Live in Harmony with One Another

The sermon characterized Christians as a "pilgrim people" living in a land that is not their ultimate home. While America is described as a "great and beautiful gift," believers are reminded that they are "exiles" waiting for their heavenly mansions. This creates a tension where the "sinful nature," the world, and the devil constantly attempt to pull believers away from God's Word and toward "debauchery and sin". The core of the sermon focused on the practical instructions for Christian life found in the Epistle reading: Believers are called to "bless those who persecute" them, using the "language of Jesus" to cause the world to question its unbelief. To live in harmony, Christians must "rejoice with those who rejoice" (celebrating national freedoms and military service) and "weep with those who weep" (mourning death, the loss of morality, and political corruption). The congregation was exhorted not to repay evil for evil but to "associate with the lowly" and fight worldly battles with blessing, rejoicing, and the bearing of one another's burdens. These behaviors are only possible because of Jesus Christ, who first lived them perfectly. The sermon highlighted: Jesus has already won the "combat stupendous" against death and the devil, ensuring a joy that cannot be stolen. Just as Jesus washed and fed His followers, He continues to "reach up" to believers today through His Word and the "body and blood" of the Lord's Supper to make them "forgiven and alive". The ultimate example of "overcoming evil with good" was Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.