Sermon for this coming Sunday with inspiration and credit to Dr. Kleinig's
book, "Grace Upon Grace".
REVEALING YOUR HIDDEN IDENTITY
Deuteronomy 7:6
A popular theme in storybook literature and in movies over the years has
been one in which the seemingly plain and ordinary character of the tale
turns out to be someone of great significance with a completely
extraordinary hidden identity. Whats more, their true identity combined
with their special abilities enables them to rise up in the midst of the
most difficult challenges in order to win the day. And so, Luke Skywalker
finds out that he is, in reality, a Jedi knight with super powers that
emanate from the Force. And Harry Potter, an orphan who was raised by his
aunt and uncle under demeaning circumstances turns out to be a fantastic
wizard who does battle against an evil lord.
No wonder such stories appeal to peoples interests. Because, almost anyone
and everyone would like to say that they are more than what their ordinary
life portrays them to be. We would like to be special. We would like to be
held in great esteem among others. We would like to have the storybook
life, especially when our lives are filled with challenges and
disappointments.
But while all of those tales are mere make-believe, there is, in fact, a
real-life counterpart to those situations. We hear about it in our Old
Testament reading for today where we are told, you are a people holy to the
LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his
treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the
earth. You have been chosen by God. You are the children of Goda
distinction which is far superior to being a Jedi knight or a renowned
wizard; because this is absolutely true. Its not a fairytale. Its not
make-believe. You really are Gods own treasured possession.
But, like those other stories, there is a similarity in the fact that this
is a hidden truth. Your true identity is concealed, so to speaklike that
treasure that Jesus talks about thats been hidden in a field. Or, as the
apostle Paul talks about us in his letter to the Colossians, where he says,
by virtue of your baptism into Christ that, you have died, and your life is
hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you
also will appear with him in glory, (Col. 3:3,4).
Until that time, however, when the whole world finds out our true identity,
our lives as Gods children, as those who actually carry the life of Christ
inside of us, will remain hidden to those around us. That is because our
sinful nature often portrays a much different picture to others. And, at
times, even to ourselves.
And so, we have a tendency to see ourselvesnot primarily as Gods own
beloved childrenbut as an employee who doesnt get the kind of recognition
that you have earned or deserved. Or, as a spouse, who is mistreated and
taken for granted by your husband or wife. We may see ourselves as
longsuffering parents who are disrespected by our children. Or as a single
individual who has just had his or her heart unfairly broken by their former
boyfriend or girlfriend. Or, perhaps, we are the breadwinner who cant seem
to earn enough to pay all of the bills. Or we are the cancer victim who
cant understand why they should be the unlucky one to have to battle the
disease when others still have their health.
It is so easy for us to look at ourselves mostly in those terms, rather
than, first and foremost, as Gods childrento whom God has given His own
divine assurance that, neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor
things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Rom. 8:38,39).
That is our true identity. That is the real storytotally non-fiction. And
what that reminds us is that when all of those other minor identities are
stripped away (as they most assuredly will be in preparation for our real
eternal life in heaven) then we will realize that all of the things that we
have been worrying about, and fretting over, and allowing to consume our
thoughts and energiesare all matters of which our heavenly Father has been
completely aware. So much so, that, we know that for those who love God
all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his
purpose, (Rom. 8:28).
Yes, God has a purposenot an uncaring god, not a vindictive god, not a
callous godbut the only true God Who gave His Son to die on the cross to
save-you-because-He-loves-you-so-much God, this is the God Who causes all
things to work together for our good.
Our aim, therefore, is to let our true identity as Gods treasured
possession, holy and chosen to Him, shine forth. We do that by getting rid
of whats masking our true identity, standing in the way of our distinction
as Gods children; namely, our sinful nature. Thats where repentance comes
into the picture.
Most people think of repentance as saying sorry for the things youve done
wrong. Its more than that. Its also letting go of who we have tried to
make ourselves out to be; basically as people who become insulted, hurt, and
offended when our egos are attacked.
Gods solution for that problem is found in the waters of Holy Baptism. As
Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism, the Old Adam in us should by
daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil
desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God
in righteousness and purity forever.
That new man is Christ. We have been crucified with Him and, it is no
longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, St. Paul wrote (Gal. 2:20).
Thats who we want people to seenot these selfish individuals who clamor
for attention and who become despondent when things dont go our way.
No, we want our true identity to be seenas those who are able to say, in
the midst of any and all circumstancesI know who I am by the grace of God!
I am Gods own treasured possession! I belong to Him. Nothing is able to
tear me away from His almighty grip upon me. And nothing is able to shake
my confidence in the fact that He will cause all things to work together for
my eternal good.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps
covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his
commandments, to a thousand generations, (Deut. 7:9). In the name of the
Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pastor William Kilps,
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Two Rivers, WI
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