Sermon - Proper 17, Year C, 2025 - Hebrews 13:1-17

Christ on the Cross with the Virgin and Saint John, Jan van Eyck, 1435

The Holy life of a Sanctified Congregation

1. The blood of Jesus sanctifies us, and therefore

2. We are united in Jesus as a Sanctified family

3. As a sanctified family, we mutually live holy lives

We had a phenomenal celebration a few weeks ago to celebrate our 75th anniversary. Lots of memories from the past few generations of Christians who have been a part of this congregation. The stories and memories of the events and activities are absolutely delightful! I love learning more about what makes this congregation what it is and what has been done. But the trouble about memories is that they’re in the past, and while it can be fun to engage in nostalgia, you can’t bring it back. 

However, the incredible thing about celebrating a congregation’s anniversary is it’s not just about the memories of bygone days, but it’s a reminder of why our forefathers built this congregation from the bus barn up, and why this congregation should continue to exist in Mankato for another 75 years. “So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood.” This is the heart of Christianity and the fountain of grace from which our holy congregation has drunk deeply for 75 years. The blood of Jesus Christ sanctifies us as the sacrifice for sin. This fountain of grace found only in the sacrifice of Jesus is why our forefathers planted this congregation, and why this congregation should continue to endure for generation after generation.

St. Paul says:“We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.” Among God’s holy people in the Old Testament, the Lord had established a sacrificial system of temple, altar, priests, and sacrifices. These sacrifices were made by the priests first at the tabernacle, which was more or less a fancy tent, then later the temple. They were performed on account of the sins of God’s people, because in order to atone for the debt of sin, there must be death and blood must be shed.

Most powerfully on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a bull and a goat were killed, and the blood sprinkled in the temple. Another goat bore the sins of the people and it was sent into the wilderness to bear their iniquities. The bull and the goat which were sacrificed were then taken outside of the camp and burned up completely so that the priests could not eat their meat. These sacrifices were made to atone for the sins of the people, and yet, none of the blood of goats and bulls could fully atone for their sins.

But Jesus, true God and true Man, came as the high priest to offer the one final sacrifice and He offered Himself as the spotless lamb of God. Unlike the Yom Kippur goat, Jesus was taken outside of the camp of Jerusalem and killed, shedding His blood as the sacrifice for sins for all. Instead of being burned, His body was buried and then raised from the dead, so that His body may be offered as food and drink for us to eat and drink from this altar. So all of the sacrifices made among the Hebrews were fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus.

His blood has been shed in order to cleanse you of all of your filthy sin. His blood sanctifies you, purifies you from all of your iniquities, so that you may be presented here in the Divine Service, before this altar, as God’s holy and beloved congregation. Here you stand before the Lord, confessing your sins, and your impurities are forgiven in the blood of Jesus. Here you do not stand as a sinner, but as a saint, whose heart is strengthened by grace in the body and blood of Jesus.

You stand here not as individuals with your own set of unique temptations and frailties, but as a family, as brothers and sisters, united in the blood of Jesus, and together made holy. So heed the command: “Let brotherly love continue.” That word, brotherly love, philadelphia, in the ancient world was reserved only for the love shown in your home to your literal flesh and blood family. This is recognizing that you have a certain type of love for your household family that you do not have for others. This household love, family love, brotherly love, is now applied to the church, for the blood of Jesus unites us in Him, making Jesus our brother, and therefore makes us a family. We who come from a variety of backgrounds, with a plethora of interests and personality traits, are united as one holy family in the blood of Jesus. 

Our Savior Lutheran Church is not just some organization or club that does activities together, but we’re a family. You know how the Israelites are all blood descendents of Jacob, and therefore all one family? You are all family through the blood of Jesus! In Holy Baptism, you’ve all received the same name at birth, you’re all born of God and His children. The other people sitting in this room with you, they’re your holy blessed family.

This is maybe hard to wrap your mind around when you don’t even know everyone else’s name. But let’s work on that, because this is an immense blessing that God has given to you, in bringing you into a family. Think about that for a moment! You might not be married, but when you’re here in this family you’re not alone. You may not have children of your own, but the children here are like your nephews or granddaughters. Maybe your parents or siblings are gone, or they don’t live near you, but these people here are your family so you don’t have to feel like you’re going it alone.

I suppose intellectually you might comprehend that you have a church family, but it’s harder to feel like a family and know it in your heart. That takes time, but most importantly the time it takes must be spent together! You’re here together for the Divine Service, and this is the most important time together, but in order to feel like a family, you need to spend time together also outside of the Divine Service. That takes effort. A couple things I would encourage which we already have as a church: Firstly: go to coffee and Bible Study. One of the great things about that format is that it’s not just the pastor monologuing like he does in the sermon, but as a group we can discuss matters of the faith. Secondly, Wednesday night meals are starting up in a couple weeks, so go to them and feel free to arrive early and just hang out. We do a family devotion together, but mostly it’s just to spend time together. Thirdly, as you’re available, participate in other things going on here, like game night, book club, mission service, midweek bible studies, ladies groups, youth groups, music ensembles, and so on. Honestly, if we can make some of these things more robust so that we spend more time together, building our love and appreciation for each other, we really ought to.

This isn’t just about making the church a social club, because who cares about that, but it’s about living mutual holy lives as a holy family. Already our actions and behaviors, our strengths and weaknesses, our sins and our pieities, impact one another, whether we realize it or not. When one of us falls or does well, all of us are respectively hurt or benefited. A rising tide lifts all boats. As a family, we must support one another and build another up, guarding each other against the attacks of Satan, because unlike Cain we are our brother’s keeper since we love each other. 

It’s not just about social engagements or having friends, but it’s about being sanctified in the blood of Jesus Christ. “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” We’re not building a community here on earth just for worldly pleasure, but in anticipation of the city of God yet to come when our Lord returns and raises us from the dead. We support one another as brothers and sisters, because a two and three fold cord is not so easily broken, and shall endure the many trials of life unto paradise.

So St. Paul gives a number of instructions about how we as Christians may mutually live holy lives as a holy congregation so that we may build one another up. Show hospitality to strangers, remember those suffering unjustly, hold marriage in honor, be content with what you have. Why? Because the Lord has promised “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Therefore, we boldly confess: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” On account of Christ’s blood that has cleansed us from sin and hell, we are emboldened against the sins that so plague us. 

To grant us further encouragement as the holy Christian church, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” Particularly, these leaders are your pastors, namely the pastors you’ve had over the last 75 years. Remember them, imitate their faith, and especially remember and imitate the Word of God that they spoke to you. Forget about their failings, all of them made mistakes, but remember the word of God they taught you.

Remember that word, because as the generations pass, the Word remains. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings.” Show hospitality to strangers, but not to strange teachings, because those false teachings will draw you away from the blood of Jesus Christ, and back into the impurities of your sins. Remember the word you’ve been taught, and abide in that unchanging word, even if it’s unpopular. Because it will at times be unpopular and we must bear the reproach for it. “Let us go to Jesus outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured.”

As the holy family of Christ, it is easier to bear the reproach as a family together. This is another reason we must learn to love and like one another, so that when others despise us, at least we have each other in addition to Christ. Therefore, through the blood of Jesus that so cleanses us, “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name.” Together, as one holy family, let us unite our voices in the praise of God in Christ Jesus, and tell of His wondrous works that He has done for us and for all.