Sermon - Advent Midweek III - 2021 - Titus 3

What is a Christian congregation? Why are we here and what brings us together? Those are important questions for us to answer today, and thankfully they’re answered in chapter 3 of Titus. Chapter 1 we learned that this wicked world is reformed through the Word of God. Chapter 2 we learned that this wicked world is reformed when the Word of God is applied to the household and men and women live according to their God given stations in life. Here in chapter 3 we learn that the Word of God, through baptism, forms and shapes the Christian congregation.

The mistake we often make is that we assume the Christian congregation is akin to the clubs and groups that we form. These groups are formed because of mutual interest and similarities among the members. A book club is made up of people who like to read books and talk about them. A garden club is made up of people who like plants and grow them. Service organizations like Rotary or Kiwanees or Lions are composed of people who like to do community service and listen to speakers. Those are all just fine groups and those are all valid reasons to be in those groups.

But the church is not a club. We’re not a congregation because we all share the same interests, have similar personalities, or have a ton of stuff in common. We’re not a congregation because of us, but because of what God has done for us. Hear what St. Paul writes: “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

The Christian congregation is the assembly of believers who have been baptized by Jesus, live according to God’s Word, feed upon the Lamb of God, and are forgiven through the bloody sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We are united not because of works done by us in righteousness, but by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit; we’re united through baptism! God has made us His children through holy baptism, and as such we are part of His family, we are part of His body.

So the church is much more similar to a family or a body, than it is to a club. A club is composed of many similar people. But families and bodies are composed of many dissimilar parts. A toenail and a spleen operate and look very different, but they’re both part of the same body. In a family you have men and women, adults and children, and a plethora of personalities, yet just one family. Similarly in a congregation, we have many different personalities, families, skills, ages, abilities, preferences, and temperaments, yet just one congregation.

The congregation is united not because they’re all similar, but because they’ve all been forgiven their sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They are a group of believers, heirs according to the hope of eternal life. They assemble together on earth because they will likewise assemble together in heaven because they’re all united in the grace received at baptism. 

St. Paul even admonishes us to focus on these things which unite us. “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.” We have been regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit through baptism, we are new people. Therefore, let us live in and according to our baptism so that we could abide together in His grace.

He also admonishes us to avoid those things which divide us. “Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

 Congregations are quick to become embroiled in foolish controversies, likely because we’re all different people with unique personalities and preferences. It’s easy to have quarrels when we have different opinions on politics, tastes, and priorities. (Consider how easy it is to fight about masks and vaccines.) We’re also warned against genealogies, which we might find strange, but consider how many congregations are made up of just a few families, and if you’re not in “the family” then you’re an outsider at church.

Those arguments and divisions need to be avoided, because they’re foolish, unprofitable, and worthless. Should we talk about these things? Yes! Most definitely! But fighting about it is stupid. No good will come from that.

Similarly, those who stir up divisions ought to be avoided. Those who depart from the Word of God and the clear teachings are warped and sinful. Divisions are necessary, Jesus tells us, because it teaches us to rightly recognize the truth. So those who have departed from the truth ought to be avoided. Remember, we’re united in baptism and the Word of God, and if someone rejects those things then we’re not united.

But in all this we’re encouraged by, and pointed to, the one thing which does unite us and bring us together: the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior. We’re heirs of eternal life and united in the blessed waters of holy baptism. So find hope in your baptism! Let this baptismal font be a constant visible reminder that you belong here because of these waters. When you pass by, dip your fingers into the water and remember who you are. Make the sign of the holy cross remembering who you belong to. We’re a Christian congregation, united in baptism into the love of God in Christ Jesus. From these waters let us never depart, because it is these waters that join us to Christ and to one another.