And we are born under the law, as well.
We know how being born under the law played out in Jesus’ life. But what about us? Did Jesus teach us how to manage the law that we might be able to do what the law demands?
A great many voices in churches think so.
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click here to see what Lutherans think about it > Jesus was born under the law…we are born under the law
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Sermon for the 1st Sunday after Christmas, Jan.1, 2012
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Thanks, Pastor Mark.
Thanks to flickr and micahchristensen, for the photo.
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Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon, The Law |
The Old Adam Lives! 
Many thanks and amen to the sermon, Pastor Mark!
Since we are born under the law such as Jesus was, it’s like being condemned to always sit in the back row of earthly life – no chance to improve our situation by ourselves. But our Redeemer paid the price, picked us up and “transferred” us into the first row of (eternal) life, so that we, through faith and baptism, are His children looking to Christ, who is both ahead of the law and ahead of us.
I think the sacraments meet us in our whole human weakness and show us how good Christ is, encountering our human failures with His death and resurrection, His blood and His body. On earth, this is (for me) the visible and tangible assurance of Him being with us and in our midst though His body is in Heaven.
The sacraments strengthen my vulnerable faith when I happen to look too much at the law and they point out to our eternal communion with Christ, being unified with His Body, while we can become one spirit with Him before (1 Cor 6,17).
It is still an invisible, mystic Body of Christ – the Church that is His Bride (Eph 2,21-22). But some day, we’ll see what we now only believe in and we’ll rejoice in Him beyond all measure. That’s my hope.
Cordial thanks for posting it, Steve!
Apropos, up there, is this wonderful illustration picturing the “Sermon on the Mount” (unless I am mistaken)?
God bless
Susanne, you are correct about the painting (photo of such), it is indeed ‘The Sermon on the Mount’…and you are spot on with your comments on law and gospel.
It is a joy to hear (read) how you describe what Christ has done for us.
Thanks, my friend.