Let Christ be seen in you.

Sermon for Easter 6, May 26, 2019

Grace, mercy, and peace are yours from God the Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Amen.

James 1:22-27  ²²Be people who do what the word says, not people who only hear it.  Such people are deceiving themselves.  ²³In fact, if anyone hears the word and does not do what it says, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own natural face in a mirror.  ²⁴Indeed, he carefully looks at himself; then, he goes away and immediately forgets what he looked like.  ²⁵But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does.  ²⁶If anyone considers himself to be religious but deceives his own heart because he does not bridle his tongue, this person’s religion is worthless.  ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled in the sight of God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Let Christ be seen in you.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

            Who do you think you are?  That question often comes with a note of condescension in the speaker’s voice, but James has none of that tone.  Rather, he is encouraging Christians to pattern our lives after the Savior who made our citizenship in His kingdom possible, and this text encourages us to look into the mirror of the law to see how we measure up to the standards of God’s kingdom.

            Now, imagine for a moment that you are a child who has an older brother going off to war, and that brother asks you to live in his stead until such time as he might return to your home.  Considering our history, it is possible that some of you had such a brother, or maybe you were that brother who went off to fight for the freedom of your countrymen.  Now, how would that child want to live should his brother never come home, but rather, have given his life to win his country’s peace?  I think most every child would gladly live to honor the memory of his brother killed in defense of his country. 

Or consider another possibility.  What if that older brother lived but as an honored hero for winning the victory who was then elevated to the head of our nation in peace time?  Would that younger child still want to live so as to honor his hero?  I think most of us, being that younger son, would be thrilled by the request to honor the older brother.  Such is the mindset of our text—that we should live according to the will of our Father and Brother in heaven, and Let Christ be seen in you.

So, who do you think you are?  James wrote, “Be people who do what the word says, not people who only hear it.  Such people are deceiving themselves.”  Are we people who live according to God’s word?  And by that, I mean, do we keep our thoughts and actions in line with what God has said?  As James expressed, many people deceive themselves in this regard.  Many are those who profess faith in God, yet they live as if their faith was primarily in themselves.  Therefore, we must understand that what James wrote about here is not how to gain our salvation, but how we should serve as saved believers in Christ Jesus, because the only way to enter the kingdom of heaven is through faith in Christ Jesus, for it is Jesus who has lived perfectly in accord with all that God has commanded, and it is Jesus who paid the ultimate price for our sins.  Anyone who thinks sinful men and women contribute anything to their salvation is among those deceiving themselves.

Jumping ahead a bit in our text, James wrote, “If anyone considers himself to be religious but deceives his own heart because he does not bridle his tongue, this person’s religion is worthless.  Religion that is pure and undefiled in the sight of God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”  The writer gives us a couple of illustrations here in the type of life that is expected of us. 

People can be deceived by the idea that as long as one attends worship, he can pretty much live as he pleases.  Furthermore, contending with our sinful nature is a constant battle against placing our own interests above the needs of our neighbors.  To keep ourselves unstained by the world, as James writes, we need to be faithful in our speaking, in our living and giving, and in our confessing and believing.  Bragging to the Lord of how good we are serving Him is deceitfulness for sure.  Twisting the meaning if God’s Word is also seriously offensive, and failing to live as the hands of God on earth is failing to honor the sacrifice of our holy Brother who gave His life so that we can truly live.

To another group of Christian believers, St. Paul wrote, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV 84)  We are not to live for ourselves but for our Brother who laid down His life in His fight for our freedom from sin, death, and the devil.  Because Jesus truly lived and died as our freedom fighting Brother, we should live for Him.  James wrote here, “But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does.” 

Because our Brother sacrificed Himself so that we can live free, He asks us to be His hands in serving our fellow man.  Jesus gave all for our everlasting welfare.  The Lord our God wants that freedom from sin and death to be available to all people.  Yet, rather than bring that salvation to others by Himself, God gives us the task of using our freedom to serve those around us.  This is our sanctified living.  The Holy Spirit works in us through the word of God to show us what needs to be done, to teach us how to do it, and to empower us with the resolve and ability to serve.  Pure religion doesn’t ask “What do I have to do to be saved?”  It asks, “What can I do to serve my Lord, who has done everything needed to set me free and make me wealthy beyond measure?”  Thus, the writer tells us to Let Christ be seen in you.

