Sermons that Changed History

That is the title of a sermon series that I think I would like to do someday. It would be fairly easy in the sense that all I would have to do is preach what someone else has prepared. Of course, I would like to agree with certain portions and disagree with other portions, and I would probably add to and take away from those sermons in order to do that. The first one that I would like to do is Martin Luther’s On Christian Liberty. In that sermon he works from the idea that all Christians are Kings and Priests. As Kings, we possess all things, and all things are forced to work towards our good. There is no thing that can cause us harm in the eternal scope of life. Luther thinks that the ability to view every situation as building the faith of the Christian to trust in Christ more is the quality that will cause all things to work together for good. If salvation is through faith alone and all things increase the Christian’s faith, then certainly all things facilitate the expression of God’s salvation to the Christian.

I think that I would expand this sermon around the idea of the Fatherhood of God and the adopted sonship of believers. It is through the Father’s adoption of us that we can not only possess all things but we also discover the value and acceptance of our own life. In the scripture, we not only see that God’s salvation is being expressed through our circumstances as Luther’s Kingship has shown, but we are also viewed as having already been saved. In Ephesians 2:5, the verb for “saved” really means “have been saved” (perfect tense). The implication is that we have been saved in the past, and we presently live under the consequences or results of that salvation. The resolution of that salvation is absolute acceptance from God and freedom from bondage now. Oh, what a difference it would make if we lived in this revelation constantly. I am not the only person who would be healthier for lack of stress, for example. Much of our stress is caused by the tension that incomplete or unfulfilled needs and desires have on us, but, in Christ, our needs are resolved. Our salvation is complete. I think that it is only from this ground of completion that we can successfully live into our progressive Kingship, causing all things to work toward our salvation.

Luther moves on to discuss the Priesthood of all believers, and he underscores the fact that each of us takes part in bringing God’s salvation to the world around us. He makes clear that it is our Priesthood that allows (and even demands) us to serve humanity. Since God has chosen us to be Priests, we must bring His Word of grace and salvation to men and women wherever we are. This is one of the greatest reasons that we have been saved (besides loving God) which is why we are told that we are saved unto good works. Luther is quick to point out that works have nothing to do with our salvation or justification, but since we are saved, we can do good works out of a heart of thanksgiving and joy. The greatness of our Priesthood is found in our Kingship. Because we are Kings and cause all things to serve our faith and salvation, we bring the power of all things to bear in service. There is no act as a servant and priest that we cannot accomplish because we are the children of God who have had His gifts lavished upon us. In our priesthood, we give our entire kingly inheritance and all of our life for others. This is the imitation of Christ who has given up His own life as the King of Kings in order to become our High Priest and make atonement for our sins.

In any case, I think that fleshing out some of the “Greats” such as Luther’s On Christian Liberty would be pretty exciting, and it would connect the current church with the faith and movement of God throughout history in ways that would be difficult to replicate otherwise.

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