LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 94

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94

CONVENTION BIBLE STUDIES

Houtøs. What a gem this little word is! A tiny word of
enormous significance: “In this manner.” This is how God did
it, how He accomplished your salvation. In a sense, you could
say that the whole story of our salvation is packed into this
simple word. It points to God’s plan to redeem the world.
On March 17, 2006, the St. Louis Post Dispatch ran a fascinating article on how some scientists think the world
began. They think that the world expanded to astounding
proportions in the trillionth of a second as the result of an
explosion from matter about the size of a marble. We can
think of John 3:16 something like this, and in particular
John’s little word houtøs, SO. In this high-density, “marblesized” word is packed the whole matter of the world’s salvation. “God SO loved that world THAT….” Coupled with the
word THAT we see the result God intended. God’s love for
the world was unique and unparalleled, and He would stop
at nothing to have His world with Him eternally.
The story of HOW God loved the world begins with creation. God called everything into being by His word: the
sun, moon, and stars; the fish of the sea, birds of the air;
the beasts of the field; and every living creature, including
us. And, when creation was complete God pronounced “it is
very good” (Gen. 1:31). God loved the world He created.
Even when God made known His will to Adam and Eve—
His boundary in the garden—it surely was not because He
wanted to make life difficult for them. Rather, it was because He loved them. God’s love has many dimensions. But
as we have learned from Luther’s Small Catechism, God’s
Law is summarized in a single word: LOVE. God loved His
creatures and wanted them to live in harmony with Him,
expressing in return their love for Him.
Tragically, however, mankind sinned and fell under
God’s condemnation. Now God’s Law exposes sin for what
it really is. It reveals how rebellious human beings turn in
on themselves and make an agony out of a life that God intended in the beginning should be a blessing. In case there
was any doubt about God’s real intent, Jesus sharpened
what God meant. Jesus taught:
• “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject
to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry
with his brother will be subject to judgment” (Matt.
5:21–22).
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his
heart” (Matt. 5:27–28).
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:43–45).
Jesus makes it all the more clear how impossible it is for
us sinful people to keep perfectly God’s righteous demands.
Any infraction means that the creature that God loved so
dearly must die eternally. But it is not God’s intent to leave
the situation like this!
SO—in this way—God demonstrated His great love for
the world He created: He sent His Son, Jesus, to buy back
the world from sin and death and the power of the devil.
2007 Convention Proceedings

Do you remember how Martin Luther described this: “not
with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and
His innocent suffering and death”? So, in this manner,
Jesus went to the cross to pay, with His own body and
blood, the exacting price God demanded in order to deliver
each person on earth from the penalty they deserved, eternal death. That’s the price Jesus paid. Think of it! We deserved eternal condemnation. But, out of His love for us
God refused to condemn the world. As John puts it, “For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through
Him” (3:17).

II. Where We Come In
God, therefore, wants all people to be saved and come to
the knowledge of the truth that in Jesus He was reconciling
the world to Himself, making friends again (2 Cor. 5:19).
This is where we come in, those of us who regularly sit in
the pews of our LCMS parishes. We have thousands of professional church workers, many in this room right now, who
are equipping millions of us to vigorously make known the
love of Christ in our churches, communities, and the world.
Every single soul is valuable to God. Not one person is more
or less important to Him. In Luke 15, we read that “there is
joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents”
(Luke 15:10).
We are the link between the Word of God, His love for
the world, and His desire that all people should be saved.
Some people in our communities may not know that Jesus
Christ died to forgive their sins. We are the church, and we
have been instructed by Jesus to go, tell, teach, and baptize. The words of the hymn “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying” say it well:
Hark, the voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting—Who will bear the
sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth; Rich reward He offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I, send me, send me”?
If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say He died for all.
If you cannot be a watchman…Pointing out the path to
heaven, You can be like faithful Aaron, holding up the
prophet’s hands.

And, finally, these words…
Let none hear you idly saying, “There is nothing I can do.”
While the multitudes are dying And the Master calls for you.
Take the task He gives you gladly, Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth, “Here am I, send me, send me!”

III. So, God’s SO becomes our SO!
Here is what we are going to do: When I tell you, please
get into groups of four or less, no more than four, so each of
you will have an opportunity to speak. Please take about
ten minutes to discuss these questions:
1. What opportunities have you had recently to speak to
someone that you know does not attend a Christian
church about the hope that is in you for your eternal
salvation? to invite someone to attend your church with