ENDURANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

Romans 15:4 + Advent 2 (A) + 9 December 2007

             There is a terrible sinner here.  This sinner is a coveter, an adulterer, a liar, a thief, a murderer, and an idolater.  I am ready to name this person here and now.  The person’s name is….

            But before I name this person, let me give you some details, in case you might think this person isn’t so bad as I think. 

            This person saw someone else’s spouse and desired that person. This person had sexual relationship is this other person’s spouse and committed adultery.  This person tried to cover up the adultery by lying, by misleading, by trickery, but it was plain this person stole the affections of the spouse.  This person went on to plot the death of the spouse’s mate to further cover up the affair.  And the idolatry?   Well, whenever someone says by word or action that they will do the opposite of what God has clearly commanded in the Ten Commandments, they have broken the First Commandment, they have made themselves god before God.

            Now I am ready to name this terrible sinner.  The name is…David Jesseson.  He is also known as David, son of Jesse, King of Israel.  He is the man who was asked what should be done to a man who stole a lamb from a poor man’s flock, although he was very wealthy and had plenty of lambs in his flock, but he stole the only lamb this poor man had and served it for dinner to his guests.  David was so enraged by the selfish cruelty of the thief that he prescribed capital punishment.  Then Nathan the prophet said, “You are the man.”  And then suddenly with David looking into the mirror of the Law he saw his great sin of stealing another man’s wife, the great sin of his lies and deceits, his murdering Uriah, the husband, and his idolatry, thinking he could do as he pleased instead of being obedient to God.   His world crashed around him.

            What happened to David?

            He repented.

             How many this morning for a moment wondered if they were going to be named?  How many of us are coveters, adulterers, liars, thieves, murderers, and idolaters?  A couple of weeks ago WGN talk radio was a buzz about a new television show that will start in January on FOX-TV, “The Moment of Truth.”  It will have contestants hooked up to a lie detector and questions will be asked of them.  If the lie detector buzzes, they lose.  The question asked on the internet was, “and why would anyone go on TV if their secret is so horrible that a buzz from the lie detector would make family and friends get mad?”  I doubt if anyone of us would want to participate.  We are all sinners who often try to hide our sins, but God knows them and calls us to repent, not to inflict pain on us, but to bring forgiveness and healing into our life.  If, even for a brief moment wondered if your name was going to be mentioned, you and me need to repent.

             Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Rom 15:4)  Hope is not in getting away with our sins like David hoped no one would find out.  Hope is being forgiven and restored as a child of God.

            David, in repentance, asked God, “Create a clean heart in me, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.”  And God did.  God forgave David on account of his mercy, on account of Christ’s sacrificial death yet to be, because David had faith in God’s promises.  Like Abraham, David, as well as us, are justified by faith through the grace of God’s forgiveness.  Everything in scripture was written to teach us to know God’s forgiveness is certain and it is for me and you. 

            There is a sinner here this morning, it is you and me.  If we hope we can overthrow sin in our life by our efforts and powers, then there is no hope, for we hope in nothing.  If our hope to forgive our sins lies in Christ who died and rose from the dead, then we hope in the sure thing.  In Scripture we see again and again examples of people who were forgiven and restored, who heard the gracious words of Jesus, “Your faith has made you well – your faith has saved you.”   

            Scripture assures and encourages us to endure.  The biggest help we have is the work of the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures.  If God could forgive a reprehensible sinner like David, God can save us.  As saved people we can forgive others.

             In 1896 Governor Stone of Missouri sent a letter of pardon for a condemned prisoner by means of a messenger.  It was night when the messenger left the Governor’s mansion and made his way in Jefferson City to the State Penitentiary.  Along the way he was mugged, stripped of his coat and boots, his wallet was taken and his watch, he was beaten and left for dead.  The only thing not taken was the letter of pardon.  Terribly wounded, almost unable to walk, the messenger fought unconsciousness and struggled to the penitentiary.  He just made it in time to stop the execution.  When he was asked why the heroic effort to deliver the pardon, he said that he was once condemned to be hanged, but was at the last minute pardoned.  He knew what it meant to be forgiven.  Do you know what it means to be forgiven? and to forgive? 

             This Advent is a season for hope.  Turn to the source of endurance and encouragement, the Word of God.  Join us in its study, meditation, and power to forgive and amend our lives through the Gospel.  Amen.

SDG