Now, St. James gives us another picture, this one of what we might call a hypocrite, a person who hears the message of salvation, who appears to be a Christian, but who doesn’t actually live as one.  James wrote, “In fact, if anyone hears the word and does not do what it says, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own natural face in a mirror.  Indeed, he carefully looks at himself; then, he goes away and immediately forgets what he looked like.”  Can you imagine looking at yourself in a mirror and as soon as you turn away forget what you look like or who you are?  We would call that a serious mental defect, a terrible case of dementia.  Yet, that is how the Holy Spirit through James describes a person who hears what God has done for us but isn’t willing to live for the Lord.  It’s not a pretty picture, because it shows a lack of saving faith in the One who gave His all to save us.

Now, because we all sin, and because we know that none of us live up to the perfection of the Christ who was perfect in every thought, word, and deed, we might begin to fear how we could ever live up to what James instructs.  Therefore, we concentrate on the middle sentence of our text.  This is both our hope, and our power to serve.  “But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does.”  The perfect law of freedom.  What does that mean?  The Lord never commands us to win our salvation.  He never commands us to earn our freedom.  The Lord declares, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV 84) 

We were set free from sin and death when Jesus laid down His holy life at the cross in the war against the old evil foe.  We were set free not to wander on our own course leading to destruction but set free from Satan’s control to follow our Shepherd who had sacrificed Himself to give us life.  We were set free from the evil deceiver who leads us to do all kinds of wickedness in order that with our Redeemer walking before us, we might serve God with gladness and righteousness.

After bringing us to faith in Jesus, God uses us as His hands and feet, and His mouthpiece to a world of troubled souls.  The devil works desperately hoping to keep people from hearing the Good News of what Jesus has accomplished for all people.  Thus, we can expect that life won’t always be easy as we sojourn here on earth.  So be it, but Let Christ be seen in you.  Look into God’s word and see what He has done for you.  Look into God’s word and see what we can do for those around us.  Remember the two great commands, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

It really is that simple.  Love means to serve.  Love means to put others ahead of self.  Love put Jesus on the cross carrying your sins and mine.  Love raised Jesus from the dead on the third day.  Love calls out to you and me to walk with Him.  Love asks us to share His love with those we love, with those we don’t know, and even with many that we know don’t love us.

Dear friends, I know I haven’t given you exact instructions today on how to love and serve your neighbor.  I know too, however, that most of us already know ways in which we could serve much better than we do.  Most important, we have a Savior who has served so well that the Father in heaven has declared us holy, innocent, and His own dear children.  Our Brother, Jesus, gave His life to win the war against the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.  He asks us to honor His sacrifice with our service.  More than that, He promises that through faith in Him, we are already clean, and that He has made us wealthy beyond measure by giving us the sure hope of a home in heaven.

As you look in the mirror of God’s word, see that you have been washed clean from all sin at your Baptism.  See that Jesus has changed your heart as He brought you to faith through His Word.  As you look in your mirror each day, see Christ who lives in you through faith.  See that you are not alone in fighting the temptations that the devil flings against you.  Remember that Jesus promised to be with you always, not just at church but everywhere you go.  As you look in your mirror, see the holiness that Jesus has lived for you in His life, and that the wonderful, perfect life of your Savior is credited to you through faith in Jesus.  That is what God sees when He looks at you.  God sees that the blood Jesus shed on the cross has cleansed you from every sin.

So, who do we know we are?  We are the brothers and sisters of Jesus, who sacrificed His holy life so that the whole world might be set free from sin and death and Satan’s tyranny.  For His willing sacrifice, our Brother, now risen from the dead and living in heaven above, has been given authority over all things, and He sits at His Father’s side in heaven working all things for our everlasting good.  Thus, Jesus invites us to bring our every care to the Father in heaven in His name. 

This Memorial weekend, as we remember all those men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we can live in freedom and peace here on earth, remember also the Brother who came from heaven to live with us, to die for us, and who lives and reigns in His everlasting kingdom having won the final victory over our spiritual foes.  Remember that He reigns there for you, and serves there so that we may be with Him forever in heaven.  Remember your Brother, Jesus, and Let Christ be seen in you.  Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto everlasting life.  Amen.