In Nomine Iesu

Pastor Thomas L. Rank
Trinity 15
September 4, 2005

Text: Romans 8:18-29
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

THESE ARE YOUR WORDS, HEAVENLY FATHER, SANCTIFY US BY YOUR TRUTH, YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. AMEN.

The tragic effects of Hurricane Katrina have not stopped unfolding before our eyes on the daily news shows. We still have little idea how many of our fellow citizens of the United States lost their lives. We do know that many hundreds of thousands are without homes, shipped to parts of the country where most probably have never been before. They are in strange places, with little money, little of the things we need in this world for our bodies and minds to survive.

In the face of such overwhelming human suffering, many are trying to fix blame or to find out who is responsible. Some Muslims in other countries have applauded Hurricane Katrina as being part of the "jihad" against the United States. Such people are glad that our country has suffered a terrible disaster. Some Christians in this country pointed to an event scheduled for this weekend in New Orleans – it was to be the annual gathering of gays, a gathering of debauchery and perversion – these Christians have claimed that the hurricane was God's punishment on New Orleans for hosting such an event. Others, hoping to find political gain, have said that it is the fault of the president of the United States. Still others, in Germany among other places, have said it is due to global warming, which is caused mostly by our country according to them, since we did not sign the Kyoto Protocol a few years ago.

All of them are wrong. They are wrong because they are blind to what God actually teaches us in His Word. They are wrong because they think God will work to do things the way they want to; or they deny God altogether and imagine that mankind itself has ultimate power in this world.

If you want to trace the cause for Hurricane Katrina, you must draw a line to every single human being born in this world, born as the descendants of Adam and Eve, conceived in sin, born in iniquity. In Genesis 3, which tells us of the very beginning of our woeful condition, we find that wind and water, earth and animals, birds and fish, plants and rocks – not one of them sinned. It was Adam and Eve. And the ground was cursed because of the sin of mankind, that original sin of which we are all part. Creation itself was twisted by our sin, by our perversion of the will of God. That is why St. Paul writes about the groaning of creation, about it suffering birth pangs, about creation being subjected to futility.

God's good creation, the "very good" things He brought about simply by power of His Word, was marred by sin. In the six days of creation everything was perfect. But when Eve took the fruit and ate, and when Adam joined her in eating the forbidden fruit, everything changed. Thorns and thistles would now rise up in the good earth. All things which God had put for the blessing of man and woman now became things that could harm, even kill. The sun which warms the world could now produce the energy to be used for terrible storms. The water which brings life now also drowns and crushes. The wind which cools now blows with the strength to twist and demolish buildings of wood, concrete, and steel.

We do not need to assign this to some false god. We do not need to see this as punishment for some specific sin. We do not need to think that one leader of a country, or even all of us who drive cars and burn wood and use electricity are responsible. No. The responsibility is not so easily put on a few. It is on us all. And these tragic events will never end until the Last Day. For until then the creation is subjected to futility; it waits, anticipating its freedom from our sin. God’s good creation wants to be good, and not to be mutilated by the consequences of our sin. And one day there will be a new creation. God has promised. But not yet. Now we wait here. Now we live in the midst of death, with the suffering. We learn to live in repentance, to confess our sins, to acknowledge that God has the right to be angry with us all, to send eternal tribulations on everyone of us, to persecute us, to curse us with famine.

But despite all this, despite the sin, despite what we deserve, what does St. Paul concludes? "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" God knows His creation. He knows what we go through, what all people endure here. And that is why He sent His only-begotten Son. He did not spare Him, but sent Him on a mission of freedom, freedom bought by the death of this only-begotten Son of God.

Because of this great love of God we can look at tragedies, we can live through our own times of trial and persecution and suffering, and finally confess: "all things work together for good to those who love God."

These words are a strong confession in the face of terrible things. For what we experience, what we witness, what we hear and see on television along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, all of this may tell us that there is no God who loves and cares. But as bad as all of this is, it is nothing compared to what Jesus went through for all the billions of people of the world. And He did it willingly, not because a hurricane that happened upon Him, but by deliberately going to meet His enemies, with all the powers of hell behind them. Jesus did it in order to undo our sin, not only for us, but for the creation. Listen again to St. Paul’s concluding confession of faith here in Romans chapter 8, a confession that points us away from ourselves, to the love of God in our Savior, Jesus:

It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanks be to God! Amen.