Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 24, 2021)

1 CORINTHIANS 7:29-31

CRAVE WHAT IS PERFECT, NOT WHAT IS PASSING AWAY.

In the name + of Jesus.

      You likely have heard the phrase, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.”  You will rarely get what is perfect.  It is, practically speaking, unattainable.  Still, we want the perfect moment, the perfect sunset, a perfect marriage with perfect children, perfect health, and so on.  Whoever waits for these will be forever disappointed.  If you are waiting for the perfect job, you will probably never accept an offer for one.  But that doesn’t mean such things can’t be good.  Your moments, your marriage, your children, your job, and your health can all be good, and God can be praised for it.

     It is different, however, in the kingdom of God, especially in regard to the goal of our salvation.  We are not waiting for a heavenly kingdom that will be “good enough.”  It will be perfect.  There will be no sin, no struggles, no stress, and no sadness.  We will always have joy, peace, security, and rest.  These blessings will not be tainted.  The perfection will not get interrupted.  It will be the Paradise that our Lord always intended us to have; and God himself will be with us.  We will marvel at God, but we will not hide from him.  We will welcome him as a friend.  This is not fantasy; these are divine promises.  So, crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     When we read St. Paul’s instruction to the Corinthians, it might seem that St. Paul is telling us to abandon our responsibilities and our associations with everybody.  They are bold words, to be sure.  “This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short.  From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.  For the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31) 

     This world in its present form will come to an end.  Or it may be that your end comes before this world ends.  In either case, everything in this world has an expiration date.  In some cases, you will be able to rejoice and say, “Good riddance!”  Good riddance to the bitterness produced by politics.  Good riddance to the righteous anger whereby people try to establish how noble they are, rage against some injustice (whether real or perceived), and vilify people who have different opinions.  Good riddance to every heart-breaking loss.  Good riddance to every ache, itch, cramp, and blemish.

     But the end of all things also means the end of good things.  St. Paul said, “Let those who have wives live as though they had none.” (1 Corinthians 7:29)  Anyone who has enjoyed a good, strong marriage does not want it to end.  But they all do when death finally separates them.  St. Paul said, “Let those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing.” (1 Corinthians 7:30)  God gives us many reasons to rejoice.  We rejoice over our families, our friends, promotions, recognition, and accomplishments.  These are great blessings which fill life with pleasure and purpose.  But they will come to an end, too.  St. Paul advises, “Let those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.” (1 Corinthians 7:30-31)  God gave us this creation to use and to enjoy.  Some of it is luxury; some of it is necessity.  But all of it will pass away.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ issued a number of warnings about clinging to the world.  Jesus referred to Lot and his family when they were told to flee from Sodom.  Sodom had been marked for destruction because of the great sins that stood against it.  God sent angels to get Lot out of the city, but he dragged his feet.  Even if Lot was repulsed by the wickedness of Sodom, he still had a home and friends there.  He was reluctant to let it go.  Finally, the angels grabbed him and his family by the hand and pulled them out.  But against the word of the Lord, Lot’s wife turned back to watch the destruction of the city.  She perished immediately.

     Therefore, Jesus warned: “Just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building (and these were all good and necessary to sustain life), but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. (Luke 17:28-30,32-33)  Understand that we will take nothing with us from this world.  Therefore, Jesus urges you not to cling to it.  For, even if it is good and provides blessing, it will not save you.  Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     In the world, we do not want perfect to be the enemy of good.  Your blessings do not need to be perfect to be good.  But when it comes to the kingdom of God, do not let good become the enemy of perfect.  If you have a wife or a husband, it is good for them to love and honor each another.  If you buy goods, it is because you need them or because they make your life nicer.  No one needs scented candles, but they make the house smell nice. If you make use of this world, it is for the good of your family and your fellow man.  But if you only care for the good that you receive in this world, you may forfeit the perfection that God has set apart for you.  Beware, because this is what many people do.  But you: Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     We all love this world more than we want to admit.  We invest much energy into what is passing away, trying to accumulate, protect, and preserve as much of it as we can.  But this is what the Lord says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:33)  If it will all pass away, how could we ascribe more value to it than to the word of the Lord which endures forever?  Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     The word of the Lord is perfect, true, and eternal.  It protects, guides, comforts, encourages, and saves.  It delivers to you everything that Jesus Christ has done for your sake.  Only Jesus can save you from a corrupted world which is passing away and in which you will die.  Jesus died on a cross outside of Jerusalem to pay for your sins, but you will not find forgiveness just by visiting Jerusalem.  Jesus conquered death by his resurrection, but you will not find eternal life taking a tour of the site.  Jesus delivers his salvation only through the word which is preached and which is attached to the sacraments.  There, Jesus doesn’t just talk about the forgiveness of sins, he applies it.  There, Jesus doesn’t just refer to purification of sins; rather, he cleanses you in baptism and presents you as holy to God the Father.  There, Jesus doesn’t just speak about the atoning sacrifice; rather, in holy communion he delivers to you the body and blood which have paid for sin and which have risen to live forever.  

     Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.  The perfect life of Jesus was lived on your behalf.  By his perfect life, Jesus rejected any idea of establishing a kingdom on earth.  Even if governing officials were corrupt or religious leaders were hypocrites, Jesus did not come to build a new capitol building or a more impressive cathedral.  He came to have mercy upon sinners, to heal the sick, and to seek in the lost, to take away sins, and to destroy death.  Jesus’ ministry shows us that the kingdom of God is nothing like this world.  Earthly governments rise and fall.  Church buildings can be destroyed, and church bodies can teach false doctrine.  None of them is perfect, and all of them pass away.  The kingdom established by Jesus, however, endures forever.  His word endures forever.  And all who believe in that word shall live forever with Jesus in his kingdom.  Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     “The appointed time has grown very short.  From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.  For the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)  Do not let good be the enemy of perfect.  The things St. Paul mentions are, for the most part, good.  There is no shame in any of them.  But all of them are temporary, no matter how good they are.  You will bid farewell to them at some point in time.  So, you ought to be ready and willing to do so.

     But do not forsake or neglect or even think lightly of Jesus’ words and sacraments.  Even when you lose everything in this life, you still have not lost God’s mercy, salvation, forgiveness, and hope.  The only way you lose these is if you forsake hearing God’s word.  If you forsake hearing God’s word, faith will eventually die.  Sure, you can still remember facts about the Bible.  You are not saved by knowing facts, but by faith in Jesus’ promises.  Faith not only came by hearing the word, but faith continues to come as you continue to hear God’s word.  Faith is only sustained and strengthened by God’s word and sacraments.  Therefore, these are paramount.  As we have vowed in our confirmation rite, we should be willing to suffer everything, even death, rather than fall away from the teachings that God reveals to us.  Eventually, you will suffer death, but whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but has eternal life.  Whether you die wealthy or poor, married or single, rejoicing or weeping, that won’t matter.  It will all pass away.  But our Lord will save all who cling to his word and yearn for the perfect Paradise of God.  Therefore, crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     On the Last Day, our Lord Jesus will return.  This world in its present form will pass away.  Better than that, it will be perfected.  St. Peter wrote, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Peter 3:10)  This is a fire that will refine and purify the world from every evil.  We will be raised up with new, perfected bodies, and we will receive a new heaven and a new earth.  In this new, eternal home, we will not just have all things good, but perfect.  The Lord Jesus will be with us, and we will be with him in his kingdom.  Neither his kingdom nor his word nor his glory will fade or pass away.  These endure forever; and we will endure because of him and with him.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.