and blessednes s!
Nevertheless, couldn't this doctrine be dangerous and harmful? couldn't it make Christians carnally secure and careless, indifferent and indolent in the battle against sin? Oh no, my dear friends; no one has more urgent reasons to arise from the sleep of sin and walk in a new, holy, divine life than the Christian. The apostle presents that to the Christians at Rome in our today's epistle. Let us hear what he has to say.
Quote the text here: Romans 13, 11-14.
In the verses preceding our text the Apostle Paul most earnestly admonished the Christians at Rome to live the Christian life. In our text he summarizes very briefly his admonition and shows that especially those who had become Christians had cogent reasons to leave all ungodliness and live a new, holy, and divine life. On the basis of our today's epistle permit me to speak to you on
HOW URGENT THE REASONS FOR CHRISTIANS TO AWAKEN FROM THE SLEEP OF SIN
The reasons are three in number.
1. The Right Time to Awaken from the Sleep of Sin is when One Becomes a Christian;
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2. Their Salvation is Constantly Drawing Nearer and it Would be Frightful if They Should Lose It; and finally,
3. Christians no Longer Walk in Darkness but in the True Light.
I.
Many are suspicious of the Gospel teaching that God wants to save men alone by grace through faith in Christ without the merit of good works on their part. They think that it means that a Christian need not earnestly fight against sin and follow after sanctification. This, however, is a great, deceptive error. In our today's epistle the Apostle Paul shows us the very opposite. He really tells us that the Christian has the most urgent reasons to awaken from the sleep of sin; the first of these reasons he indicates in the words, " And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when be believed." V. 11. What does the apostle wish to tell the Christians at Rome? Undoubtedly this, that the time to awaken from the sleep of sin has come because they have become Christians.
A n d so it is. In the spiritual realm things are the same as in the physical. As long as a person is still asleep, he can not get up from sleep and walk about and be busy. First of all, the person must be awakened from sleep; after that the time has come for him to leave his bed and get busy. Then first the person is able to work. As we said, so it is also in spiritual things.
By nature we men lie in the spiritual sleep of death; we all rest upon the soft pillow of our pet sins and our soul is captured by carnal security as though by a deep sleep. By nature we live in this world as though in a dream and chase the illusions and empty shadows of the goods, joys, and honor of this world. Although an unconverted person is told, You must leave sin and the world; you must go the narrow way, you must follow after sanctification, he does not understand at all what is said to him; still less does he have the power to get up and begin that new life which God demands. If this is to take place, the person must first awaken from his sleep of sin; he must become spiritually awake.
The moment a person has come to a living faith in Christ, that has taken place; he is then spiritually awake; God's Word like a loud voice from heaven has entered the ear of his spirit and chased away the spiritual sleep of his soul; it has not only caused his spirit to soar but it has: also given him another heart; it has filled him with a hatred and horror of sin and with love to God, his commands, and all good. He has become a dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit.
To anyone of us who does not have this awakened living faith all this sounds like strange, peculiar things. But those of us who can say from their hearts: I know in whom I believe, will say a yea and amen to all this and
declare, Yes, we have truly discovered that. Ever since we have come to faith in Christ, we are different persons; we have become spiritually awake and we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
N o w I ask them, Why has God awakened you from sleep? It is plain,not that you can fall asleep again, but that you can get up. Why has God filled you with hatred of sin and the power to resist it? Clearly, not that you should remain in sin but conquer it. Why has God poured love ! toward him into your souls? Clearly not that you should despise him as the world does but walk in his love.
After you are told, "Awake thou that sleepest," and after this word
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like God's thunder has ended your natural sleep of security, the second call then concerns you, "And arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph 5, 14. Who should carry on the war against sin and serve the great God if you awakened Christians do not? The world sleeping in sin will not. You, you Christians are the ones of whom God demands it, of whom he expects it, for you he was equipped with the ability and skill to do it. If you do not do it, you deny Christ and his power; you deny that you are Christians; you deny your faith. Before you became Christians you could have said, How can I leave sin? I am its slave and prisoner! How can 1 serve God? I am his enemy! But now that God has shown mercy to you, awakened and renewed you, you have no more excuses. Arise, therefore, arise you Christians, arise from the sleep of sin; you have urgent reasons to arise; now, now is the right time for you to do that.
