St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church
Sermon delivered by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz
April 30, 2006 Easter 31 John 1:8-2:2


If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you may not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.


People of God, rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

Imagine it is early morning—still dark outside. Suddenly the house is on fire! The mommy is sleeping upstairs. Two little girls are sleeping downstairs! There is smoke—choking blinding smoke and there are flames! The little girls holding hands—make it out the front door. The mommy makes it out her second story window—down the side of the house and safely to the ground. But not before the littlest girl realizes—her mommy isn’t out of the house yet. And so she pulls loose and runs back into the house! People tried to save that little person but they couldn’t! The flames were everywhere—the heat too horrible—the smoke too thick and poisonous! This little person perished! How tragic is that? It is a wonder of God’s amazing grace—that Jesus rescued us from the monstrous—unimaginable eternal horror of hell. Jesus rescued us by living without sin—then dying with all our crushing guilt and shame on his head. This 3rd Easter Sunday we thank and praise him. Today the disciple Jesus loved encourages us:

Tell the Truth!
1. Be honest with yourself!
2. Be honest with your Lord!

The part of God’s Word we are concentrating on—is one of those short letters near the end of the Scriptures. The People’s Bible Commentary for this part of God’s Word has James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd and 3rd John and Jude all together. The paperback volume for this part of God’s Word is written by Pastor Mark Jeske—the Pastor who preaches law and Gospel on Time of Grace. You can watch it on Sunday morning—as early as 6:30 in the morning—while you have your breakfast. You can eat your toast with black raspberry jam and enjoy the Bread of Life—sweeter than honey in the honey comb! 1st, 2nd and 3rd John are probably not part of God’s Word that you have turned to frequently—but we are the spiritually poorer if that’s true! There is power and authority in what John writes—because he was an eye witness of all that Jesus began to do and to teach. John heard with his own ears what Jesus taught. John calls Jesus the Word. What a powerful name for the Son of God—the Word—the Word of God—the Gospel promises of God made flesh and blood! That would be Jesus! At first reading what John wrote might seem so simple you might be tempted to think it is the simplistic ramblings of a little grandpa not as sharp as he used to be. And yet—if you meditate on what John wrote you find God’s Word profound in its simplicity. John wrote, “God is love!” Think about that. Not God is full of love—or really loves without condition—or loves all the time. God is love! It isn’t just what he does—it’s what he’s made of. He is through and through love! God’s very essence of his eternal being is love that gives and gives—whether it gets anything in return or not!

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. The first part of God’s Word we are thinking about is a preaching of the law. If we claim to be without sin—we are only fooling our self! I was at the hospital the other day—and two ladies walked past me. They were barely past me when one said, “I am completely lost. I have no idea where I am!” I thought—how odd—just 15 yards ahead was Oklahoma Avenue. I knew that—but maybe she didn’t! I am completely lost. I have no idea where I am! We might think that—but most people wouldn’t say that! We wouldn’t admit we were lost! It’s embarrassing! So we pretend we know—even when we don’t. We don’t say we are perfect—but we certainly like to think we are better than some people we know! I know people who drink more than I do. I know people who curse and swear more than I do. I know people who go to church a lot less than I do. I know people who are even worse than I am in almost every respect. The problem with that way of thinking is—it puts me squarely with the Pharisee who went to the Temple and said a thank you prayer that he wasn’t as nasty as the tax collector who was praying, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” And it was that sinner—not the puffed up self-righteous Pharisee who went home—right with God!

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us! Nobody’s perfect—but it’s tempting to say—it’s not my fault! Little children and sometimes big children say, “He started it! He hit me first!” You see professional football players do it. Somebody hits them from behind—spearing them in the kidney with their helmet—and the next thing you know—they grab their face mask and wrench their neck—pulling them face first to the ground. You see professional basketball players. Somebody hits them in the face with their elbow—and the next thing you know—they grab their jersey and punch them in the head again and again. You don’t even need to start with professional hockey players. And the next thing you know—little people 9, 10, 11 years old are doing it—because that’s what the pros do! Nobody’s perfect—but it’s tempting to say—it’s not my fault! Sometimes people like Zacharias Mousoui say—I had a terrible childhood—moved from one orphanage to another. I can’t imagine how terrible that must be—to lose both your parents—then to be moved from place to place to place to place—where it seems nobody loves you! I can’t imagine how terrible that must be. How that must scar your heart. But in no way does that make it ok to be a terrorist! It’s not ok to cheat on your taxes because everybody is doing it. It’s not ok to speed because we are just keeping up with traffic. It’s not ok to gossip because everyone around the coffee break room is doing it. It’s not ok to push and shove because you refuse to be a door mat. Because people say—nice guys finish last!

