The Reverend Harold A. Linn, Pastor

Church Refreshments - Romans 15:32

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Theme: Church Refreshments

Text: Romans 15:32

Date: May 11, 2005

Wednesday Service

For those keeping score, I’ve preached two sermons recently on the ways that God renews and revives weary and discouraged Christians. Those in attendance learned that God’s foremost method of renewing Christians is through the powerful Word of the Gospel. They also learned  God that just as God graciously revived Elijah in the wilderness through a simple meal, so he graciously revives us through another simple meal, the Lord's Supper.

Tonight we will consider another way that God renews his people: church refreshments. Now Lutheran churches have a well deserved reputation for tasty church refreshments. "Join us for refreshments after the service," our bulletins read. Church refreshments are a real staple in our congregation diet.

But I'm not talking about that kind of church refreshments. I'm talking about the church refreshments that Paul refers to in our text. Paul writes, "Pray for me so that I may come and be ‘refreshed’ by your company." The apostle knew that gathering with fellow believers brings spiritual refreshment. That is what I mean by church refreshments. The church, properly speaking, is all believers in Jesus Christ. The Church is people not buildings. Church refreshments, then, is the spiritual refreshment that comes from being with fellow Christians.

There are many examples of church refreshments in the New Testament. Consider this passage in 1 Corinthians 16: "I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men" (1 Co. 16:17). Notice, Paul says that the company of these three fellow believers, "refreshed my spirit."

In 2 Corinthians, Paul notes that when Titus went to visit the congregation at Corinth, he came back greatly refreshed. "And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all" (2 Co. 7:13). Titus was spiritually refreshed how? By gathering with his fellow believers.

But how does this happen? How are we spiritually refreshed by our fellow believers, the church?

First, when they share the gospel with us, the good news that God is for us and forgives us because of the cross of Jesus. Sharing the gospel can mean either that our fellow Christians absolve us or point us to God's promises to encourage us.

Whenever believers announce the forgiveness of sins to a penitent, that is sharing the gospel. That is spiritual refreshment -- whether it be the pastor absolving, or another Christian. When one sorrowing over his sins hears the words, "Go in peace, your sins are forgiven because of the cross of Jesus," that is sharing the gospel. That is spiritual refreshment.

Sharing the gospel also can mean pointing one who is struggling with something to the promises of God. For example, if a Christian is facing a situation that seems hopeless, and another reminds her that God has promised, “What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27)), that is sharing the gospel. That is spiritual refreshment.

The Smalcald Articles, one of our Lutheran Confessions, speaks about this. In part three, article four, Martin Luther writes that the gospel doesn't just come to us in one way, but in many ways. It comes first through preaching of forgiveness, but also through baptism and the Lord's Supper. It also comes, says Luther, "through the power of the keys and also through the mutual conversation and consolation of the brothers and sisters. Matthew 18:20: "Where two are three are gathered together . . ." (Smalcald Articles, III..4). Luther understood that God's grace can be given through the "mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren." He understood that spiritual refreshment comes when fellow believers share the gospel with us.

How are we refreshed by our fellow believers? Second, when they love us.

Near the beginning of his letter to Philemon, Paul writes, "For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother" (Philemon 1:7). Philemon had refreshed the hearts of the saints, his fellow Christians. How? By loving them, as Paul says. He had opened up his home, so that the church held their services there. Remember in the early church, there were no dedicated church buildings. Christians met in homes or in whatever building they could. It isn't difficult to imagine that he was welcoming and hospitable. However else he showed his love, we don't know. But we do know that his love, spiritually refreshed his fellow Christians.

Love does that. When fellow Christians lend a listening and sympathetic ear to one struggling, such love can be spiritually refreshing. When they take the time to visit and hug one who is lonely, that can be spiritually refreshing. When they bring meals to those who are grieving or sick, that can be spiritually refreshing. When they generously give of their time and money for the sake of the congregation, that can be spiritually refreshing. Selfless love and sacrifice can be amazingly refreshing to those who are spiritually weary and empty.

How are we refreshed by our fellow believers? Third, when they have the same confession of faith that we do.

There are times that fellow Christians refresh us simply because they share a common faith with us, a common doctrine, a common worldview, a common ethic. Living daily in a world that increasingly is at odds with what Christians believe, can be wearying – and maddening. The media culture compounds this by often giving us the impression that no one thinks or believes as we do anymore. So it can profoundly refreshing to hear fellow Christians affirm and agree with what we believe.

How are refreshed by our fellow believers? Fourth, when they teach us the truth.

Sometimes fellow Christians give us insights into the Word that revive and refresh us. Certainly this includes members of our own congregation, such as Pastors, Sunday School teachers, parents, and others. But I also have in mind here fellow Christians outside of our congregation. For example, I've lost track of the number of times that I've been spiritually refreshed and revived by the writings of a dear fellow believer: Martin Luther. His insights into God's Word have often refreshed me when I've felt spiritually listless or empty. I could also mention many other fathers of the faith whose writings have taught and refreshed me. I'm sure many of you can agree, as you think of fellow believers who have refreshed you with their teaching, in sermons, classes, books, TV and radio, Internet, or music.

Music can be a powerful vehicle for teaching that brings refreshment. The great Biblical example is that of David and King Saul. After his royal anointing had been taken from him, Saul was often ravaged by an evil spirit that attacked him with bouts of depression. To counter this, young David was summoned to play the harp for King Saul. 1 Samuel 16:23 says, "So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him" (1 Sam. 16:23). Saul was refreshed through David's music. Music, especially if it is sacred music that teaches us God's Word, can be a great source of spiritual refreshment for God's people. That is why hymns, liturgy, and other Christian songs have long been such a blessing. Of course, it must be Christian music that teaches God's Word correctly.

So you see, God renews his people also through church refreshments, through the refreshment that comes from fellow believers. How sad, then, that when Christians are feeling spiritually empty or exhausted, they often stay away from fellow believers, the very opposite of what they need to be doing.

How can mere people bring such spiritual renewal and refreshment? We are aren't talking about mere people. We are talking about Christians, a forgiven people, a holy people of God, a living temple of the Holy Spirit, a spiritual royalty, a spiritual priesthood, who together are the Body of Christ Himself, who through them works in the world and in our lives. No surprise, then, that we are spiritually refreshed by the Church, fellow Christians. No surprise, then, that whenever we are together we experience church refreshments.

As I now come to the end of this sermon, I want to stress again that ultimately, spiritual renewal comes only and totally by God's grace. Renewal is not a matter of us trying harder or praying longer or more fervently. God wants to renew us—we don’t have to wrest it from his hand. Just as our justification and salvation is by grace, so is our sanctification, our Christian living, our being renewed, refreshed, revived, restored. It is by God's grace. He wants to give it to us freely, as a gift. Our part is to understand where and how God gives renewal and be there.

In the ruins and rubble of a destroyed Jerusalem, Jeremiah understood this when he prayed, "Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old." (Lamentations 5:21). And Peter beautifully described it when he wrote about our battle with the devil,

Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:9-10).

Did you hear? "The God of all grace" will only allow us to suffer so long. Then he, by grace, as a gift, will himself restore, support, strengthen, establish, and yes, renew us. May God bring renewal in Christ to all who need it. Amen.

Dr. Richard P. Bucher, Pastor