Reformation Romans 3:19-28

And now, separate from Law, a justice of God is revealed still, witnessed by the Torah and the Prophets, and a righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ, into all the ones believing. For there is no difference, for all miss the mark and lack the reflected-glory of God, being made righteous–a gift in His grace through the ransoming–the one in Christ Jesus; Whom God placed before–an appeasement through faith in His blood, into a sign-of-proof of His righteousness, through the letting go of sins unpunished which were done before; in the holding back of God, to the sign-of-proof of His righteousness in the now-season, into Him being righteous, and making righteous the one having the faith of Jesus. Where then, the bragging? Excluded. Through what Law? Of the works? No, but through a law of faith. Therefore, we calculate a man to be made righteous in faith, separate from works of Law.

The central question of the Reformation was that of orthodox teaching. Was the Roman church of Luther's day teaching truth, or did the bible teach the truth? This was, and remains the critical question for evaluating any church or preacher. For teaching must be "orthodox" which means quite literally "giving God the proper glory". So Martin Luther posted his 95 theses in hopes of debating what church practices gave Jesus the right glory. His main question was about selling "indulgences".

The question may have begun about whether forgiveness and complete pardon for sins was for sale, but it soon became a matter of whether man could do a single thing to earn, merit, or make himself worthy of God's grace. Did you have to strive and struggle to be righteous first to find God's favor, or was God already gracious to you because of Jesus? From his extensive study of God's Word, Luther learned that the righteousness of God was a free gift, which came to a believer by faith alone.

Now, this Reformation mantra, "Faith alone" is not found in today's text, although it is implied, as it is a faith which is apart from works. In Luther's German translation of this text, he inserts a technical old German term for "alone" to make it clear to those speaking that language that man is righteous "alone, by faith". No works of law obedience are required for you to be righteous in God's sight! It is a gift!

But your old Adam in your flesh doesn't want to believe it. Salvation must be earned! It is so valuable that it must cost dearly! It seems to you, at times, to cheapen the whole process if redemption comes to you freely, by faith, and even that faith is a gift and working of God in you. You want to show yourself to be deserving of such a blessing. So you strive, struggle and strain, and then boast about it to others.

But bragging is excluded. What? There's no commandment against it! But it is excluded just the same. For there is no one who deserves to be saved. You have all sinned like Adam and Eve, and you all have lost that image of God which once reflected His glory. You are all in the same boat. You could boast, "look at me, I'm a good Christian" but you'd be lying, and everyone knows it. No, all bragging is excluded by the law of faith. God made you a believer and gifted you with His righteousness freely.

This is seen clearly at your baptism. You were conceived and born a sinner, in need of much help. So God washed your sins from you that day, but He didn't leave your heart empty. Your sins were deposited on Jesus at the cross where He died your death there. Yet Jesus' Own holy goodness He gave up for you at Calvary--His righteousness given to you as a free gift to make you worthy of eternal life! Your baptism is a sign of the proof of God's righteousness, through Christ Jesus your Savior.

This comes to you also at the Lord's Supper. Jesus, your "propitiation" is your atoning sacrifice appeasing God's wrath as the sacrificial lambs of old. He passes over the sins you did before as the true Passover Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. He is the mercy seat, covering over the commandments in the ark of the covenant, with His shed blood poured out for your salvation. His body given and His blood shed for you are another sign of the proof of His righteousness for you!

Through word and sacrament, God Himself makes you orthodox, that you too be of the proper glory, just as God Himself is. Your own self-righteous attempts fail to bring you any lasting glory, falling short. But your glorious God–Christ Jesus, gives up His Own holy righteousness at Calvary for you. God's glory is now reflected in you by the righteousness of Jesus, credited to your account by faith! The glory of Christ alone is now your own glory, as the image of God is restored to you in Jesus! This is the orthodox teaching of God, from His Word, for it gives Christ all the glory for your salvation!

