Author: Pastor Charles Schultz
Text: 1st John 3:1-7
O Holy Spirit, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts so that we may, through the Word proclaimed this day, receive grace, mercy, and peace from our Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, Amen.
Paradox. That word is defined as a self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true. The Christians faith, especially as it was defined by Martin Luther and other reformers, is filled with paradoxically statements. We can see some of these statements alluded to in our text from 1st John 3. This morning we’ll discover the truth concerning ourselves and congregational life through the lens of the paradoxical statement – A Broken Wholeness.
John writes in our text – Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared… (V.2) Here we have that paradox of now and not yet. In baptism we were torn from the kingdom of darkness and made a child of God. We were marked as one redeemed by Christ the Crucified. The water combined with God’s word of promise washed away our sins. The Old Adam in us, our sinful nature, was drowned, and a new man has emerged. This new reality is ours today, but this new reality isn’t permanent. We will be changed, be different in the resurrected life.
John’s only clue for us in revealing what the resurrected life will be like is that we will be like God. (V.2) Martin Luther makes these suggestions:
· Since God is life, then we shall have life.
· Since God is righteous, then we shall be righteous.
· Since God is immortal and blessed, then we shall enjoy everlasting bliss. (The Lutheran Study Bible)
I suggest then that we are a broken wholeness. The life that we are currently living is broken. It includes physical and emotional pain, illness, and disease, and eventually death. And yet the whole and perfect resurrected life is ours today, but it is not yet realized. God has assured us of this life by raising Jesus from the dead, the tomb is empty and one day all of our tombs will be empty as well. One day but not presently. And the challenge of living a broken whole life is that we can lean or focus on one or the other. If we focus on our brokenness we might forget about the whole, resurrected life that is ours. If we focus on our wholeness, we might neglect the life that is ours today. This is a life given to us in which we accomplish the good works that God has prepared for us.
John alludes to another paradox related to our lives in the last verses of our text when he contrasts sin and righteousness. Often Lutheran pastors re-phrase this as being at the same time saint and sinner. Even though that Old Adam has been drowned in us, it still is active in our lives leading us to sin in thought, word, and actions. You and I are sinners. But at the same time, we are saints in the eyes of the Lord. The forgiveness of sins earned at Calvary and received by faith is ours today and every day.
And we can rename this paradox a broken wholeness. We are broken in that we sin often, each and every day. We are whole in that we are forgiven each and every day. In Christ we are made righteousness. Again, the challenge of living a broken whole life is that we can lean or focus on one or the other. Those who focus on the brokenness, on the sin in their lives may live in despair. They may think that their most offensive sins are unforgivable. Think in terms of those on trial at Nuremburg after World War II. They may think that they are too sinful, that their sins are too numerous to be fully forgiven. Martin Luther, in his early days in the monastery, tortured himself emotionally and physically because he tried to remember and confess every sin that he had committed that day. They may think that a specific sin that they continue to do, even though they have diligently tried to turn from it, will eventually become unforgivable. Peter thought that forgiveness had a limit when he asked Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (Matthew 18:21)
And then there are those who focus on their wholeness; on the fact that they are forgiven. They might downplay the seriousness of sin. They might think that it’s perfectly fine to live in the cycle of sinfulness – repentance – forgiveness. This cycle was prominent in the time of the Judges after Israel entered into the Promised Land. Their focus on their wholeness may lead to an arrogant attitude thinking that they are less sinful than others or even neglecting to forgive others. Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant is a good example. This servant owed his master an enormous amount that would be most difficult to pay back, he begged for mercy and the master forgave this enormous debt. But then this servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him the equivalent of four months’ earnings. When this fellow servant begged for mercy, none was forthcoming from the servant who had an enormous debt forgiven. (Matthew 18:23-35)
Because you and I live a life in the paradox of broken wholeness, this paradox often becomes evident in congregational life. Congregations can be broken in that they fail to deal with conflict in terms of Biblical models. Congregations can be broken in that the way that they are managed leads to conflicts and dysfunction. Congregations can be broken in that just a few members wield all the power in decision making. Congregations can be broken when personal opinions and desires become more important than what is best for the entire congregation. Congregations can be broken and dysfunctional in so many other ways, too many ways to share in a short message.
Congregations are whole in that they are the body of Christ with Jesus as the head. Congregations are whole in that the many members each serve a particular role, using their God given talents, so that the congregation functions smoothly. Congregations are whole in that they gather together at the Lord’s Table with the same confession of faith. Congregations are whole in that forgiveness received from the Lord is shared with those who sin against individual members.
