Rev. Cary M. Richert
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany (Series B)
January 15, 2006
You're Not Whose You Think You Are
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
A couple of years ago, my wife, Kathy, and I attended the Michigan District Lutheran Pastors' Conference on Mackinac Island. It was a beautiful October day on the island: sunshine, blue sky, crisp fall air. During some free time, We decided to tour historic Fort Mackinac ... and eventually found our way into the old Post Headquarters, where we were greeted by a sign with a message from Captain Leslie Smith, Commandant of the Fort in August of 1873. His message was simple and direct:
Officers serving at this post are hereby informed that their time and their talents belong wholly to the government, and that no lengthy or continued absence from their duties and post will hereafter be tolerated.
While serving at Fort Mackinac, the officers were property of the United States government. They were no longer their own! Every aspect of their lives was controlled by someone else. Sounds like a job description for service on one of Mr. Priskorn's ministry planning committees!
The apostle Paul tells us in today's text: You are not your own,[v. 19]. Like the officers at old Fort Mackinac ... we belong to someone else! Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God says to us: I have called you by your name; you are mine, [Isaiah 43:1]. By faith, we belong to Christ ... His treasured possession! [Deuteronomy 7:6; Malachi 3:17]
In our inherited sinful nature, we don't like to hear: You are not your own ... that we belong to someone other than ourselves ... that we may be subject to the authority and desires of another. In sinful pride we rather fancy ourselves as the sole master and commander of our lives. Sin blinds us with the fantasy that we can live in unrestrained freedom and self-determination ... and at the same time remain God's children. We cry out in defiance, "I belong to me. No one's my master!"
In The Lord of the Rings there's a slinky, sleezy character named Grima Wormtongue. He was the counselor of Theoden, King of Rohan. At one time, Theoden was a strong and mighty warrior. But, through the deceit and cunning of Wormtongue, the king became weak and incapable of ruling ... depicted in the movie by Theoden being covered with a crusty, greyish layer of skin, that made him look like he was on the verge of death.
Gandalph the White B something of a Christ-figure in the story B visits Theoden. Through the wizard's powers for good, Gandalph breaks Wormtongue's spell on Theoden. He removes the crusty covering ... and re-establishes Theoden's strength and power to rule his people ... and to lead them into battle.
There's a spell that sin and Satan would cast upon us ... a spell that would have us believe, like the ancient Corinthians, that in Christian freedom ...
... everything is permissible.
... we're masters of our own lives.
... sins of the flesh have no effect on the condition of our soul.
How very far from the truth is this understanding of Christian freedom. Some of the Corinthian believers, even after conversion, continued in sexual sin ... thinking that, in their new-found Christian freedom: Everything is permissible for me, [v. 12]. Paul reminds them in the strongest way, that in Christian freedom: not everything is beneficial ... and, no fleshly lust should be our master, [6:12] ... for the flesh is still home to sin!
C. S. Lewis was often quick to point out that the Lord calls His people to live differently than those who believe in the unrestrained freedom of the flesh ... than those who live as enemies of the cross of Christ, whose destiny is destruction, whose god is their stomach, and whose glory is in their shameful behavior, [Philippians 3:18-19].
In Christ and through Holy Baptism the crusty veneer of vanity and the stinking shell of self-absorption have been washed away. Not by the wand of a wizard ... but by the water and Word of a merciful and loving Savior. As a result, You're no longer your own. Your bodies are members of Christ Himself, [6:15].
We were bought at a price, [v. 20] ... a very costly price: it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, but with the precious blood of Christ, [1 Peter 1:18?19]. Becoming a member of Christ Himself required that Jesus shed His blood! Innocent blood! Holy blood! Life-saving blood!
Living for ourselves, as if we're completely autonomous and in total control is no longer an option ... because we were purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, blood that cleanses us from all sin and purifies us from all unrighteousness, [1 John 1:7, 9]. Our bodies are no longer our own. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, whom we received from God, [v. 19].
In ancient Israel God was present on earth in the Holy of Holies ... locating Himself first in the Tabernacle ... and later in the Temple. Once each year the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and offer the blood of a lamb for the sins of the people. Forgiveness bought at a price!
Then came Jesus, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us as one of us, [John 1:14]. Jesus spoke of Himself as the Temple ... the earthly residence of God. Speaking of His own body Jesus said: Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days, [John 2:19]. Jesus, the Temple of God, offered Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, [John 1:29]. Again, forgiveness bought at a price!
Today each of our bodies is a temple of the Holy Spirit precisely because, the redemption price was paid in full for us through the blood of Christ. We're now called to honor God with our bodies.
The entire life of a child of God is an occasion to glorify Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord with our bodies ...
... in the way we worship and praise Him.
... in the way we live in faithful obedience to His Word and His will.
... in the way we relate to one another and to our neighbor.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do, [Ephesians 2:10].
Martin Luther once said, "If someone were to knock on the door of my heart and ask who lived here, I would say, "Martin Luther used to live here, but he moved out, and Jesus Christ has moved in!'" [as cited in Burguess, Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations, CPH, 1988, p. 181] Who rules your heart and life? Are you stubbornly refusing Jesus His rightful place on the throne of your life by sitting on it yourself? Or, have you, like Luther, moved out and submitted yourself to the Savior's lordship of your life and your body?
You're not whose you may think you are! As a child of God, your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. God grant you the faith and strength to let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds (done through your body) and praise your Father in heaven, [Matthew 5:16]. In the name of Jesus. Amen.