How Faith Acts Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Bridge Proverbs 25:2-10 Hebrews 13:1-17 Luke 14:1-14 Pentecost 15 Last week, by faith I (with his parents, other grand-parents, friends, and the Church) baptized Jettson Lane Bassett, submitting-that-way to the desire and command of God to make disciples of all nations by (first) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit according to His desire that all be saved. The beginning of God s grace got imparted (bestowed), and a baby humbled by sin has now been (through baptism) exalted by grace. By faith I, now, consider what s next for my grandson since he s to, yet, come to the knowledge of truth and learn to observe all that God commands. Maybe only one generation ago many could say that their entire household remains-still in the faith of their baptism. Today, families have members who ve left that confession (apparently not worth concerning-themselves-with). Households have, even, members-of-them kept from baptism s grace, so it s a much-more-challenging (down-graded) world than it once was, and teaching humility (submission to God) is much harder than it was. And I know that Jettson will be tempted to forget-about-it. What began-in-him by water and Word must be instructed (and I m one to do that) and do it actively since faith is active. Faith Acting is what God s Commandments encourage and Martin Luther put that this way (and some may not like how he said it, but he s right when we know it as souls we must care-for instead of, just, people): We live on earth, he said, only so that we should be of help to other souls. Otherwise, (without that) it would be best if God had strangled us and let us die as soon as we were baptized-and-birthed-in-faith.
For this reason, however, He lets us live: THAT WE MAY BRING OTHER SOULS ALSO TO FAITH AS HE HAS DONE FOR US Everything then should be directed in such a way that you recognize what God has done for you and that you, thereafter, make your highest priority to proclaim this publically and call everyone to the light to which you were called. Acting in faith we can learn from the Commandments, so let s hear, through them, not, just, what faith doesn t look like but, also, what it does (which, then, negates acting contrary to that) faith always shows itself or it s not faith. It s, both, in what we submit-to in belief according to His Word but, also, what we act-upon-because-of-that. Thoughts aren t, necessarily, fully conformed to how God wants us to submit-to-him in belief, but our shortcomings there we can confess and He forgives. But letting Him be Lord (changing of our thoughts to be like unto His will) is work we can let stay under-way. And what we do-based-on-that-belief, that-too must be under-way. So today we re reminded-of what it means to be, both, a soul cared-for and the one giving-that-care. Humbly submitting to both of those roles is what faith calls us to do. And that s God s desire (for us to let brotherly love continue in submission and action). Honoring and teaching a Christian ethic firms-up belief and brings faith-into-action instead of, just, letting a self-pleasuring Hedonism rule. Text And care-of-souls needs to be thought-of that way. As a matter of fact, I want you to write-down the names of souls who are in your care (not, just, earthly bodies, but eternal souls). So I ve included (on a bulletin insert) 15 spaces for you to write-down your closest-concerns by name (the souls who you have the most-immediate responsibility to care-for). My family s on my list, especially family members where I have concern (I have one soul yet to be baptized totally aside from the teaching thing). Now, you don t have to fill your list up right this second (and understand that your list is, actually, longer than, just, 15 souls with those you know
without faith or on its fringes but, also, many you d like to keep within God s grace), so take a moment to get a start on that list so that you can be thinking about them as we move onto God s Commands and instructions for them with your help). Now, turn to page 321 in the front of our hymnals and let s learn How Faith Acts : As the head of the family (or those charged with the Care of Souls / all of us) should teach in a simple way to his household The First Commandment (and let s say these together): You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things. God must (first of all) be allowed to be Lord, and that s tough when liberties and individualism are much-more encouraged in this society. Dependence upon God (His directing) means that we d better be acquainted with what that means, so submitting to Him above all else means, first, placing ourselves where God (uniquely) talks and teaches and instructs, and equips-that-way. I can t imagine, then, any more-appropriate place for that to start than in His Church where Word and Meal and listening to Him talk and feed lets Him do His thing with us. God s not a Good Luck Charm to pull-out at our convenience (as a matter of fact, I m not sure how much He ll help if we re not serious about being in His context). He s, really, Lord and that means Master / Leader / The One who should be in-charge of us, so lets us stay-with where and how He works and don t fight His Lordship over us. Only inappropriate priorities and fighting against Him can limit what He makes of us. The Second Commandment You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks. Here s where God builds us to be strongly-connected-to-him. He dictates the Divine Service, prayer, and a constantly thankful attitude and He encourages taking that with us wherever we go (in