The challenge of congregations living in the paradox of broken wholeness is that they can lean or focus on one or the other. There is a serious danger of focusing on brokenness or dysfunction. It can lead to a sense of apathy. It can lead to the idea that this dysfunction is “normal” for congregations. It can lead to
members becoming comfortable with dysfunction. And focusing on wholeness or unity can be just as serious. It can lead to unity for the sake of Christ without properly dealing with conflict. The important steps of confession and repentance and forgiveness and reconciliation may be neglected in a rush to get to unity. It can lead to a false understanding of the Lord’s Supper. The eating and drinking don’t create unity but rather the unity that is already present in the congregation and among the members is confessed and celebrated in the eating and drinking.
Paradox. These self-contradictory statements or propositions are found throughout our theology, throughout our understanding of the faith. How do we deal with them? How do we manage them, both as individuals and as a congregation? By keeping them in tension. By trying to stay in the middle of both extremes. We live in the now but not yet. We are children of God now while also looking forward to resurrection life. God has given us purpose for this life as we are His hands and feet to bring mercy and grace to others and at the same time God has given us the sure hope of eternal life. We live simultaneously as saint and sinner. We are indeed forgiven children of God and yet we don’t take that forgiveness for granted, we receive it as a free gift with the knowledge of what the Suffering Servant Jesus did so that we could receive it. We are indeed sinners and yet we know that God’s grace is sufficient to cover the multitude and magnitude of all of our sins. We are a broken wholeness and that leads to a broken wholeness in our congregation. May God grant that we don’t become comfortable in our brokenness, our dysfunction through conflict, but instead may God grant that we become a truer picture of the body of Christ. And may God grant that our desire for unity never surpass the importance of confession and repentance and forgiveness and reconciliation. Amen.
Author: Pastor Charles Schultz
Text: 1st John 1:1-2:2
O Holy Spirit, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts so that we may, through the Word proclaimed this day, receive grace, mercy, and peace from our Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, Amen.
We have as our text for this message this morning a little more than the opening chapter of John’s first letter. These dozen verses are densely filled with many theological teachings. There are many possible sermon themes in these verses including Jesus’ cleansing us from our sins, the contrast of light and darkness, and the seriousness of sin. When I preached on this text nine years ago, I focused on our human senses as John did in the opening verse of this letter. Certainly, all of these themes would be appropriate for our message this morning, but I chose to focus elsewhere.
Koinonia is the Greek word that is translated “fellowship” in our text. The word is used four times in our text and each time it is connected with something different. I chose to focus on koinonia as it seems that American Christianity has lost the true meaning of “fellowship”. I think the same could be said for our Synod at all levels and even our own congregation. Before we dig into the four uses of koinonia in our text, I think that it’s appropriate that we start with a definition. That word can mean an association involving close mutual relations and involvement. (Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament) It can also mean a sharing or participation in something. (Dictionary of Biblical Languages)
The first use of this word occurs in verse three where John desires that the reader have fellowship with us, us is a referent to the Apostles. (The Lutheran Study Bible) John desires that we share in what he was proclaiming. First what the Apostles heard, namely the preaching of Jesus but also the words that healed the sick, casted out demons, raised the dead and brought about other miracles. Second, what they had seen with their eyes. For example, water turned to wine, five loaves and two fish feeding thousands, Lazarus raised from the dead, and Jesus’ hands and side post-resurrection. Third, that which they had touched with their own hands. Presumably, their hands touched the flesh of the risen Lord. The culmination of these things, the crux of these things that Johns desires that we share in, is eternal life which is ours because of what the Father and Son have done.
The second use of koinonia is also in verse three – and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. “Our” could refer to the Apostles as we can easily see their mutual involvement in and with Jesus. They followed Jesus for three years and in those years they shared in His ministry, shared His food, drank of the same water, slept in the same places, etc. And John, in his Gospel teaches that Jesus and the Father are connected. Jesus twice says in chapter 14, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me”. In John 10 Jesus says, “I and the Father are one”. Therefore, if they had fellowship with Jesus, they also had fellowship with the Father.
The “our” in this verse can also refer to all believers. If, in the words before, we are connected to the Apostles then the “our” can refer to them and us. But you might be wondering, how can we have the same mutual involvement in and with Jesus as the Apostles did? We can’t have the same experiences with Jesus as they did but Jesus’ promise to them is also His promise to us – “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) In a more concrete way we share with Jesus in His Supper. In the blessed Sacrament we receive His very body and blood. His flesh and blood are mingled with our own thus we have a very intimate koinonia with Jesus and, by His words, with the Father as well.
