Title: The Means of Grace

"This word is the good news that was preached to you." Christ is risen! Alleluia!

As you reflect on dear old mom, today, remember when Mom worked with you on your catechism homework. When you studied the petition of the Lord’s Prayer, "Thy kingdom come," you learned that there are three kingdoms, two of which are in this lifetime.

First, there is the Kingdom of Power. The Kingdom of Power is all of creation. Thus, all people live in the Kingdom of Power. Then, there is the Kingdom of Grace. The Kingdom of Grace is the Christian Church. Thus, only Christians live in the Kingdom of Grace. Thus, you live in both kingdoms that exist on earth.

The two kingdoms of power and grace indicate how they are governed. The Kingdom of Power is governed by law and punishment; the Kingdom of Grace is governed by love and forgiveness. The two kingdoms could not be more different.

To the Kingdom of Power, the Lord has appointed mankind to govern himself. As Jesus Christ governs the Church by the Means of Grace—the Gospel and the two Sacraments of Baptism and Communion—He also governs the world by means: through the laws of man.

The Kingdom of Power requires laws so that we know our boundaries, and so that we know the punishment that is due us when we trespass those boundaries. The basic laws of the world—these are commandments four through ten; think of them this way: to mind all who are in authority, to mind the lives of others, to mind our mouths, and to mind our hearts—these commandments the Holy Trinity wrote on the hearts of every human being. From these basic laws, man devises specific laws to fit life’s many circumstances.

I say all of that to give you correct biblical understanding of last week’s killing of Osama bin Laden, because there is a lot of confusion among us. Were we justified in killing this man, who had cheerfully admitted to his integral role in the 9/11 murders of about three thousand innocent people, not to mention other crimes? Yes, we were justified. Here’s why.

In Romans chapter thirteen, the Holy Spirit led Paul to teach us that God has instituted all government. Thus, when you resist the laws of governments, you are resisting God. Thus, when you murder, you have earned the proper punishment for murder.

Also in Romans thirteen, the Lord tells us that governments have the right to take the lives of those who take life: "If you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the evildoer."

Right after Noah got off the ark, the Lord gave him a few basic laws for living. This was before the Lord gave the Ten Commandments to Moses; these are laws for all time. Here is how seriously we humans are to consider the lives of our fellow man: "I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed. For God made man in his own image."

When I got to religion class, last Monday, the kids asked me if God were happy that bin Laden was killed. I told them, no, God wasn’t happy. Jesus died for him just as much as Jesus died for us, and He doesn’t want anyone either to be killed or to be damned. But, God did, indeed, approve of the killing. He gave us authority to take the lives of those who take life, who destroy the peace, who put us in harm’s way.

The Kingdom of Power is governed by power. The best way to learn this is to break the law.

The Kingdom of Grace is governed by love, even for you who constantly break the law—who break God’s commandments and the laws of the government. While you might be punished for breaking the laws of the land—a fine for speeding, a loss of certain rights for a felony conviction, a loss of freedom when it is judged that you need imprisonment—for breaking the laws of God, you will never be punished.

That’s what Christmas is about: God the Son taking on your flesh and blood for the purpose of taking the punishment for your sins. That’s what Good Friday is about: Jesus Christ sacrificing Himself so that "it is finished"—the debt you owe to God has been paid in full by the sacrifice that Jesus made. And, that’s what Easter is about: Jesus’ resurrection is His Father’s seal of approval upon His Son’s crucifixion, vindicating Him to glory.

Now, Jesus’ ascension to heaven is all about this: His governing the Kingdom of Grace, the Church on earth, with His Means of Grace.

The Gospel comes first. This is what we heard from First Peter: "This word is the good news that was preached to you." To what good news is Peter referring? Earlier, he said, "You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as sliver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ." This is the Gospel, which is the first thing to go out to the ears of mankind, in which the Holy Spirit converts dead hearts to living faith in the Savior of the world.

Sticking with sermons from Peter, we proceed to the first lesson, where we heard Pete’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended to the apostles in order to fill the Christian Church with faith in Christ.

Peter first preached the Law, telling the Jews that it was they who had crucified Jesus. At this, the Holy Spirit convicted them of their sins. But, God the Father had no interest in meting out earthly punishment—that was the purpose of Jesus’ death: to pay for their sins. Instead, the Holy Spirit’s convicting them was for the purpose of opening their hearts to believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Peter told them to repent of their sins. Then, he told them to be baptized. Again, here is a key teaching from your catechism: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Note the key teachings. God calls you; you don’t come to Him. Baptism gives—it gives the Holy Spirit so that you can believe in Jesus, and it gives the ongoing forgiveness of sins. And, we baptize adults and babies, for the promise is for us and for our children.

So, the Means of Grace go this way. First, the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s life and death and resurrection is proclaimed, opening hearts to God the Father’s love in Christ. Then, baptism seals in the believer Christ’s gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

That’s all you need, right? Yes it is, but Jesus is so generous, He provides more than simply hearing and feeling, He also gives eating and drinking. The Lord’s Supper is, perhaps, the most intimate of the three Means of Grace, as you are privileged to eat and drink the same body and blood that was born of the virgin Mary, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.

The Gospel lesson, while not a specific teaching about Communion, has insight into the action. On Easter night, Jesus walked with two men, who had not yet heard about His resurrection. After the Lord explained the Scriptures to them, upon arriving home they invited Him to stay with them. They sat down to eat. Jesus, being the guest, had the honor of giving thanks for the food.

When Jesus took the bread and gave thanks, the eyes of the men were opened and they recognized Jesus. With joy, they immediately left to tell the good news to the disciples.

And, that is a huge reason for Jesus giving you His body and blood in this meal. In your joy of seeing Jesus, through the eyes of faith which you have by the calling of the Gospel and the washing of Holy Baptism, you are keen to tell the world what Jesus has done for you.

You are keen to share with all who only live in the Kingdom of Power that there is a Savior who took all punishment for every law ever broken.

You are keen to share with them that there is a Kingdom of Grace, where the law that reigns supreme is the law of love, through the forgiveness, life, and salvation of Jesus Christ.

When you pray, "Thy kingdom come," your prayer includes the coming of the third kingdom of Christ, His Kingdom of Glory, when you will raised from the dead to live forever in His Paradise, only because of what He has already accomplished: Christ is risen! Alleluia! Amen.