Heidelberg not Wittenberg
Matthew 11:12-19
29 October 2017
Don’t tell Synod Headquarters, but today we’re not traveling to Wittenberg to remember the events of October 31, 1517. Instead we’re heading to Heidelberg to hear what Luther said in April of 1518. We’re not going to talk about the 95 theses on the church door, but rather the 40 theses Luther presented to his fellow monks and priests of the Augustinian order. I mean, which would you rather have for a sermon – 95 theses or 40? Actually I’m only going talk about two of those 40, because they are short and memorable, which is probably what you wish my sermons were. More importantly they reflect Luther’s rediscovery of the Gospel, the good news of Christ’s death for sinners — for you. They preach into our ears the distinctive Biblical, hence Lutheran confession of salvation – that we are justified by grace for Christ’s sake through faith. That is our focus not only on this 500th anniversary of the Reformation, but indeed every time we gather as a Lutheran congregation for Divine Service.
We’ll start at thesis 21. Don’t you already feel better? We’re over half done. Thesis 21 A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it actually is.
At Heidelberg Luther began to distinguish the theology of glory (man’s way) from the theology of the cross (God’s way). He made a number of distinctions between these two theologies – the theology of glory looks for God in what can be seen. The theology of the cross looks for God where He is hidden. The theologian of glory looks for God in what is good and pleasing. The theologian of the cross looks for God in suffering and pain and death. The theologian of glory judges God by human standards (personal expectations and achievements.) The theologian of the cross judges God by the cross alone – by Jesus who was sacrificed for the sin of the world.
Here are some statements to test your understanding of what Luther means. Are these theology of glory or theology of the cross?
God will heal you of cancer if you believe. That’s glory.
God will be with you even if you die from cancer. That’s the cross.
When looking for a good church you shouldn’t look. You should listen for sermons in which you hear that Jesus Christ died for sinners and that includes you. That’s cross.
When looking for a good church you should look for a growing congregation and a great youth program. That’s glory.
You will see God at work in your life and know He is there. Glory.
God works in His Word, in Baptism, and in the Lord’s Supper, even if it doesn’t look or feel like He’s working. Cross.
Back to Thesis 21: A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it actually is. When Luther commented on this thesis he made it clear that he was speaking about earning salvation by good works. A theologian of glory will tell you that if you do your best God will do the rest – that if you are good before God He will reward you with good in this life and the next. When a pastor teaches salvation by works he is calling evil good. How can good works be evil? If you try to bring your good works into heaven, if you stand before God with your resume of works and say, “God, here is why you should love me and favor me,” you are telling God the Father that His Son’s death was not good. It was not enough. Jesus wasn’t sufficient. He is calling evil (the works of sinners) good and calling good (the work of Christ) evil.
Luther agreed with Saint Paul when he wrote in Romans 3, “Whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the Law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” If you’re bragging yourself up before God you are doing evil. Keeping your mouth shut is the best thing you can say about yourself. Why? Because only when our mouths are stopped, when we have no hope or confidence in our own flesh are we ready to listen to the good news that we are justified by God’s grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Christ redeemed you. His blood was the propitiation – the price to forgive you your sins and make you righteous in His Father’s eyes. This is what Christ’s cross preaches – God has declared you right with Him. You’re forgiven and favored in Christ. That might not look like much or feel like much. God’s righteousness won’t make you rich or healthy or guarantee you success, but in the end it is ultimate good news – for the cross of Christ saves you from yourself and your sin and demonstrates the eternal favor of God toward you.
On to thesis 26. The law says, “do this” and it is never done. Grace says “believe this” and it is already done. Here is one of Luther’s earliest and clearest expressions of the distinction between the Law and the Gospel. Luther struggled mightily with God’s Law, even in the monastery. He could never do everything God expected of him. His conscience was always accusing him. He got angry at God – why do you expect me to do things I cannot do? Why are you such a merciless judge and harsh master? Martin Luther probably did more good works than anyone at Redeemer and probably fought harder against his sins than any of us. Have you ever fasted for days? Whipped yourself to purge evil desire? Slept on a stone floor without bedding? Luther did. But it was never enough. He knew he was not a good man – even though he was a monk, and a priest, and a doctor of theology. Then one day, in what is called Luther’s tower experience, he was studying God’s Word, likely Romans 1:17 where he read, “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith’” Through those words the Holy Spirit revealed to Luther that righteousness wasn’t his to produce for God, rather God accomplished all righteousness in Jesus and gave it to Martin through faith. When Luther was led to this truth he exclaimed, “I felt now as if the gates of paradise were wide open to me for the first time.” Luther agreed with God’s Word in Romans 3, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
A few years after Wittenberg and Heidelberg Luther would be excommunicated from the church by the Pope, branded a heretic by the Emperor, and live the rest of his life under the threat of death. If you believe what Luther believed (God’s Word) – if you are Lutheran you will probably offend people. That’s OK. Jesus was offensive. He chided the people of his day with that children’s rhyme because they were offended. “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.” John the Baptist called people to repent, to die to themselves. He sang a dirge, but the people would not mourn their sins. They were offended by John so he was beheaded. Jesus came along after John, preaching and teaching forgiveness as He sat with the worst of sinners. He played the flute of forgiveness, the sweet melody of God’s grace, but the people would not dance. They were offended by forgiveness. We don’t like the Law or the Gospel. The Law calls you a sinner, evil. How do you like that? The Gospel says your salvation depends entirely and solely on Someone else – on Jesus. How do you like to depend entirely on Someone else who does things His way and not your way?
The Law says “do this” and it is never done. Grace says “believe this” and it is already done. With that thesis Martin Luther calls us to believe, not in Martin Luther – for he was as good at sinning as we are. Rather he calls us to faith in Jesus. Jesus is God’s Son in the flesh, born of Mary. In His sinless flesh He carried the sin of the world, your sin, along with His cross to Golgotha and died to pay your debt. Three days later He rose again from the dead. The righteousness you need before God is already done. Believe it and you have it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
29 October 2017 anno Domini