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us! Do you always tell the truth? Apparently in California—they have tow trucks—that cruise the freeway—looking for people who have broken down. If you have run out of gas on the California Freeway—they will pull over—ask you if you ran out of gas? And if you say yes—they give you a free gallon of gas. Through the whole state of California—they have like a zillion stranded motorists each day. The problem is—they think people are just pulling over—waiting for the tow truck—then they get a free gallon of gas! Would people tell a lie for $3? Would they look a person in the eye and say they are out of gas when they know they aren’t? Do you say to yourself—I wouldn’t lie for $3! How much would you lie for? A whole tank of gas? A year’s supply of gas? A gallon of gas—if the price keeps going up? When Jesus’ love fills your heart—the truth isn’t for sale—not at any price!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Be honest with your Heavenly Father. Take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror of the law. Not what’s wrong with your spouse or your children or your teacher or your boss or your co-workers or your class-mates. Take a look at your own life. Do you say things that are sarcastic? Some people think sarcasm is clever and funny. It isn’t! Look it up! Sarcasm is mocking to the point of showing contempt! Mocking contempt is quite the opposite of God’s Word which encourages speaking the truth in love! Ephesians 4:15 If we are sarcastic to our spouse it is the opposite of what God’s Word says when it says, “Husbands, love your wives like Christ loved the church.” Ephesians 5:25a If you are sarcastic to our husband this is the opposite of “the wife must show her husband respect!” Ephesians 5:33b If you want to be clever—work at ways to be positive, to encourage and build up and help. Anyone—absolutely anyone can grumble and complain. Anyone can find fault and tear down and criticize! Anyone can be negative. It takes the Holy Spirit—working both love and wisdom in our heart and mind—to make us strong to encourage and build up and help! When you encourage and build up and help—you will be the parent—the teacher—the friend who will change a life and through that life—perhaps change the world!

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Jesus died on the cross—for people who drove down the nice safe streets of Watertown—where the biggest hazard is a squirrel that has run out or a family of ducks—walking slowly on their big orange feet—out into the road. Jesus died on the cross—for the people who live in little villages along the Amazon River. Jesus died for people who will stand along the River bank—trying to make you stop. Then they pick you clean—relieving you of all your supplies—especially the plastic barrels of gasoline! When you refuse to stop on the way in to the jungle—you know for a fact they will be waiting when you try to come back out. The missionary had just started out—when up ahead is one of those dug out canoes—the one man paddling it—waving wildly. He wants a ride—he and his canoe—which will slow them down—and use up their gas faster. What are they to do? The captain of the missionary boat says—put the dugout canoe across their boat—making a huge cross. Down the river they go—around the bend. There are the angry villagers—starting out into the water—threatening, menacing—their canoes already in the water. But wait—there is their friend—waving, smiling, pointing to his dug out canoe—getting a lift. The villagers were caught flatfooted. Here came the missionary—helping one of their own. How could they attack and rob him. In a moment they were passed. The people from the next village too were ready. They had heard the motor. They were primed to make them stop. Here came their neighbor—smiling—waving—motioning them—look out—stand back—we are coming through! Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins—yours, mine, missionaries—and not only ours—but also for the sins of the whole world!

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. That’s lots and lots of people. I grew up in northern Illinois. We were very proud of Abraham Lincoln. We used to spend lots of time studying the Civil War and the Gettysburg Address. I heard the other day that the Civil War cost $3 billion dollars. I also heard it suggested if Abraham Lincoln had let the south secede—it would have done so—but only temporarily. That Lincoln could have bought all the slaves in the south for $500,000 and eventually the south would have joined back with the north—and all that death and destruction could have been avoided! Do you believe that? I never thought of it! The fact is—the Civil War is over. Most people I dare say—don’t know very much about it—at all. I just keep thinking--$500,000—half a million dollars—could have bought back all the slaves? Half a million? That’s half of what one person plays for on Deal or No Deal? Just think of what Jesus paid—to rescue the 6 billion people who are alive right now—once held in slavery to sin and the fear of death. Jesus paid with his sinless life and his innocent blood. Jesus died and rose again—to set us eternally free! He died that we might live. That’s the truth of the Easter Gospel. Amen!