Intro Niles could be a demanding man. This is no surprise to those who knew him. Donna knew and lived it since she married Niles in 2007. Yet, Donna also saw a softer and gentler side of Niles that many of you may have not seen. I even had a chance to experience such from Niles, especially as his health waned and he spent his last few weeks at Table Rock Nursing Home.
In his former, working years, Niles was an electrical engineer. Electrical engineers can work in many areas, but Niles never told me any specifics about his work. Yet, electrical engineers are practical; they test equipment and solve problems. That was Niles in a nutshell. He was that way when he was on the Board of Trustees for our congregation. He didn’t mess around. He told you what he thought. And if he disagreed with you, he let you know, as well. Main Body Some people can strongly disagree with you and yet remain friends. That was tough for Niles to do. He lived what he thought and said what he thought. And during the last few weeks of his life, when his body was failing him, when whatever he ate made him feel nauseous, it was hard for him to be gracious. He let the nurses and aides at Table Rock know. He let Donna know. He let me know. But Niles would also let me see other parts of his life when I would visit him. I remember, in particular, when Niles was feeling talkative one day, he told me that it was ridiculous for him to be in the nursing home. That was his emotions talking. But then I asked Niles, “Why were you brought here?” And then Niles told me about falling down and being unable to get up. And then I asked, “Was Donna there to help?” And Niles said, “Oh, yes. But she couldn’t get me up. She had to call the ambulance.” And then I saw in Niles’ eyes that he knew exactly why he was there. He was too weak to walk, and he needed to get stronger to go home. But Niles never got stronger. He continued to weaken. And it was then that Niles told me that he wished he was a nicer man. He said he didn’t want to be so rough on the nurses and aides at Table Rock. He said he wanted to treat Donna better. He was ashamed of how he spoke to her and treated her. He told me, “I don’t want to be that way. I want to be nicer, but I don’t know why I can’t be that man!” And so Niles realized what the Apostle Paul told us in our Epistle reading. “I do not understand what I do. I do not do what I want to do; instead, I do what I hate.” Niles recognized the sinful nature in him twisting and turning him in ways he didn’t want to go. He could agree with St. Paul: “I have the desire to do what is right, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but instead do the evil that I do not want to do.” Niles wanted to serve God and neighbor, but he also realized how the wants of the sinful flesh had imprisoned him. Paul made that same point in Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so you don’t always do what you intend to do.” And Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Ah, so what Niles shared with me that day is the reality of the Christian life: It’s a struggle. The reality of the Christian life is not a simple case of following a set of rules and everything works out right. If that were true, then the Ten Commandments would be enough. If that were true, then the Old Testament would’ve had no need to prophesy of a coming Messiah who would make right what our sin had made wrong. If the Law of God were enough, then knowing what pleased God would be enough for us to do that. But that’s not how the Christian life works. It didn’t work that way for Niles. It didn’t work that way for the Apostle Paul. And it doesn’t work that way for you, either. And so we are stuck in the continuous cycle of never fully getting it right. We always mess up. It just a matter of when and by how much. And so with Niles, we, too, cry out with Paul: “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” It’s interesting to know what the Apostle Paul then doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Oh, you just need a better strategy to reform and change.” Paul doesn’t say, “Oh, you just aren’t trying hard enough.” He doesn’t say, “You just need more principles to guide you in your daily living.” He makes none of those statements. Paul doesn’t say such words because such words would only be throwing more crap onto the pile of manure. The solution is to bring all your messes to Jesus and let Him clean them up. And that’s what Paul says. What does Paul say after he calls himself a wretched man? He says, “Thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul was pointing to Jesus. Jesus is the solution. If you’re not sure that Jesus is the solution, then read through the New Testament book of Romans. In chapters 1-2, Paul shows that we are all condemned before God because of our sin. This is true whether you buy into the Christian message or not. This is true whether you try to follow the Ten Commandments or whether you are an outright pagan. For the remnant of the God’s Law still written in our hearts won’t be fully silent when we’ve done something wrong. That’s why some people drink and do drugs to cover up the guilt. That’s why we as a culture keep trying to convince ourselves that what is wrong isn’t wrong. Then Paul says in Romans, chapter 3, that everyone is accountable to God--even if someone denies it. But then the glorious truth of Christ shines in all its glory: Through faith and trust in Jesus, someone is righteous and in good standing with God. That’s why Paul says in Chapter 5 that, through faith, we have been made right and so we have peace with God (Romans 5:1). But what does that peace with God entail? It lets us bring all our garbage to God and He gives us forgiveness and wholeness in its place. This swap, this exchange, is a continuing reality for the Christian; it goes on until the day you die. And that starts taking place in Romans, chapter 6. That’s the chapter, which is part of our funeral liturgy, that tells us that baptism connects us to Jesus’ crucifixion and death--but also to His resurrection! And so Paul teaches that faith and baptism go together. They are joined at the hip. Baptism is God’s ritual where He washes your sin away and gives you Christ’s righteousness. Baptism lets us cry out and say, “My sin may make me a loser, but God still loves me.” It lets us cry out, “I may be a loser because of my sin, but God makes me a winner in Christ Jesus.” It lets us say, as Paul said in Romans, chapter 7, “Thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Like Niles, you might see what is wrong--and you should. But in Christ, God sees what is right. As Jesus called out, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). So we live all our days with an inner battle, but we know that, in Christ, we will be victorious. Niles is now living free from sin, at the cusp of full victory, for, like us, he still awaits the resurrection of the body on the Last Day. That’s when Niles’ body and soul will be joined for all eternity. Right now, only Niles’ soul is with God. And so, even now, Niles is still living in the faith, awaiting the fullness of his salvation, when he will be both a sinless body and soul. So, what are we to make of Niles right now? Ah, the book of Hebrews tells us. Hebrews, chapter 11, is the chapter that lists the heroes of the faith. It starts long ago, telling us of God’s Old-Testament saints, such as Abel, the son of Adam and Eve. It then moves forward in time, telling us about Abraham and, later, Moses. It even mentions martyrs in the Old Testament Apocrypha book of Second Maccabees. Then Hebrews exclaims about all the saints who have died in the faith: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us” (Hebrews 12:1). Conclusion Niles is now part of that great cloud of witnesses encouraging us to run the race of faith. He knew what it was to fail and not live out the faith as he would’ve liked. He was in good company, for he was in the company of the Apostle Paul. He was also in our company, as we also struggled (and struggle) to live out and run the race of faith. Now, Niles is exclaiming: “Oh, if you only knew what eternity is like you would never grow weary of running the race of faith! Run the race! Press on! For your true home in eternity is worth more than anything you may ever have to endure.” Amen. -- Rich Futrell, Pastor Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Kimberling City, MO http://sothl.com Where we receive and confess the faith of the Church (in and with the Augsburg Confession): The faith once delivered to the saints, the faith of Christ Jesus, His Word of the Gospel, His full forgiveness of sins, His flesh and blood given and poured out for us, and His gracious gift of life for body, soul, and spirit. _______________________________________________ Sermons mailing list Sermons@cat41.org http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
