Witnessing to those Engaged in Sinful Lifestyles

Rev. Dr. Mark LarsonDirector United States Ministry

Lutheran Hour Ministries

Current Situation

Sexuality

75 percent of woman 30 and under have cohabited1

Nineteen states have legalized same sex marriage2

75 to 98 percent of college students have cheated3

1http://www.livescience.com/28420-cohabiting-marriage-cdc-report.html2http://gaymarriage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=0048573http://education-portal.com/articles/75_to_98_Percent_of_ College_Students_Have_Cheated.html

Current SituationIndividualism over community

Cable TV

Choose your gender

Symptoms of Post-modernism

Reaction to Enlightenment

No truth – no authority

1http://www.livescience.com/28420-cohabiting-marriage-cdc-report.html2http://gaymarriage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004857

Current Situation

Six Reasons Young Christians Leave the Church4

Response to sexuality seems simplistic, judgmental

Question exclusive nature of Christianity

Church seems unfriendly to those who doubt

4https://www.barna.org/barna-update/millennials/528-six-reasons-young-christians-

leave-church#.U8fSE50o6M8

Current Situation

Six Reasons Young Christians Leave the Church4

Churches seem overprotective

fear based, risk averse

Experience of Christianity is shallow

boring, irrelevant

Church seems antagonistic to science

4 https://www.barna.org/barna-update/millennials/528-six-reasons-young-

christians-leave-church#.U8fSE50o6M8

Essential Question:

What does God want you to say or do?

What can you say without turning people off?

Is it okay to offend people at times?

He does want you to say something!

Biblical Basis

The Law shows our sin and threatens God’s punishment. It requires perfection.

• “For the wages of sin is death ...” Rom. 6:23a

Law Gospel

The Gospel is the Good News that God forgives our sins without good works.

• “…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Rom. 6:23b

The Law is a blessed ministry of death. Its purpose is to kill the Old Adam within us.

• “Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory ...” 2 Cor. 3:7

Law Gospel

The more glorious Gospel is a ministry of life, whose purpose is to give birth to the New Man.

• “… the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory”.

2 Cor. 3:9b

Law and Gospel

The Word of God is not rightly divided when …

Thesis VI: … the Law is not preached in its full sternness and the Gospel is not preached in its full sweetness

Thesis VII: … the Gospel is preached first and then the Law

Thesis VIII: … the Law is preached to those who are already in terror on account of their sins; or the Gospel to those who live securely in their sins

Law and Gospel

The Word of God is not rightly divided when …

Thesis X … the preacher describes faith in a manner as if the mere inert acceptance of truths, even while a person is living in mortal sins, renders that person righteous

Thesis XVI: … the preacher tries to make people believe that they are truly converted as soon as they have become rid of certain vices and engage in certain works of piety.

Law and Gospel

The Word of God is not rightly divided when …

Thesis XVII :… the universal corruption of mankind is described in such a manner as to create the impression that even true believers are still under the spell of ruling sins and are sinning purposely

Thesis XIX: ... the preacher speaks of certain sins as if there were not of a damnable, but of a venial nature

Law and Gospel

The Word of God is not rightly divided when …

Thesis XX: … a person’s salvation is made to depend on his association with the visible, orthodox Church, and when salvation is denied to every person who errs in any article of faith

Thesis XXIII: . . . when an attempt is made by means of the demands or the threats or the promises of the Law to induce the unregenerate to put away their sin and engage in good works and thus become godly…

Law and Gospel

The Word of God is not rightly divided when …

Thesis XXV: … the person teaching it does not allow the Gospel to have a general predominance in his teaching

Biblical Examples: Prophets

Jonah preaches to Nineveh to repent

Jonah – “Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.’”

Jonah 3:4

How did that turn out?What can we learn?

Biblical Examples: Prophets

John preaches repentance to Jewish leaders

John the Baptist – “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’”

Matthew 3:7

How did that turn out?What can we learn?

Biblical Examples: Jesus in John

The Woman Caught in Adultery

Read John 8:3-12

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” v. 7

“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” v. 11

Biblical Examples: Jesus in John

The Woman Caught in Adultery

Thinking about both the Jews and the woman …

How did that turn out?How did Jesus use Law and Gospel?What can we learn?

Biblical Examples: Jesus in John

Nicodemus meets Jesus

Read John 3:1-17

“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” v. 3

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” v. 16

Biblical Examples: Jesus in John

Nicodemus meets Jesus

How did that turn out?How did Jesus use Law and Gospel?What can we learn?

Biblical Examples: Jesus in John

Jesus and the Woman at the Well

Read John 4:5-19

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’” v. 10

“Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband;” for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.’” v. 17b-18

Biblical Examples: Jesus in John

Jesus and the Woman at the Well

How did that turn out?Did Jesus preach the Gospel before the Law?What can we learn?

Practical Suggestions

Strategies for Post-moderns

Community is important

This is WHO WE ARE; we have a unique identity

Narrative over reason

Tell stories (parables!) that reinforce our values

Practices reinforce belief

What the community does to strengthen identity

See It from God’s Perspective

You are not the only one God is using

Member of my former parish

Micah Wilder – ex-Mormon

He is sending you!

He expects you to speak

Your Perspective

Consider your relationship with the person

Your actions must flow from love

Invest in the relationship

Don’t be judgmental; share their brokenness

Listen

Build the Case from a Higher Principle (world view)

Community over individualism

Post-moderns, Millennials value service

Belong, believe, become (in that order)

Sacrifice is better than selfishness

What is the effect of selfish (read sinful) actions on family and children

The Law is Applied in Various Ways

Natural knowledge of God

While imperfect, let it work

God-size hole in the heart

The first use of the Law

Ex.: Promiscuity brings brokenness, even disease

Previous encounters with the Revealed Law

Surprise them!

Think of creative approaches

Jesus took conversations in unexpected directions

Anticipate the “Post-modern Catechism”

Work inductively

Ask questions that help them see their position clearly

“How is that working for you?”

Let the Gospel Predominate For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 1:16-17

Take time, but not too much