Sermon Index
October 15, 2017
At the time of the Reformation and for the next 500 years, there are a number of themes that have been very important in the Lutheran Church. We even name them in Latin: “Sola Gratia: Grace Alone, Sola Fide: faith Alone, Solus Christus: Christ Alone, Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone.” Today, let’s talk about “Sola Christus: Christ Alone.” A. What is “Christ”? B. Why this theme was important at the time of the Reformation. C. Why it is important for us today.
A. What is “Christ”? The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “messiah” both mean, literally, “the anointed one,” “the one upon whom ointment oil has been poured.” In the Old Testament oil was used in the ceremony when a priest or king or prophet was installed in his office. It was like perfume or cologne which soaked into the skin along with the prayers of God’s blessings soaking into the heart. In the New Testament the word “Christ” means Jesus Christ. He is the one who has been appointed and anointed by the Holy Spirit. His job, his office is to be the Savior. Jesus is the Christ-Savior because he is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Jesus is both God and Man. Therefore he can bear the sufferings of all mankind when on the cross and be the perfect sacrifice to forgive the sin of the world. And in his resurrection he overcomes death and the devil and gives eternal life. That is the work for which the Anointed One was appointed. (Cf. Psalm 23.)
B. At the time of the Reformation, everyone in the church knew and believed that Christ died for their sins and rose for their salvation. But, they thought that that was not enough. The work of Christ alone was not sufficient for salvation. A person had to add to the work of Christ by their own work. This work was good deeds of charity, prayers, worship, offerings, living a good life, and the like. So, salvation was Christ plus me. So when Martin Luther and the Reformers talked about “Christ Alone,” it upset things. This is a similar to “grace alone” or “faith alone.” Of course a Christian does good works and tries to be a good neighbor, but that does not bring salvation, it is the result of salvation. We do good works because Christ has saved us. That is enough. We cannot die on the cross. We cannot fight the devil. Only Christ who is Almighty God can do that. And since He is God, His work is sufficient to save us. Our work has no power for salvation, but it is necessary for our neighbor, our family, and this world.
Ah, but how about the works of the Saints? They were really good people and did more good work than necessary to save themselves, so maybe we could take some of their good works and add it onto our account? And so it was not just Christ, but Christ + your favorite Saint, Christ + Mary, Christ + Purgatory, Christ + works. Martin Luther said that Christ needs no helpers. He is sufficient. Of course he is, he is God Almighty! And likewise, we do not need to pray to the saints, we can pray directly to Christ alone.
1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.”
C. This is important for us today. Last week in a Lutheran newsletter, it said, “In particular, as we observe the 500th anniversary of Luther’s posting of his 95 theses, more than half of all American Protestants say that both good deeds and faith are needed for salvation.” “So many fail to grasp the central tenet of Luther’s teaching.” “Without adherence to “Christ alone with no addenda,” the church’s proclamation too easily defaults to “works righteousness.” “Anything less than Christ alone becomes the futile—and deadly—attempt to justify ourselves apart from faith in the promise of our new creation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
For Lutherans, this is not just head knowledge. This is our way of life. First it is freedom. We are saved by Christ. Christ is with us, “Immanuel.” We are baptized. In the Lord’s Supper, Christ makes his covenant promise to forgive our sin. This is complete salvation, in Christ alone.
There are some things in life that we can do on our own, or with the help of other people. We can eat, we can work, we can study, we can party, we can build, we can love. When there are problems in life, we can take medicine, we can talk things out, we can fight, we can run away. But there is one big problem that can be solved by only Christ alone. It is the three-fold problem of sin, death, and the devil. Only God in Christ can forgive our sin. Only God in Christ can raise us up on the Last Day. Only God in Christ can overcome the devil and hell. As Martin Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress” tells us, our greatest enemy is the devil, “on earth is not his equal.” When the devil attacks us with fear and doubt and anxiety, only Christ can fight for us. Like a knight in shining armor, he is our champion, our savior. When the evil of this world comes – when manmade evil and natural disasters like fires and floods come and take away everything, “goods, fame, child, or spouse,” we are left with only Christ alone. That is pure Gospel. It is pure Gospel with no add-ons. It is Christ alone.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church