The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
\nJanuary 17, 2016
\nI Corinthians 12:1-11<\/p>\n
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.\u00a0 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.\u00a0 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is LORD,” except by the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.\u00a0 There are different kinds of service, but the same LORD.\u00a0 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.\u00a0 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.\u00a0 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kings of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.\u00a0 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.\u00a0 <\/em>(NIV1984)<\/p>\n Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n Who am I?\u00a0 I was born in England in 1725.\u00a0 My father was a sailor.\u00a0 My mother was a very devout Christian who wanted me to become a clergyman.\u00a0 She spent a great deal of time teaching me the truths of the Bible\u2014 until she got sick and died.\u00a0 I was six.\u00a0\u00a0 For the next few years I was raised by my step-mother while my father was out to sea.\u00a0 Then I was sent to a boarding school where I was mistreated.\u00a0 At the age of eleven I joined my father on his ship.\u00a0 I was so disobedient that I was forced to join the Royal Navy.\u00a0 That did not go well.\u00a0 After being whipped for desertion I got traded to a slave ship and began a new career as a slave trader.\u00a0 That did not go well either.\u00a0 I openly mocked the captain by making up obscene poems and songs about him.\u00a0 I was chained in the cargo hold and was then forced to work as a slave in Sierra Leone.\u00a0 My father intervened and got me aboard the ship Greyhound.<\/em>\u00a0 There I gained a reputation for being one of the most profane men the captain had ever met.\u00a0 In March of 1748 we were caught in a horrible storm in the North Atlantic.\u00a0 A ship-mate and I tied ourselves to the pump so that we could try and keep the ship from sinking without getting washed overboard.\u00a0 I told the captain, \u201cIf this will not do, the Lord have mercy upon us!\u201d\u00a0 Two weeks later we landed in Ireland.\u00a0 I had been reading a book entitled The Christian\u2019s Pattern <\/em>which is a summary of Thomas Kempis\u2019 book The Imitation of Christ.<\/em>\u00a0 I kept going back to what I had said to the captain and began to wonder if I was worthy of God\u2019s mercy or in any way redeemable.\u00a0 In 1756 I began to study Latin, Greek and theology.\u00a0 In 1764 I was ordained in the Church of England.\u00a0 Who am I?\u00a0 I am John Newton, the author of the words to Amazing Grace.<\/em><\/p>\n Not only is Amazing Grace <\/em>one of the best known and most beloved hymns in the entire Christian church, but Amazing Grace<\/em> is a hymn that brings out in a very memorable way many Scriptural Truths, including what the Bible teaches concerning conversion\u2014 how<\/strong> a person becomes <\/strong>a Christian.\u00a0 With that in mind, we are going to study our text for today under a theme that comes from Amazing Grace.<\/em> \u00a0Our theme for today is:\u00a0 I Once was Blind\u2014 But now I see!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 We\u2019ll focus on two truths this morning.\u00a0 First, let\u2019s see that because of what God has done for <\/strong>us, because of His amazing grace, we are now able to see Jesus in a whole new light.\u00a0 Then let\u2019s see that because of what God has done for <\/strong>us, because of His amazing grace, we are now able to see ourselves in a whole new light.<\/p>\n John Newton wrote, \u201cAmazing grace\u2014 how sweet the sound\u2014 That saved a wretch like me!\u00a0 I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see.\u201d\u00a0 The Holy Spirit had the apostle Paul pen that very same truth using these words, \u201cYou know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.\u00a0 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, \u2018Jesus be cursed,\u2019 and no one can say, \u2018Jesus is Lord,\u2019 except by the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n While we may be embarrassed to openly admit this, by nature we were all \u201cwretches\u201d in God\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 By nature we were no different from the disobedient, profane, willing-to-trade-slaves-to-make-a-living John Newton.\u00a0 By nature we were \u201cinfluenced and led astray to mute idols.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 By nature we were born spiritually blind.\u00a0 By nature we could not see nor could we say, \u201cJesus is Lord\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 And if we ever begin to doubt how \u201cwretched\u201d people are by nature, all we need to do is open our eyes and look around us.\u00a0 All we need to do is open our eyes and look inside of us.\u00a0 When we turn on the news or pick up the newspaper we see the wretchedness of mankind revealed in murders and robberies and abuse of all sorts.\u00a0 In fact, I\u2019ve already heard warnings about people who are running scams by asking people to donate money for Haiti but keeping the money for themselves.\u00a0 And then, when we look inside of ourselves and see what our own sinful nature is capable<\/u> of doing, we cannot help but join with both John Newton and the apostle Paul and say, \u201cWhat a wretched man I am!\u201d<\/em> (Romans 7:24).<\/p>\n How then did you and I get to the point where we can and do say, \u201cJesus is<\/strong> My Lord and Savior!\u201d<\/em>?\u00a0 John Newton put it this way, \u201cAmazing grace\u2014 how sweet the sound\u2014 That saved a wretch like me!