Eternal Life Is Our Inheritance
What can I do?
Our desire to save ourselves is inherent in us but comes from our sinful nature; that is the old Adam. We think if we just do the right things or say the right words; we can gain eternal life. We see it in so many Christian denominations – works righteousness, prosperity gospel, pietism, and more. It seems feasible to our rational minds. If I do this, then I get a reward. And while that may work in some areas of life, it fails us miserably when it comes to faith and eternal life.
Every Sunday morning, when we confess our sins, we start with, “I, a poor miserable sinner”. We say this because we sin every day, all day long, consciously and subconsciously. There is absolutely no way we can earn our redemption or eternal life.
So in today’s sermon, we hear the lawyer ask “what can I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus goes on to explain it fully but the simple answer he gives is “love your neighbor”. Yet, we fail at that too. Thankfully, an inheritance is given or granted; it is not earned. It is an act by the testator. Romans 8:17 tells us, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” An heir is a passive receiver. We, the heirs, receive it by no act of our own.
Thanks be to Christ!
Here is today’s sermon text from Luke 10:
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
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Here is the video of the service. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97D_1Gfr298