Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

From time to time the refrain of this hymn has played in my mind going on 35 years. I have sung it in many different denominational churches over the years. It is the theme music for Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible radio broadcast. Yes. I have listened to Dr. McGee over the years. I have heard doctrine that I don’t agree with from time to time but Dr. McGee knew it is by grace only that we are saved and nothing we can do.

When I hear that hymn, I hear Jesus paid it ALL. I have nothing but sin. Jesus Christ gets all of the glory.

The decision of the ELCA to turn away from scripture and the tradition of the historic Christian church leaves me no choice but to follow the clear word of scripture. These are very harsh words and hard to say. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:8) Paul had to say these words because he spoke the truth in love. Would some say that Paul did not love? If we love someone we will speak the truth so they can see who they really are before God and see the unmerited favor that god offers to all. I echo Paul’s words with much sadness, for as the Psalmist said, Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. (Ps. 133) This is no longer that case. I love my brothers and sisters in the faith but we must follow God’s Word above anything else.

In an October 16, 2009 letter from Lutheran CORE, Kenneth H. Sauer and Paull E. Spring (both formers bishops in the ELCA) stated the following… “Obviously we in Lutheran CORE are in disagreement with the decisions of the 2009 churchwide assembly. We see those decisions as part of an ongoing failure, within the churchwide expression of the ELCA, to listen to the words of Holy Scripture and the witness of two thousand years of Christian reflection on the Word of God. For these reasons Lutheran CORE is in the process of discerning prayerfully how God wishes to use us in ministry, a ministry that sadly must take place apart from the ELCA.”

At some point I must leave the ELCA… sadly…

Heavenly Father, thank you for the mighty work of grace you performed through your servant Martin, and for the many fruits of that work which we enjoy today. Grant us strength to stand firm in your truth, and proclaim your truth with a boldness and veracity sent from you. Send us forth in your strength to proclaim the Gospel, which is salvation to the world. Amen.

Some people are closet Mormons and don’t realize it. The Book of Mormon in II Nephi 25:23… “. . . We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”

Ouch! If me doing something to be saved is in the mix I am in major trouble. Let’s let the Bible set the record straight… Ephesians 2:8-9… “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Thanks be to God that He does it all. We would mess things up if we were part of the equation.

One Verse Sermons

Jesus, our Lord, was handed over to death because of our failures and was brought back to life so that we could receive God’s approval.

Romans 4:25
GOD’S WORD Translation

The Christian life is not about moving from vice to virtue, but moving from virtue to Grace.

-Author Unknown

Here’s a bumper sticker I designed. I welcome your feedback on this initial design.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (ESV)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

John Newton (1725-1807) known for the great hymn “Amazing Grace” expressed understanding of Law and Gospel in another hymn he wrote…

“Safely Through Another Week” – Verse 5…

May Thy Gospel’s joyful sound
Conquer sinners, comfort saints;
Make the fruits of grace abound,
Bring relief for all complaints.
Thus may all our Sabbaths prove
Till we join the Church above.

In the thousands of sermons that I have heard I have never heard this illustration until today.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10.45)

Jesus came as a suffering servant, not a conquering king. As he walked amongst the people, as he healed, taught, and cleansed, Jesus absorbed the evil of the world. He took upon himself the brokenness, the injustice, the hatred – all of it – from the beginning of time to the end, all of it was collected and focused upon him.

He came to serve. He gave his life as a ransom for many.

Historian and theologian N.T. Wright describes something of what this is like by referencing an old fable about a fox with fleas:

“Do you know how a fox gets rid of its fleas? The fox goes along the hedgerow, and collects little bits of sheep’s wool. Then he makes it all into a ball of wool, which he holds in his mouth. Then he goes to the stream, and slowly, slowly, walks down into the water. He lowers himself right down into the water, with the ball of wool in his mouth, until at last he is totally submerged; then he lets go, and ball of wool floats away downstream, carrying all the fleas with it. The fox merges, clean. In this image, Jesus is the ball of wool… He takes the weight of the world’s evil upon himself, so that the world may emerge, clean.” (N.T. Wright, Following Jesus, p.48)

Give the law to satisfied sinners.
Give the gospel to terrified sinners.

C.F.W. Walther, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel
1. The Law must be preached to secure sinners.
2. The Gospel must be preached to terrified sinners.