II.
There is yet another reason. The apostle adds in our text, " For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." V. 11 b. He mentions the second urgent reason why Christians should arise from the sleep of sin; salvation is continually drawing closer to the Christian.
As soon as one becomes a Christian, he sets foot on the way to heaven. This was is a narrow way; it has many obstacles and whoever traverses this way has much trouble. He must battle against sin in him and against the temptations of the world outside of him. He must deny much that his flesh and blood love. Not only must he refuse to run after the joys, goods, and honor of the world, he must also let himself be despised, mocked, and persecuted by the world.
If Christians have done that for a time, they often think: Must it always go on like that? Should the children of the world be able to live on unconcerned while we always have to wrestle with sin and the world? Should they enjoy all the good things of this world while we must always deny ourselves all that and look on? Should they have such an easy time of it in this life, while we must always carry the burden and heat of this life? Should they always become richer and richer, while we remain poor? Should they always be gay, happy, and of good cheer, while we sorrow, lament, and sigh? Should they always be honored, while we are insulted and despised? Should they always mock and rule over us, while we are their servants? Will the time of our promised salvation never come?
That is what many Christians at Rome may have thought and even said. That is why Paul says to them in our text, " Our salvation is nearer than when we believed." With these words the apostle gives not only all Christians at Rome but all Christians of all times and places an urgent reason, why they should arise from the sleep of sin, walk in a new life, and not become tired.
Christians must bear in mind that after they have been Christians for a time and may not have completely reached their " salvation ", they nevertheless are " closer " to it. If one has been a Christian for only one day, even then he has drawn much nearer to his salvation; if a person has remained a Christian for a year, a great distance on the road to heaven lies behind him; if a person has been a Christian for perhaps ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years, there can be no doubt that the gates of heaven are open; he has already climbed the most and the steepest of mountains, fought the hottest battles, and endured the severest sufferings as a Christian. The crown of life and palm of victory are already beckoning to him; he need but go only a few steps to arrive at his goal, receive the reward of grace, rest, and see with joy what he believed and for what he hoped, and enjoy it forever and ever.
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Does not this contain an urgent summons for Christians not to return to sin and the world but to fight on courageously? Is not the salvation promised Christians worth continuing to the end until one has and enjoys it,seeing as how he has already pursued it and drawn closer to it? And on the other hand would it not be terrible to stand, as it were, at the very door of heaven and yet not be allowed to enter because one at the very end left the way of salvation?
You who are Christians and have already gone part of the way to heaven, be warned! Do not let your heart, the world, and Satan make you tired! Your salvation is much nearer than at the time when you began to believe. Your faithfulness to the present hour, be it a longer or a shorter time, is not in vain; you have already earned much; you have already gained glorious victories; inexpressibly great things are even now reserved in heaven for you; oh, therefore do not become tired of your warfare and in the end lose what you have worked so hard for. Continue to walk in the narrow way, resist sin, deny the world, and let your light shine before the people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Use the new church year for that very purpose. Perhaps you may have to take but a few steps, fight only a few more battles, endure only a little more suffering, a few more temptations. You should be faithful until, not thereafter. If you depart in peace, you will not hear, "Be thou faithful!" but, "Receive the reward of your faithfulness!" The battle is then ended; the gates of suffering are then closed; your sighs are then stilled; your tears dried; and all your yearnings and all your most daring wishes granted. You will not anxiously cry out, "Lord, have mercy!" but throughout all the heavens you will only shout joyful hallelujahs forever and ever.
III.
The Christian has one more urgent reason for rising from the sleep of sin. It is because he no longer walks in darkness but has come to the true light; the apostle writes in our text, " The night is far spent, the day is at hand." V. 12a.
