LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 87

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of destruction and misery, but we keep on trying (Rom.
2:9–20).
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
Paul says, “Yeah, you can keep trying, it doesn’t matter how
hard you try; justification will never happen on the ground of
legal obedience or personal merits, it is impossible!” (Rom.
3:19–20). It is indeed impossible, my friends!
But then Paul is quick to say, “but now!” There is another
way! “The righteousness of God has been revealed” (Rom.
3:21).
The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ,
for all who believe. … We are justified by his grace as
a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…
the precious blood of Jesus, shed as a propitiation for
our sins on the cross. (Rom. 3:22, 24–25)
God doesn’t ignore sin! God deals with it! In His grace He
remains the God of justice. God delayed the punishment
for our sins until Christ paid for them all on Calvary’s
cross! “God did not spare his Son but gave him up for us all!”
(Rom 8:32).
And the main reason we engage in mission work is
because what Paul says in our text this morning, “for there
is no distinction” (Rom 3:22) regarding us sinners. Jesus
died for all, and then he goes on to say, “All … are justified
by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus!” (Rom 3:22–23). Christ died for all! The message of
justification is for all! There is no distinction!
Dear brothers and sisters, as Luther says, “Our
righteousness, salvation, and consolation are outside of us. As
Christians, we no longer live in ourselves, but in Christ and we
live in Christ, by faith!” (Luther, The Freedom of a Christian,
1529—The Annotated Luther—The Roots of Reform, vol.
1, 530).
Christ has done it all! Look to the cross and the empty
tomb! He did it all, Christ did it for you! The gates of
heaven are wide open! They are open for you! There is no
distinction! (Luther, preface to the Latin Works, 1545—The
Annotated Luther—Pastoral Writings, vol. 4, 501–502; cf.
also Martin Luther—A life Reformed, by Paul W. Robinson,
14–15).

Convention Sermons

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS FOR ALL
When that 34-year-old Augustinian Monk named Martin
Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the door of the Castle
church in Wittenberg, on October 31, 1517, he didn’t have
any idea how God would use that moment to start a
movement that would impact the Christian Church
forever, not only in Germany, but in Europe, in America,
Brazil, in the whole world!
Yes, Reformation went VIRAL! Soon, Luther’s 95 Theses
were translated to German, and other of his writings, and
everyone was talking about the message of the
Reformation.
Why? Because the message of the Reformation pointed to
Christ and the message of the Gospel for all. Probably the
most known of the 95 Theses is Thesis 1, that talks about
repentance, but Thesis 62 says: “The true treasure of the
church is the most holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God.”
What matters in the Church, what is most important in
the church is not our personal agenda, our own dreams,
our great plans. It is ALL ABOUT the GOSPEL! THE
GOSPEL for ALL!
The crucified and risen Christ is the message we proclaim
to the whole world.
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This is the message that Paul preached to the
Romans!
This is the message that Luther preached to the
people in Wittenberg.
This is the message that Pastor Broders preached to
the German immigrants in South Brazil.
This is the same message we preach today!

We preach Christ crucified. We preach that the blood of the
Lamb forgives all our sins! A blood that ransomed people for
God from all corners of the world, from every tribe and
language and people and nation (Rev. 5:6–10)! This is the
biblical teaching and is indeed, what we Lutherans
believe and preach! And we want to proclaim it TO ALL
PEOPLE, without distinction! Amen.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.
4:7)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 87