Count Yourself Dead for paper Nov 24
Paul wrote: “For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6: 9 – 11
Paul here connects two historical events: Christ’s death and resurrection and your Baptism. You were connected to the cross in your Baptism. Jesus’ real flesh and real blood were nailed with real nails to real wood when Jesus hung on a real cross and experienced a very real death. He really paid for all your very real sins, saving you from a very real hell. And when he rose again, he rose to live eternally in a very real heaven. And because you were forever connected to him at your Baptism, you, too, will live eternally. Really. That’s what Paul urged the Romans, and you, to cling to as life was kicking the stuffing out of you.
Dear Christian friends, God knew that things were going to be too tough for us to go around thinking abstract thoughts about salvation. This is why God connected heavenly things to earthly things—so that you had something to hold on to. This is why the worship service was meant to fill your senses. You come to the Divine Service and see that you are not alone. The room is full of God’s broken but beloved children. We confess our sins together and see that we are not alone in our sin. We also see things in the worship service that we don’t see anywhere else: an altar, a baptismal font, and a pulpit. These are God’s means for assuring you your salvation is real. Through worship we are counting ourselves dead to sin but alive to God.
When you confess your sins and the pastor announces God’s forgiveness of sins to you, it is not a different forgiveness than you receive in your bedroom, but God wants you to hear it. He wants you to hear that you are really forgiven. In the words of the sermon and the liturgy that we speak together, you hear that you are a sinner, but that you are also saved by God’s grace alone. Through confession and absolution we are counting ourselves dead to sin but alive to God.
God joins his real body and real blood to the earthly elements of bread and wine, and thus he gives us his real presence and a forgiveness we can taste. He really joins his real body and blood to real bread and wine that you can eat and drink. His body and blood give us life, and they strengthen and renew us so that we are able to cling to the faith in Jesus Christ that saves. Holy communion is much more than just remembering Christ’s death. Seeing, hearing, smelling, eating, and drinking. It seems that God has given us a lot of very real things to hang on to in this life. It is Christ alone who can make us complete. Through the sacrament of communion we are counting ourselves dead to sin but alive to God.
The Christian life is not a perfect life. Christians will be at times lonely and afraid, and they will suffer. Sin on earth, both ours and that of others, has made our lives the way they are. But the Christian life is also a life of assurance and hope. As you enter the world today, remember your Baptism. It is real water joined to God’s real Word. Baptism has made you alive where once you were dead in trespasses. It has washed away your guilt and has pardoned your regret and shame. Jesus himself has given you the mercy he won for you at the cross. Look to your Baptism daily, for there we are counting ourselves dead to sin but alive to God. There you will find your connection to the history of your people. There you will find life and salvation. Look to your Baptism. There you will find the reality of Christ. There is something you can hang on to in the trials of your daily lives. Blessings,