\u00a0 I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see.\u201d\u00a0 God the Holy Spirit had the apostle Paul pen that very same truth using these words, \u201cNo one can say, \u2018Jesus is Lord,\u2019 except by the Holy Spirit<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Through the power of God the Holy Spirit working through Word and Sacrament we have been given the gift of saving faith in our heart.\u00a0 (See Ephesians 2:8-9)\u00a0 That gift of saving faith now enables us to see Jesus in a whole new light!\u00a0 With the eyes of faith we are able to look into the manger at Bethlehem and see that Jesus is the eternal Son of the one and only Living God who came into this world as our true Brother.\u00a0 With the eyes of faith we are able to lift up our eyes to this cross and see that Jesus is the Lord God who loves us so very much that He was willing to suffer and die to pay for our<\/strong> sins!\u00a0 With the eyes of faith we are able to look into the empty grave in the garden and see that Jesus is the Victor over sin, death and the devil who physically rose from His grave to guarantee to me that one day I too will rise from my grave!\u201d<\/p>\n Yes, my friends, the amazing grace that God the Holy Spirit has poured and continues to pour into our hearts through His holy Word and Sacrament does indeed enable us to see Jesus in a whole new light.\u00a0 Once we are given the ability to see Jesus in a whole new light then we are also able to see ourselves in a whole new light.\u00a0 Look at verses seven and eleven of our text.\u00a0 In verse seven Paul says, \u201cNow to each one<\/strong> the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 In verse eleven he says, \u201cAll these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one<\/strong>, just as he determines.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n God the Holy Spirit has given to each and to every one of us at least one<\/strong> spiritual gift.\u00a0 How does that truth enable us to see ourselves in a whole new light?\u00a0 There are two ways to answer that question.\u00a0 First, that truth enables us to look at ourselves in the mirror and say, \u201cI am<\/strong> a gifted child of my heavenly Father!\u00a0 I am<\/strong> extremely valuable in the eyes of the God of heaven!\u201d\u00a0 And so, my friends, if you ever get to a point in your life where for one reason or another you are feeling, how shall we say, \u201cless than valuable\u201d look at yourself from God\u2019s perspective.\u00a0 Not only does God consider you so<\/strong> valuable that He was willing to sacrifice His own Son on the cross to save you from your sins, but the God of heaven considers you to be so<\/strong> valuable that He entrusted you with at least one of His spiritual gifts.<\/p>\n Secondly, the fact that you are valuable in the eyes of the God of heaven automatically means that you are also a valuable member of His family here on this earth.\u00a0 Someone once told me that every day that we wake up and find ourselves still here on this earth means that there is something that God wants us to do for Him.\u00a0 There is some way in which we can use the spiritual gift God has given to us, some way that we can bring glory to our Savior God and benefit to our brothers and sisters in the faith.\u00a0 See yourself the way God sees you, my friends.\u00a0 Not only will you see how valuable you are, but you will also see that you have a purpose\u2014 a meaningful purpose\u2014 for being here on this earth.<\/p>\n Who am I?\u00a0 While I have no idea how John Newton would have answered that question before God poured His amazing grace into John\u2019s heart\u2014 I am quite confident that I know how John Newton would have answered that question after God\u2019s amazing grace took away his \u201cblindness\u201d and gave him the ability to \u201csee.\u201d\u00a0 Along with his friend and poet William Cowper, John Newton wrote hundreds of hymns.\u00a0 Our hymnal contains a number of them.\u00a0 Four of those hymns are a part of our worship service today.\u00a0 John Newton wrote the words to \u201cCome, My Soul, with Every Care<\/em>.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 He wrote the words to \u201cHow Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.\u201d<\/em>.\u00a0 He wrote the words to \u201cMay the Grace of Christ Our Savior.\u201d <\/em>And most importantly, he wrote the words to our main hymn for today\u2014 \u201cAmazing Grace.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n My prayer this morning, my friends, is twofold.\u00a0 First, I pray that every time you sing \u201cAmazing Grace\u201d<\/em> that you will remember why John Newton was able to say, \u201cAmazing grace\u2014 how sweet the sound\u2014 That saved a wretch like me!\u00a0 I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see.\u201d\u00a0 Secondly, I pray that you will always remember how well the words of \u201cAmazing Grace\u201d<\/em> describe what God has done for <\/strong>you!\u00a0 Because of what God has done for <\/strong>you, because of His amazing grace, you are now able to see Jesus in a whole new light.\u00a0 Because of what God has done for <\/strong>you, because of His amazing grace, you are now able to see yourself in a whole new light.\u00a0 May God\u2019s amazing grace always lead us to say:<\/p>\n To God be the glory!<\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Second Sunday after the Epiphany January 17, 2016 I Corinthians 12:1-11 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.\u00a0 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.\u00a0 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, 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