Romans 12,16-21 1023
3. Sonntag nach Epiphanias 17
Vincentius, Deacon at Saragossa, Spain. Martyr 304 (Diocletian, 284-311/12; persecution 302-11)
22. Januar 2023
1. ℣ Worship Him, all ye angels:
℟ Zion heard and was glad (Psalm 97,7b-8).
O Almighty God, whose Name the nations fear; build up Your Church, so that the nations trust in Your mercy and their rulers praise Your Glory. Amen. (Psalm 102,15-16 Gradual)
2. »Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord [Leviticus 19,18]. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head [Proverbs 25,21-22]. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.«
3. Although ridiculed by many, religion is still overall respected in our society. When an emeritus pope dies, much attention was given to understanding the specifics of Roman Catholicism. When an athlete collapses on the field, many encouraged prayer for his well-being and recovery. While people mock and criticize religion, many realize that religion promotes positive attributes in society. Yet religion is only tolerated so far. One is often told not to allow religion to interfere too much in the goings on in the world. When religion crosses paths with the particulars of the cultural Zeitgeist, then it is religion that must yield.
4. Religion intrudes upon us. „By nature we think an eye for an eye. If people are kind to us, then we will be kind to them. If we are kind to others, then we expect them to be kind in return. If we are kind to someone and he or she isn’t sufficiently thankful, we say we will remember that and not let ourselves be so foolish next time“ (Nagel 51 ¶ 10). Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me is a popular expression. „We love and esteem those most who love and esteem us most. That is the way of human love, and at its center is self“ (Nagel 51 p 10).
5. True religion rejects this. In His Beatitudes Jesus teaches: »Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven« (Matthew 5,44-45). James says: »If anyone thinks he is religious [θρησκός] and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, then his religion [θρησκεία] is worthless. Religion [θρησκεία] that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world« (James 1,26-27). Paul exhorts us that if our enemy is hungry, then feed him; if he is thirsty, then give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals upon his head.
6. „As long as the godless receive anger for anger and self-assertion for self-assertion, they are within the narrow realm that they understand. But when anger is met with kindness and self-assertion is met with a selfless love, they are stumped. That is new, outside their realm of thought and action, and they are shaken by it. The godless will probably try to conceal their defeat behind a callous and mocking bravado. They will try and explain away that kindly love in terms of the selfish reasons that only they understand, but the shaft of your love may have pierced their selfish hearts“ (Nagel 52 ¶ 11).
7. „The coals of fire are the burning pangs of shame that smolder in their selfish hearts as the godless try to forget your discomforting, kindly love. Your love has shown them how ugly their own narrow self-seeking life is. … As our text suggests, it is usually when our enemies are in great need that the coals of love burn hottest on their head“ (Nagel 52 ¶ 12).
8. But let us not stain our love with sin (Nagel 52 ¶ 13). We dare not act in self-righteous judgment and condemnation. Our enemies are people created in the Image and Likeness of God just as are we. They may not recognize this or believe it, but God loves them, wants to save them and create a clean heart in them. Our fervent prayer should be that they come to faith in Christ and share in all the good gifts He wants to bless them with.
9. We also dare not enjoy their discomfort when we do them a kindness and they are shamed by our love that they cannot quite grasp. We must be vigilant that our kindness stems from a heart of love that sincerely desires their well-being. Our hearts can too easily take sinful pleasure at another’s vexation, especially when they still remain a thorn in our side.
10. Jesus exhorts us in His Beatitudes: »Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God« (Matthew 5,44.7-8). Thus the Apostle Peter exhorts us in his epistle: »Keep loving (αγαπην) one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins« (1. Peter4,8).
11. „Let us humble ourselves, putting aside all arrogance, pride, foolishness and anger, and do as the Holy Spirit says: Let not the wise boast in wisdom, but boast in the Lord and seek His righteousness [Jeremiah 9,23-24]“ (Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians p 13). For Christ has taught us that we overcome evil with good. We lay up our treasures in heaven, for our treasure is where our heart is (Matthew 6,21). Jesus has called sinners and has shown them His mercy (Matthew 9,13). May we bear this merciful heart of God to those in the world who need to see it and hear it.
12. For His great mercy
Upon us always is,
His truth, goodness and mercy
To young and old appears
And endures for eternity,
Gives us salvation out of mercy;
Therefore sing Hallelujah (Lobt Gott den Herrn, ihr Heiden all elkg 295,2 2021 Joachim Sartorius 1591 nach Psalm 117)
This is most certainly true.
13. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.
14. Let us pray. O Almighty God, vouchsafe so to reign in our souls that Christ may have the sole dominion there, that we may sincerely embrace Him with our whole hearts, honor Him with all our faculties, confess Him with our tongues and glorify Him by our works. Amen. (The Week of Epiphany III, Vespers Collect 2. The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.)
To God alone be the Glory
Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm
✠
All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover.
Nagel, Norman. Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel: From Valparaiso to St. Louis. Frederick W. Baue, Ed. Copyright © 2004 Concordia Publishing House.
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