classrooms, home, work, or wherever we d be), considering-still all that we hear from Him at Church and in His Bible. The Third Commandment Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it. Hold the hearing of His Word sacred, it says, and gladly hear and learn it. Start with willingly hearing and learning it and (I guarantee you) it ll all become gladly. Please don t confuse, though, your emotional responses to it as any evidence that it s effective, because God s Word is always affective (He promises), so just in its hearing you are being shaped by Him. And if that concerns you, then why should it? If that thrills you, then you are starting to get the picture. The Fourth Commandment Honor your father and your mother. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them. All of our interactions have, either, a humble learning purpose or a caring one. If we recognize where we re to submit-to-having-our-soul-cared-for, then we re the children of this Command (and we are all still children much of the time). Where we re to teach, though (to care-for a soul) then there we re the parent and with siblings or friendships or anything-else, one of the two roles we re in (and that s, often, inter-changeably). Neither role (under God) receives or gives uselessly. The Fifth Commandment You shall not murder. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need. We re responsible for the forever-life of the souls of ourselves and others because physical needs pale-by-comparison to helping and supporting eternal lives.
The Sixth Commandment You shall not commit adultery. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other. As souls redeemed by Christ Jesus, you and I have flesh which has been made pristine (pure as pure can be) and that s the greatest thing that can be said of anything created. It s what s said of us though by this command to know ourselves as God knows us. Once there, how blest we are to do all things in care of soul with body, to celebrate it in ourselves and in any who ve been similarly purchased by the sacrifice of God s blood. The Seventh Commandment You shall not steal. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income. We d need nothing that s someone else s. We re, ultimately, satisfied in all ways, so protective of that satisfaction among others. The best condition for a soul to be in is fulfilled in the Lord (with no craving-of-want and thankful in no need). The Eighth Commandment You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way. Looking at everyone with the best of intentions makes every soul an easy-one to care-for. The Ninth Commandment You shall not covet your neighbor s house. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it. Our house and home is in heaven, so those loaner s that He s, now, letting us sleep-in don t have to be sources of pride, just a good place to get a night s rest.
The Tenth Commandment You shall not covet your neighbor s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty. Encourage everyone to rest where they re at. The wonderful gift of vocation (or joyful dutywhere-we re-at) is that God has purpose and a calling-for-us right where souls are. So glorifying Him, through wherever-that-might-be, that s the greatest witness faith can give. Application Where faith acts is in the circumstances where ethical decisions need to be made, and it s ours to rejoice-with-god in how we act-for-him in those circumstances. We re, actually, the way that God cares-for souls because He requires our voices to tell-them and teach-them His Words and our hands and feet to connect-them-to-him by baptism and His Holy Meal. Practically, God wills us to be in the places we are each day to care for souls. As we are going, it s us who make disciples by listening-to-folks, asking-further-from-them (keeping the conversation going / caring), seeking opportunities to be useful by perceiving how God can strengthen their soul by talking-for-him and, then, connecting them to what strengthens, encouraging them by walking with them to the places God wants you, both, to be-at together. In this, we can wrestle-with and practice a deliberate believing and acting in faith and, so, for the Sunday-School year we re going to be dealing with issues where Christian ethics need to prevail (and you can see the ones, at least, planned on the other side of the souls-in-your-care insert). God has things to say to souls dealing with things like these and if you d not written your own name down as a soul-in-your-care, do-so since you ve got responsibility there too. May God be with all of us as we let Him challenge us to believe and, then, act as His. In +Jesus name. Amen.