The third use of koinonia is in verse six – If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. In essence what John is saying here is that one cannot truthfully say or confess a koinonia with God and at the same time live a life of sin and unrepentance. Dr. Charles Arand of Concordia Seminary wrote over twenty-five years ago about the loss of our awareness of sin. The loss of our awareness of sin is becoming increasingly recognized today…Millard Erickson noted in his book, “The Future of Theology”, that when he looked at the Maranatha! Songbook he found only seven references to sin or guilt or wrath among the some 180 songs…The loss of an awareness of sin accompanies a corresponding loss of any sense of God’s wrath. But apart from his wrath, his love becomes little more than a benign benevolence or apathetic tolerance. (Concordia Journal/January 1997)
Fast forward to our day and we continue to see this happening in American Christianity. Turn on any contemporary Christian station and listen to the songs. Listen to how often you hear about sin or guilt or wrath! I can assure you that you’ll be listening for a long time before you hear such things. A similar thing can be said for most non-denominational churches. You won’t likely hear about sin or guilt or wrath in their messages. I can still remember my son telling me about his experience at a non-denominational church that he visited while attending Missouri State. He went with a friend on Easter Sunday because he was unable to come home and worship here. He shared how the female pastor in her sermon didn’t mention the cross or the empty tomb or use the word resurrection. No need to talk about the cross and the resurrection if you don’t talk about sin and God’s wrath.
Sadly, similar things are happening in some of the congregations of our own Church body. In an attempt to be open to those seeking a place of worship, they decrease how often they speak of the law, sin, and wrath. I personally look at the preaching of the law and about sin as a reminder of who I truly am. The opening words of the confession in the old “The Lutheran Hymnal” and now in Divine Service 3 in the Lutheran Service Book say it most succinctly, “I, a poor, miserable sinner…” Those words remind me that I have nothing good to bring before my God, only my sinfulness. I am miserable because I stand under God’s wrath and condemnation because of my sinfulness. But in my koinonia with God I receive the forgiveness of my sins, I share in Christ’s righteousness just as He shared in my sinfulness as He bore the sins of the whole world upon His shoulders at the cross.
The last use of koinonia in our text is in verse seven – But if we walk in the light…we have fellowship with one another. The Lutheran Study Bible describes this koinonia as believers having a common share in Christ, in His life, death, resurrection and ascension which brings forgiveness and grace equally and blessedly to each other. There is a sense here of all Christians being the same as we are all sinners. Let me say that again, we are all sinners, sinners who are called to repentance, to turn from our sinfulness, to strive to live in the truth of the light.
The strength of the Church from the very beginning was its koinonia. We heard it in our first reading today from Acts 4. In Acts 2 we hear a similar description of the early Church – 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts… Those early believers were devoted to koinonia with each other in their worship, in their care for each other, and in their gathering together. Devoted! They devoted themselves! The Greek word means to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of despite difficulty. (Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament)
Fast forward to today and the Church is rather different. This congregation is a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The word synod means something like “walking together”. It is very similar in meaning to koinonia. Sadly, we have parts or groups in our synod that are not walking together. We have a Concordia University which is seeking to break free of control from the Synod. We have professors and pastors who are teaching things contrary to our beliefs found in the Book of Concord. It seems as if some simply are not devoted to the Synod, not willing to do the difficult work to discipline in love and bring back those who have gone astray.
And we see a breakdown in koinonia at the local level as well. In the past, circuit churches supported one another. Members attended events at another congregation. Members knew the members of other congregations. There was a sense of koinonia, of close involvement. But in many cases, congregations have become like silos, only concerned with their own congregation, and disassociated from others. Many of the pastors in our circuit are working to break this trend, to bring congregations together, to work together, to support one another.
There’s one last point that I want to make about koinonia before I wrap up this message. That point is the seeming loss of koinonia among the members of this congregation. I know that some of you may be thinking that I’m preaching to the choir, but this is an important message for all of us to hear. Our average worship attendance has dropped significantly in the past few years. There are many factors that account for this. One of the significant factors is diminished regular attendance. This can change by encouraging those in this kind of routine and by showing that we care for them. Some type of contact from one of you is just as important if not more important than contact from me. Along with worship attendance there has also been a decline in attendance at “fellowship” events. Events such as movie nights, game nights, fundraisers and so on. Recall how the early Christians in Acts were devoted to fellowship, maybe we can emulate them and devote ourselves to the fellowship of this congregation.
Koinonia, John desires that we have fellowship with the Apostles as we read and believe their writings. John desires that we have fellowship with Christ Jesus and thereby with our heavenly Father. We do that by being regular in worship and in receiving Holy Communion. John warns us that we cannot have fellowship with our God and walk in darkness. This doesn’t mean that we have to live a perfect life without sin but rather that we recognize our sins, confess our sins, repent of our sins, and joyfully receive the forgiveness of our sins in and through Christ Jesus. Lastly, John desires that we have fellowship with one another. That we come together often for worship and fellowship events. That we share our life in Christ together, bearing each other’s burdens, and offering and receiving forgiveness from each other. May God bless us as we seek to fulfill John’s desires for koinonia in our lives. Amen.
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