That most remain in their sins and seek their heaven on the earth and its glory is no wonder, for most lie in spiritual darkness. But alas! This is true not only of the poor blind heathen but even of most baptized, so-called Christians. In the first place, most do not know what a terrible thing sin is; they do not understand that every sin, and though it were apparently ever so small, merits eternal damnation. In the second place, most do not know how blessed those are who cling alone to God, have his grace, and are in the most intimate communion with him. As little as those are ashamed if they are concealed by darkness even if they wear the most tattered clothing, so little do they whose hearts are still filled with spiritual darkness shrink from sin.
It is different with Christians. Of them it is said, " The night is far spent, the day is at hand." That natural darkness has left the Christian's heart and the day of saving knowledge has dawned. Christ himself has risen in their hearts as the bright Morning Star. In the first place, Christians know what sin is and what it means. When they turned to Christ, they came to know that sin is a frightful insult to God; not only was their conscience aroused because of their sins; not only did their sins prepare the terrors of hell for them and lead them to the brink of despair. Christians have also perceived that sin separates one from God and arouses his anger, that no one can stone for his sins himself, that because of sin God's very own Son had to die on the cross. By experience Christians have also learned to perceive that the whole world with all its glory can make no one happy, give him no peace or rest, or comfort him
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in affliction; that God’s grace and fellowship alone is man’s highest good.
Does not also this give Christians an urgent reason for rising from the · sleep of sin and walking in a new life? Certainly ! When the night is past and the day has come, no one can remain clothed in his sleeping apparel but dresses in his work-a-day clothes; neither can a Christian in whose heart the night gone and the day has dawned continue to wear the nightdress of sin; he will most certainly don the dress of good works and the Christian life. That is why the apostle adds, " Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." Vv. 12.13. The apostle means to say: You Christians, bear in mind that these sins are the night dress which the children of darkness wear; take them off, for as far as you are concerned the night is passed.
The apostle concludes by saying, " But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." 14. The apostle means to say: Do you Christians, you children of light, want to know what dress you must wear? It is Jesus Christ himself. You must become so like Christ that one can see Christ on your souls just as we see the clothing on your body. Of course, you dare not forget that you are still on earth; you should not desire to go about in the spirituality and holiness of the angels; no, you should not make provision for the flesh to gratify its lusts; you should not cherish it nor fulfil its desires, so that you will be incited to lust rather than to crucify your flesh with its loves and desires.
Well then, all of you who wish to be Christians, do not forget these things this whole new church-year; 1st, never forget that the hour has come to awaken from sleep; secondly, never forget that your salvation is constantly drawing nearer; thirdly never forget that the night is gone and the day has come. Then you will not become secure, always bear our souls in our hands, and finally through Jesus' grace reach your beautiful goal.
But you, who have not even once awakened from the sleep of sin, in spite of the fact that God has so many times in the past year called to you through his servants, "Awake thou that sleepest!" — oh bear in mind that if even those Christians who are awakened from the sleep of sin will be lost, if they do not also wish to rise from this sleep, what can you expect if you do not even once awaken from sleep but wish to sleep peacefully on in your sins even in the new church-year? "If," says St. Peter, "the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 1 Pet 4,18. I therefore ask you: Has not many a sermon stirred you a little bit from your sleep of sin? Have you not at times experienced what Felix the governor did when he hear Paul’s sermon, "Felix trembled"? Acts 24,25. Have not God's Word which you heard often been as though glowing sparks which burned in your soul and conscience? But what did you do every time? -- You tried to extinguish these sparks as quickly as possible. Oh, you pitiable soul! Don't you know that if you continue thus you are constantly drawing closer to the greater danger of the judgment of obduracy?
But I want you to know that today a new church-year begins; in spite of your previous malicious resistance, God 1 s grace has once again come to you. Awake, thou sleeper, awake! The hour is here to awaken out of sleep. Open, oh open your eyes; yes, you will in terror see the host and the greatness of your sins, but you will also see your Savior, who has bom all your many and great sins, and who once again today want to admit even you to his grace as his lost but found son and daughter and bring you on the way to eternal salvation.
Oh, Lord Jesus, so bless the preaching of your Word today, that all
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of us who are still sleeping may awaken from sleep, that all already awake may joyfully arise, put you on, and walk in your light until they shall have reached their goal, the salvation of their souls. Help us do that alone for your own sake. Amen.