Renewed and Restored for the Benefit of All

Now to each [of you], the enlightenment of the Spirit is being given toward mutual benefit (v 7).

1. [Prayer]

Heavenly Father, you provide for all the blessings that bring peace: most especially the blessed Word of forgiveness, the blessed washing of water and your Word, and the blessed feast of body and blood in your Supper. Grant us unity in the Spirit through these Means of Grace, so that we are enabled always to proclaim Jesus is Lord forever, in his precious name. Amen.

2. [Catechism]

Please turn now to page 323 in you [Lutheran Service Book] and join me in confessing our faithful doctrine on the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed. ... What is the Third Article? ... What does this mean?

3. [Introduction]

Last week we heard Saint Paul warning the Church at Corinth that there is a serious danger in being complacent Christians. Complacency is a self-satisfaction that is accompanied by an unawareness of actual danger. Complacency is a lukewarm feeling that opposes change. Complacency is going through the motions while paying no attention to what you are doing and why. As Jesus reminded the church of Laodicea in the book of Revelation [3:16], he will spit complacency out of his mouth because [it is] neither hot nor cold.

To counteract complacency in the church, and the schism that results from it, Saint Paul reminds us that God, through his faithful promises, gives us gracious gifts that calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the church, thus restoring unity. Unity is found only in God with us.

Our Introit reminded us that we are dependent on the Lord to sustain us and save us (Ps 55:16). He brings unity. In our Collect, we then asked for the ability to respond to God’s promises by sharing the forgiveness of sins ... which creates unity among us. Our Old Testament reading followed up by warning us not to put our trust in empty words, but instead to embrace a living faith that produces the good works of God (Je 7:4-5). And the Gospel underscored God’s sorrow when his people neglect the opportunities afforded them by his grace (Lk 19:41). All of this pairs wonderfully with our epistle reading, where Paul writes to remind us that ...

RENEWED AND RESTORED BY THE SPIRIT, IN THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, WE PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF GOD FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL

I. [What is the work of the Holy Spirit?]

We often hear people talk about how the Holy Spirit ... the Third Person of the Holy Trinity ... moves and works. Yet many people wonder, what does he really do? When do we know he is actually with us? ... We know that he doesn’t do what most people think he does.

Most people lean on the idea that the Holy Spirit is the tingle up your spine ... the energy of the church ... a whisper in our ear. The world seizes onto the idea that if we don’t feel his presence, we must somehow have lost the Spirit. Many more people will suggest that the Holy Spirit is able to help “YOU” cleanse “YOUR” heart of sin, and help “YOU” eliminate “YOUR” guilt of sin.

Make no mistake about it: Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, does that. Jesus shed his blood and died for your sin. It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses you from sin, and frees you from guilt. The blood of Jesus covers all the corruption of all of creation ... yesterday, today, and tomorrow (1 Jn 2:2).

The Holy Spirit is the one who brought you to the realization of this Word of Grace. The Holy Spirit has called, gathered, and enlightened us to the Word and Work of Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and then leads us into repentance through the Gospel and Sacraments that work together so that we are able to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts God raised him from the dead (Rm 10:9).

Whereas naturally we do not accept the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit enables us to embrace this Gospel of Grace ... glorifying Jesus, who in his divine service to the world was crucified and is risen. The Holy Spirit does this through Word and Sacrament ... the mysterious means of grace. These are the means he uses to enlighten us that Jesus is actually with us, just like the Emmaus disciples who didn’t know this until he broke bread with them. He uses these means to call us into his Divine Service! Here, he sanctifies us (sets us apart). This gives us peace.

Paul reiterates this point throughout his entire epistle, [giving] thanks to God always concerning you because of the grace of God given you in Christ Jesus. ... In every way you were enriched in him, in every word and all knowledge, just as the witness of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gracious gift while you are waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end (1:4-8a).

II. Now that you have been renewed and restored by the Spirit, you have no reason to be complacent, going through the motions.

This is what Paul is driving toward in our reading. Concerning spiritual things, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were unbelievers, you used to be led away to mute (or we can say dumb) idols (vv 1-2).

But you are no longer unbelievers! Right? You are no longer pagans. You are the Baptized of Christ. Being baptized changes everything about your life. First, you know that in baptism, the Living God made a promise to YOU to save YOU. He has given you the gift of the Holy Spirit. And this changes you. You know he can’t change or revoke that promise. This gives you a living faith. Second, you know he has united you in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Rm 6:3-4), washing you clean with the water and the word (Ti 3:4-7), renewing and regenerating you, setting you apart, sanctifying you, making you a temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives and moves and has his being in you (Ac 17:28). He brings good change to his family and his congregation.

Whereas you couldn’t go to God and call on God before baptism ... whereas you couldn’t save yourself or cleanse yourself because you were dead in your sins and trespasses (Ep 2:1) ... whereas you might have allowed mute mascots ... lions and tigers and wolves, oh my ... to try to inspire you alongside the unfaithful world ... the Holy Spirit is now calling to you through the Gospel so that you are not ashamed of it (2 Th 2:14, Rm 1:16). He is gathering you around his sacraments, so that you are not ashamed of them. He is enlightening you by means of gracious gifts ... so that you can be, as Paul said at the beginning of our epistle, united with each other in the same mind and the same resolution (1:10), continually directing the faith to God’s work.

It’s just as Jesus promised, The Father will give you the Helper so that he will be with you forever (Jn 14:16).

III. Now, Paul writes, we will participate in the activities of all with each other.

There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but the same God, the one working all in all. Now to each the manifestation of the Spirit is being given toward mutual benefit. For to one, a word of wisdom is given through the Spirit; and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith in the same Spirit; to another gracious gifts of healing in the one Spirit; to another workings of power; to another prophecy; to another the discernment of spiritual things; to another native tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. All these works, the one and the same Spirit distributes each to his own just as he chooses (vv 4-11). And they all lead us to declare Jesus is Lord. Say it with me, Jesus is Lord!

Since therefore you know you’re a Christian, don’t insult the Holy Spirit by not sharing your gifts with the congregation, which is the body of Christ. They are for our mutual benefit. Don’t insult the Holy Spirit by telling yourselves that it’s OK to ignore Bible study and the Divine Service and God’s means of grace. It’s for mutual benefit. Don’t say you don’t need to repent, and to share the forgiveness of sins. That would be saying Jesus is accursed.

Instead, remember who you are: One who is gifted by the Holy Spirit with the revelation of his saving grace that declares Jesus is Lord (v 3)!

More than that, remember your baptism, of how it made you one with Jesus, our Lord. Remember, it is no longer we who live, but our Lord Jesus who lives in us. Remember the cross and passion of Christ ... of what he has done for you, giving you the knowledge that the forgiveness of sins through his life, his death, his rest, his resurrection, his ascension, his promises. And most notably, to use the word of Paul from 1 Corinthians 11: Remember then that every time we eat his bread ... which is his body ... and drink his cup ... which is his blood ... we proclaim that Jesus is Lord (11:27). This might be God’s greatest gift to us in this time and place. It is for the mutual benefit of the body of Christ. It unites us in Christ.

[Conclusion]

We are helplessly complacent apart from the Holy Spirit. But thanks be to God, in him and through him and for him, we will come together as the body of Christ, participating in all the activities of God for the mutual benefit of each other, fearing and loving him, praying to him, seeking his Divine Service that delivers the forgiveness of our sins. Then you will truly be able to amend your ways and dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Je 7:5) ... celebrating that He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah! ... in Jesus’ name.

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