Sixth Sunday after Trinity - July 19, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Sixth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (July 19, 2009)

“United in Newness”

Readings:
Psalm 19
Exodus 20:1-7
Romans 6:1-11
Matthew 5:17-26

Sermon Form Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for is as recorded in the 6th chapter of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans,

Romans 6:1-6 (NIV)

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Everyone who is baptized into Christ, has been and is united with Christ. We are united in His death, and will be united with Him in His resurrection. We hear this word united used a lot in our daily life. Our country belongs to the United Nations. Although it appears difficult at times to determine which countries we are united with or why we would even want to be united with them. We live in the United States where we have some things in common with other states and in some things we have nothing in common at all, yet we are somehow united. Although, if we watch the news we are told that we are really only united with the states that are just like ours. We live in a society which tells us that if people should so desire, and they obtain a blood test, and they pay a fee, they can be united in marriage, but only the money really counts for much of anything. At least that’s what we are lead to believe. Although, not every person, every state, or even every country agrees upon who should be united in marriage. While the people, states, and countries all around us don’t agree what united really means, the inspired words God given to us by Saint Paul in our reading are very clear. “All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death”(v. 3) and because of the glory of God the Father, “Christ was raised from the dead.” (v.4) Although we who are in this world may not be united by many things, those who are baptised are completely united because they have been,

“United with Christ in the Newness of Life”

(I – We are united in our death to sin, vv. 3-4)

At the beginning of this church year we cheerfully united our thoughts and prayers and focused them upon the newness of life of a young Christ child. That child Jesus Christ who was and IS God wrapped in swaddling cloths, found lying in an animal’s feedbox. In the season leading up to Lent we gathered around the manifestation of God who is Jesus and was born into this world. Jesus, grew “in wisdom and stature.”(Luke 2:52) This man Jesus is King David’s Lord and greater Son and sits on David’s throne forever and He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who holds our humanity perfectly before God the Father. And this was the same Jesus Christ who instructed the apostle’s to “baptize and teach.” (Mt. 28:18-20) Now Saint Paul asks us, “don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”(v. 3)

How does this happen? “Baptized into death, and buried through baptism.” Last Sunday we baptized a baby, Vallorie Wallace, on Friday we baptized Genevieve Johnson. And yesterday Genevieve was married here to Kurt Kimmerly. And when we gathered around the baptismal font Friday night our ears heard the spoken Word of God and our eyes saw but a splash of water. But, I would venture to guess at the very moment of baptism, that virtually no one is thinking of crosses and crucifixions, death, dying, and burial. But, you know we really should. We should hear those words spoken in the baptismal liturgy. We should also hear all those words of death and dying. Words like “The hard-hearted Pharaoh and all his host died in the Red Sea.” And the words referring to Noah and his family who were saved in the flood, “eight souls in all.”(LSB Holy Baptism, p. 6) We should remind ourselves that if only the eight in Noah’s family were saved from the flood, that everybody else in the entire world died. And maybe we should also remember that because of the disobedience of Adam all who live will die. We are indeed united to Adam’s sin. Because, his sin is our sin and sin causes our death. It sounds a bit confusing, some live, some die, everyone dies, yet all who are baptized live forever. And you know what is even more confusing? All those statements are true at the same time.

Luther said, “this whole life is nothing else than a spiritual baptism which does not cease till death, and he who is baptized is condemned to die.”(LW 35:30) All who are baptized are, “condemned to die.” Because all who are baptized put on the second Adam, Jesus Christ who buries our sin and puts sin to death. It is Christ who, “sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin.”(LSB) In Baptism we are united with Christ, and we are put to death with Him. And just as Jesus could not be held by the grave, we too are raised with Him from the dead. He raises us from the darkness of sin and death, “through the glory of the Father, so that we too may live a new life.”(v. 4)

(II – We are united by being made alive to God through Christ, vv. 5-6)

In Holy Baptism we have died to sin and in baptism we are all united by being made alive to God through Christ. And we ask, “How does all this happen?” We are told that it happened when our old sin infested nature was made alive, when our old self was crucified with Christ. Dead yet alive, it makes no sense. If we had the lack of sense to pinch a corpse, it would not move away, nor would it respond. And so how are we to understand that pinch of water which we receive in baptism? We know that our daily desire to sin does not move away, and neither do we respond. Shouldn’t it be true, if baptism crucifies sin then, that which is crucified should remain dead? The answer is yes. But it was Jesus Christ who was crucified, He was nailed to a cross. And there on the cross Jesus Christ died with all our sin. Jesus Christ was dead and because of Him our sin is also dead. Yet on the third day Jesus Christ’s body rose from the dead, and our, “body of sin was done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”(v. 6) In baptism, we are united with Christ’s, “death and we are united with His resurrection.”(v. 5) In baptism Jesus Christ washes us with the “water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word.”(SC)

In the baptism last week the child Vallorie Wallace was united with Christ. In the baptism on Friday Genevieve was united to Christ. In the Wedding yesterday Genevieve and Kurt were united with each other, yet in their baptism they were already united in Christ. And all of you are united with Christ too, when you were baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And there in baptism we are united in the newness of Jesus’ life as He speaks these words to you, “The almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has given you the new birth of water and of the Spirit and has forgiven you all your sin and He will strengthen you with His grace to life everlasting.”(LSB Agenda, p. 16) And that is indeed a newness of life which will last forever and evermore. Amen.

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. AMEN
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