Amen

hymns for today from LSB:
#556  Dear Christians One and All Rejoice!
#656   A Mighty Fortress
#555  Salvation Unto Us has Come  all 10 stanzas
#655  Lord Keep Us Steadfast in You Word   stanzas
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Easter 6

And he came, 1 of the angels, the 1 having the 7 bowls, the 1 full of the 7 plagues of the end, and he spoke with me saying, "Follow, I will show to you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he took me up in the Spirit upon a mountain, great and high, and he showed to me the city, the holy one, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its light like a precious stone, as a stone of crystalline jasper, having a wall, great and high, having 12 gates, and upon the gates 12 angels, and names inscribed which is the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel. From the east, 3 gates, from the north 3 gates, from the south 3 gates, and from the west 3 gates. And the wall of the city having 12 foundations, and upon them 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. And the 12 gates–12 pearls; again each one of the gates was out of one pearl; and the street of the city purified gold as clear glass. And a sanctuary I did not see in it, for the Lord, the God of all might is its sanctuary, and the Lamb. And the city has no necessity for the sun nor the moon in order to shine upon it, for the glory of God enlightens it, and its lamp–the Lamb. And the nations will walk through its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it...  

Honestly, most of us didn't *love* math class. But there was some arithmetic we all needed to get by in this life to budget, pay our bills, and not get ripped off. There's also some bible mathematics which you need to comprehend God's word. Some of you, from bible classes here or elsewhere understand God's math. Others ought to have learned this already. So for the sake of all, bible math class begins:

We start with the number three. Even without any training, you could guess that #3 is God's number. We call on Father, Son and Holy Spirit each and every Sunday to be with us in worship. With the angels we sing three "holies" to God, and receive a three-fold blessing from the Lord at the closing benediction. God is a three. He is a Trinity. He even blesses us with three means of grace in the Divine Service, salvation from Baptism, forgiveness from Communion, and eternal life proclaimed in Jesus' gospel from His cross.

But there's another problematic number. The #4. Like the four directions of the compass, the #4 is the number of this world. It is a sinful world in which you live. It has been corrupted to its core by the fall of Adam into sin. Planet earth's days are numbered, and it will one day be destroyed and replaced. You live within this sin-sick world, tempted daily to follow the deadly ways of the world which could lead to your own destruction. Wherever you look, east, south, north or west, the world's seductions abound.

But you heard good news about this world in Jesus message to His 12 apostles. "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!" This world's wicked ways have been defeated by Jesus, for your sake! The 4-nication of this world Jesus has conquered by the 4-giveness of your sins at the cross. Though the wages of sin in this world is death, Jesus died your death at Calvary, destroying death for you and for this entire world, and rising to new life and new hope 4 you.

So God does a strange mathematical thing. He doesn't subtract the world from Himself, for taking 4 from 3 would leave -1. No, God so loved the world that He sent His only-begotten Son into the world. He didn't just add Himself to the world, but God multiplied His everlasting life in the world through Jesus. So God, # 3, enters the world, # 4, by multiplication. 4x3 equals 12! 12 becomes the number of God's church in this world.12 Old testament tribes of Israel, or 12 New Testament apostles, the number of God's people is 12.

So it is not at all surprising to see the number 12 associated with the bride of Christ which is His church. Whenever God (3) relates to His people in the world (4) the result of His multiplied love in Christ Jesus is always a 12. Even when it comes to entering the pearly gates, you might be surprised to find out that there is not one set of gates to the New Jerusalem, but actually 12 gates. Wherever you live in north, south, east, or west in this world, there is an entrance to paradise prepared for you!

In that day of Christ's coming, there won't be any need to ask Jesus any more questions, for He the  Lamb will be the Lamp which enlightens us all in our New Jerusalem home! He will be our Sanctuary there, the very Holy of Holies of the Temple where the mercy seat of God's love is found! But here and now, as you await that day with all earnestness of hoping, you still have questions, and you have many requests for help from Jesus scattered far from heaven, remaining in this world of tribulation.

But you aren't discouraged, for Jesus overcame the world for you, multiplying His love to you to make you of the 12, by baptizing you into His one, holy, catholic and apostolic church-the New Jerusalem.

Hymns from LSB:

#869   With the Lord Begin Thy Task
#556   Dear Christians One and All Rejoice  (Luther Hymn)  music  stanzas
#474   Alleluia! Jesus is Risen!