A Moment Aside for 24 September 2020

 

A Moment Aside ---- 24 September 2020 

A reminder... Pr. John in on holiday this Sunday, so there will not be an On-line Worship Service.

     Debt is something hard to avoid in our time. Many (if not most) homeowners have a mortgage. Lots of people have car payments, credit card payments, student loans, and other such financial obligations. It would be lovely if we could avoid such debts. It would be easier for many of us to sleep better at night.

     For Paul to say “owe no one anything…” may be one thing we might have to take as a rhetorical statement right now. Still beyond the financial and physical debt of modern life, there remain two debts that cannot be discharged. We can pay off our homes, our vehicles, our credit cards, but we cannot not pay the debt we owe to Jesus Christ and the debt we owe to one another as Christians.

     We cannot adequately repay our Savior for what he has given us. Our salvation and redemption are without cost and without a repayable sum. It will take our whole lives to reflect what we owe. The only attitude we might take is actually two-fold: a life of gratitude and a life of love that is based on Jesus’ own life.

     The second part is what Paul is talking about. (The full text of the verses in question are found below. Because of God’s love in Jesus Christ and because of his sacrifice, we are called to love one another. This then is how our debt is handled. God doesn not “need” our repayment. Indeed, Martin Luther put it this way: “God doesn’t need your good works, but your neighbor does.” It is in a life of loving service to our neighbors that our debt is taken care of.

     Does that sound too simple? Sure! It is none-the-less true. Does it sound too hard? It is a hard thing to do and to continue to do. Love of neighbor is not always easy. There are days when it is very, very tough to do. On those days, the forgiveness of God is still available when we fall short.

     …and there is tomorrow.

      Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)