United in Christ, not in Sin

In our reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans we, as usual, only get Paul’s response to an argument or behavior of those he is writing to. It seems that, as the first line possibly indicates, he is responding to some who say, “If grace is so wonderful, then we should sin because the more we sin, the more grace that we will receive.” This is wrong, Paul tells us. It is wrong because it is comparing apples to oranges. Sin is a power over us. Grace is a gift given to us. Sin controls us, making us do wrong and live our lives in evil. Grace is the freedom to choose good over evil, to answer God’s call and live lives that are full of love and care for others. 

But Paul is not talking only about decision making, he is calling Christians to the new life given to them by Christ. That life is the life knowing that whatever happens you are always in the presence of Jesus. Let me be clear here. Paul is not telling us that life will be easy for us. It certainly was not easy for the early Christians. They were persecuted for their faith. Jesus’ warning in Matthew is an example of this. In fact, as I said last week, Matthew might have emphasized the struggles between family members in his gospel because it was happening in his community. The Christian faith was dividing families. Jeremiah gives a good description of what it sometimes means to answer God’s call. He was being made fun of and mocked. There were threats on his life. And when he tried to withhold God’s words it was like a fire burning within him. All three of our texts today are a reminder that to be God’s own does not guarantee an easy life. What is guaranteed is that God will not abandon you despite who you are, your mistakes and foibles. 

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” Jesus asks. Yet God knows when they fall down. So you need not fear, for you are more valuable than many Sparrows. That is the difference between sin and grace. Sin is not knowing the joy and love of God. Grace is living your life in the presence of God. Able to take all your cares and worries, your burdens and troubles, and lay them at the feet of Jesus and he will lift you up. It is because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that we are able to live our lives as the children of God. We may, at times, be like Jeremiah and try to hide our faith or, like the Romans, think all about what we ourselves receive. We may even, sometimes, doubt. It is in those times that Jesus bends closer to us to whisper the Spirit of truth into our lives and remind us that, since we have already received that gift of eternal life, we need not fear or worry about ourselves, what we have or do not. But now we are able to pray and believe for others so that they, too, may experience Jesus as we have. 

You who have been washed in the waters of Baptism and made whole now are called, just like Jeremiah, Paul and the apostles, and all the saints before us to put down our worldly ways, our selfish desires, and sinful life and take up our cross and follow Jesus. We can do no better than to follow Jesus into a life of servanthood, compassion, and love for the world around us and the people we see everyday.