In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
So, how do you get that forgiveness that Jesus has won? That is our question for tonight. How does all that stuff that Jesus has done for you, actually get to you. It's a question of delivery. It's December; you've all dealt with cards or gifts – how do they get where they need to go? If you found a lovely frock for your aunt Betina in Beloit, but you can't find her address it doesn't do anyone any good. The goods have to be delivered. And the question that forms the basis for the third article of the Creed – I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints – it's really this: how does the forgiveness of sins get delivered?
Luther starts his explanation with one of the more shocking and humble statements – I believe that by my own reason or strength I cannot believe. Pause there. I believe that I cannot believe. That if it were left up to me, if I were on my own – I'd not believe at all. If I were simply up to me, I'd not have faith. And this is an idea that shocks so many today – especially Americans where we love our choice and decision making. But it's true – St. Paul says you were dead in your trespasses, and dead people don't make decisions. We need the Holy Spirit to be the one to give us faith, to work in us the rebirth unto faith in Christ. And remember – your life, your physical life to you is a gift from God to you, established by God. None of us exist by our own reason or strength – if your birth was brought about by the will of God, why would you ever think that your rebirth, your being born, again wouldn't be brought about by the will of God, too?
But here we are. We are all tainted and corrupted by sin – and because of that sin, neither our reason or strength have either the ability or desire to believe in God. Apart from the gift of faith human beings are quite content to ignore God. But God, in His love and wisdom, has chosen not to ignore you – and thus He has given you the gift of faith. And how? “The Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel” The Holy Spirit calls you by the Gospel. There's the delivery method. The Holy Spirit takes the Word, the Good News, the Gospel – and by that Gospel the Holy Spirit comes to you and calls you, speaks to you, connects you to Christ. The Holy Spirit does this by the Word proclaimed, by the Word attached to Water in Baptism, even the Word attached to the bread and wine in the Supper. In all these places where the Word of God is present, there the Holy Spirit is also present, working, calling people – calling you.
And with this Gospel the Holy Spirit “enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” The Holy Spirit enlightens you – the Spirit turns the light bulb on so you understand. If you understand something about the Christian faith, it's not because you are just that smart and the person over there is dumb. No, it's because it has been revealed to you by God. The Holy Spirit connects the dots for you. And more than that – the Holy Spirit “sanctifies” you – that is the Holy Spirit makes you Holy. Your holiness isn't a result of what you do; it isn't a commentary on how spiffy and wonderful you are. Rather, God has taken you, and He has made you Holy – He has set you apart for His service (because that's what being holy is – if it's holy it's set apart for special use). And indeed, the Holy Spirit keeps you enlightened and holy; He keeps you in the faith.
So – how does the Holy Spirit keep you in the Faith? What does He use? In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. Well, the Holy Spirit gathers you into the Church, and in this Church is Jesus and His Word. The whole point of this place, this building, this service, is the Word of Jesus. The point is the Gospel of Christ. And everything here revolves around the Word, and the Holy Spirit uses that Word to work faith and enlighten and sanctify and keep people in the faith. That's why everything in this service revolves around the Word, because the Holy Spirit is active in the Word of God. And not just the readings – obviously, and not just the sermon (hopefully) – but everything in this service. Our Liturgy and hymns – they're quoting scripture or based on it. That's why the hymns have little tiny Scripture citations on the bottom of the page. It's all being in the Word because the Holy Spirit gathers us together and has us proclaim God's Word back and forth to each other and that's where He works.
And the chief work of the Spirit is this: In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. In and by that Word of God, the Holy Spirit brings you forgiveness – Jesus says in John 16 He will take what is mine and declare it to you. Jesus' forgiveness is delivered to you. The Church is a forgiveness place, where the Holy Spirit works through the Word to see that forgiveness abounds.
And with that being said, we can address the elephant in the room that was brought up in our Gospel lesson – Pastor, what about the “unforgivable sin” - the sin against the Holy Spirit? Okay, first off – everyone calls it the “unforgivable” - and the problem with that is we think it's unforgivable because it's so big, so bad, so terrible. No, that misses the point. Listen again to the verse. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Jesus had been speaking of times of trial – when you are supposed to be bold and confess Jesus before the world, before rulers and powerful people. And what if you fail, what if you bail, what if you weasel out? Well, there's forgiveness for that. But how is that forgiveness given? How does Jesus' forgiveness get delivered to you? By the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God in His Church. So when someone is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, when someone is blowing off the Spirit and the Word and the Church... how is forgiveness going to be given to him? It's not, because the delivery system of forgiveness is ignored. This warning Jesus gives isn't about how big a sin is (because all sins are damnable and vile) – but rather it is about how forgiveness is delivered. Without the Holy Spirit, without the Word, one is simply unable to get forgiveness. And thus simply - “will not be forgiven.” Undeliverable mail isn't normally referring to a giant package, but rather just a return to sender, address unknown. Likewise here – the image is that when one cuts himself off from the Spirit, from where the Spirit works (in the Word, in the Church), he cuts off forgiveness.
So, don't do that. Don't try to cut yourself off from the Spirit, from the Word, from the Church. Rather, remember that the Holy Spirit has called you by the Gospel, indeed that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness as Paul teaches us in Romans. Know what the Spirit is doing when He keeps you in the Word, when He brings to your remembrance what Jesus has said, when He opens your lips. He's working forgiveness and faith in you – and the only way you'll get forgiveness or faith is from the Holy Spirit working in the Word. So, be in the Word now and your entire life, for in the end the Spirit will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. The Spirit is the Lord, the Giver of Life – and He gives you the new life in Christ now, and He shall see you raised to eternal life.
Thus we have this Advent reviewed the great love the Triune God has for us. God Almighty has created you, won you redemption and forgiveness, and delivered that forgiveness to you, even until He will restore you to true and everlasting life. It's all revolves around what God has done and continues to do for you – because God is active for you and in you and through you in wondrous ways, ways we don't always see or notice because they just happen all the time. So be it – God loves you, and He delights in giving you blessings of body and soul. This is why Christ Jesus came – so that your sin wouldn't get in the way of God giving you wondrous things. We know this now, we receive this now – and we shall see it full and unhindered when Jesus comes again. Amen. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
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