A Sermon... CHRISTmas I (Series C) December 27, 2009

Sermon Text: Colossians 3:12-17

Title: “Who’s in the Mirror?”

I.  At first glance we see our sinful selves.

II.  Upon further examination we see Jesus.

THROUGH JESUS WE BECOME

THE PEOPLE WE WERE MEANT TO BE.

Grace mercy and peace from God our Father, and our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

The sermon text is taken from the Epistle lesson just read, I would read again a portion of the these verses…

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I.

           You ever look in a mirror and wonder what other people see?  Do they see the blemishes, the scars, the graying hair, the wrinkles?  Do they see a bitter person, one who is covetous and never thinking of others, always taking, always frowning and scowling?  Or do they see something else?  What do they see?

          What do you see when you look into the mirror?  All of the above?  Some of it?  None of it?  Or do you see something else?  What do you see?

          The sainted Martin Luther speaks of God’s holy Law as being a mirror, a way for us to look at ourselves as we truly are.  And yes, we see in this mirror the physical, the ravaged body of a life lived in this world.  Yes, we see the blemishes and scars.  We see the wrinkles of worry around our eyes.  But it is more a spiritual mirror of which Luther speaks.  He speaks of seeing in our reflection, the true you; the one who skips church, the one who defies mother and father, the one who murders with words, lusts in the mind, and steals.  In this mirror we see the one who lies and cheats and gossips, the one who holds grudges and gets angry at the drop of a hat.  In truth we see one who loves self much more than God and neighbor.

          So in actuality, when we look in the mirror we see sin death and the devil.  We may kid ourselves into thinking that the reflection really shows a kind, gentle soul, but in reality, not so.  In reality we see more of a reflection of the devil than of our LORD.  It’s hard to look in the mirror isn’t it?  In fact we might be tempted to throw all of our mirrors out!

II.

          Do you know what the LORD sees when you look in the mirror at yourself?  He sees you regaled in holiness, a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness, patience.  The LORD sees one who is willing to bear one another’s burdens.  When the LORD looks at you He sees the forgiveness you are willing to give to others.

          Now you must be wondering how the reflection you see and the one the LORD sees can be coming from the same mirror.  Well, there’s one important part that we haven’t discussed yet, and you know what it is don’t you?  We haven’t mentioned Jesus.  Without Jesus God sees the same reflection you see.  Gone is the holiness, the compassionate heart, the kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  Gone is the bearing one another’s burdens, and gone is the forgiveness you have shown to others.  And in fact, something is gone that we haven’t mentioned to this point.  Gone is your forgiveness.

          You see Jesus Christ plays a pretty important role when it comes to the mirror in our lives.  As Martin Luther tells us the mirror shows us our true selves, our fallen nature.  It shows us that we are in need of a Savior.  God’s Holy and inerrant Word shows us that this Savior is none other than Jesus, the babe born in Bethlehem.  And that this tiny Baby would grow to be a Man who knew no sin in His entire life, that this Man would then be nailed to a cross for the sins and transgressions of the world, that this Man would be buried and then three days later would rise from the dead.

          These events of birth, life, death and resurrection are what change our mirror for the good.  Now when the LORD looks upon the mirror He can see the changed person in us – that is through Jesus Christ!  We have been reborn, regenerated, washed clean, transformed – through Christ!  And through Christ Jesus we can now lead holy lives, lives that can be found with a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  We can be found bearing one another’s burdens.  We can be found forgiving others as we have been forgiven. 

          But we can find this only in Jesus.  It is through His cross that these things are made possible for you and me.  It is through the gift of His Holy Spirit that we can begin to do and act in the way the text says today.  We can begin to do as St. Paul writes…

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Jesus also said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”  Through Christ Jesus’ cross and the gift of His Holy Spirit we can be these people.  We have, in the Holy Spirit, the power to do all of this, to love one another as the true brothers and sisters in Christ that we are. 

THROUGH JESUS WE BECOME

THE PEOPLE WE WERE MEANT TO BE.

The peace of the LORD, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

+ Sola Deo Gloria +