Remember the Tin man from the Wizard of Oz? What he wanted more than anything was to have a heart. He saw himself as an emotionless hunk of metal trapped in a tin body and incapable of feeling. He wanted to know what it was like to have compassion. In the end, what we remember most about the Tin man is that what he so desired – to have a heart – was what he had all along.
Today, we learn the same thing is true of Christians. The apostle Paul relates this truth to us in a very personal way. We learn that CHRISTIANS HAVE A HEART: a heart 1) for others, and 2) for the truth.
1) A Heart for People
Why are you here today? The obvious answer: “it’s Sunday, pastor!” That is true. Sunday brings us to church. But why? Get behind the question. Why are you here? You’re here because someone cared about you. Someone thought enough to share Christ Jesus with you. Someone had a heart. Perhaps it was your parents, your grandparents, a pastor or a Sunday school teacher (or all of the above). Either way, someone had a heart for others, namely you.
The apostle Paul tips his hand and shows us that he had a heart. He had a heart for his fellow-Jews: “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” In recent years, the apostle Paul has been accused of being many things: a male chauvinist, homophobic, anti-Semitic; the list could go on. Yet, all those are bold-faced lies! They are godless attempts to try and undermine the truth of Scripture – Christians have a heart! Paul had a heart for others. In this case, he tells the Romans, and us, that his heart bled for his fellow Jews. The reason for his sorrow and anguish is that his own people had rejected Jesus of Nazareth as the Savior of the world.
This caused the apostle fits. He was hardly able to find the words to express his feelings. When he considered what his fellow Israelites had given up, it nearly drove Paul mad. His heart ached for these people! They were so close and yet so far! He talks about the gracious blessings God had given to these special people: “Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
Two men were in a boat on the river leading to Niagara Falls. Suddenly, they found themselves out of control and being swiftly carried by the current towards the falls. A safety line was floated out to both men. The first man simply reached out and grabbed, trusting it would save him. The other man saw the rope, but at the same instant he saw the rope, a log floated near him. Thoughtless and confused, the man laid hold of the log instead of the rope. It was a fatal mistake. Both men were in imminent peril. The one was drawn to shore because the rope was connected to it, while the other man, clinging to the loose, floating log, was swept away in the foaming current. (Excerpt from sermon by Gerald Flury, SermonCentral.com)
Faith has a saving connection with Christ. Christ is on the shore, so to speak, holding the rope, and as we lay hold of it with the hand of our confidence in him, he pulls us to shore. Any attempt to look to ourselves for salvation is merely a floating log that offers a feeling of buoyancy while allowing one to drift away from salvation. Grasp our virtues as tightly as we may, even with hooks of steel, they cannot benefit us in the least degree. They are the disconnected logs that have no hold on the heavenly shore. Christ is the only way.
Many ropes were cast out to the Israelites. Paul lists them. They were the chosen people of God. And this was simply a gift of his grace. They had a unique place in God’s heart; calling Israel, “his son.”
God’s own presence was cast upon these people. The “glory of the LORD” led this nation through the wilderness as a pillar of fire and smoke. His presence filled the tabernacle and later the temple. We learn that this unique presence of God was, in fact, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, in visible form. All this was meant to encourage the people and lead them to trust their Savior-God.
God cast out covenants and promises to them. He said, “I will be your God.” No doubt Paul had in mind the wonderful gospel covenant the LORD made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; promising that all nations on earth would be blessed – a promise of the Savior. No other nation stood before God as the Israelites did at the foot of Mt. Sinai and heard the very voice of God as he spoke his good and just commands to them.
No other nation worshipped the way Israel did. In fact, they worshipped the living God in a building that he himself designed. God gave them a detailed worship ritual. It included animal sacrifices, a part of the Old Testament gospel promise that pointed their attention to the future sacrifice of the Lamb of God, the Savior of all. The greatest privilege and blessing God had given was that they could trace human ancestry of Christ Jesus back to themselves.
All those safety lines that were cast out to the people of Israel! God had a heart for these people. Yet, they rejected and spurned him. They chose to turn to the floating logs of their own logic and sense of righteousness. As a nation, Israel had turned from God’s grace and to their own ability to save themselves. They devised a religious system of their own by which they could earn salvation on their own. As a result, they had exchanged grace for greed. They turned on each other, judging and condemning one another -- especially those who did not meet their man-made requirements. There was no longer any unity. The kingdom was divided, and so were the people. They no longer had a heart for one another, but only for themselves.
2) A Heart for the Truth
It’s upon this historical backdrop that Paul’s dripping heart bled. Paul loved his fellow Jews – his brothers, those of his own race, the people of Israel. He didn’t mock them. He didn’t ridicule them. He didn’t hate them or condemn them, nor did he encourage the Gentile Christians to do so. Instead, he says: “For I wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” More than anything, Paul had a love for the truth. St. Paul had been led to see Jesus as the promised Messiah, as he says, “who is God over all, forever praised. Amen.” The Holy Spirit had given him faith in Christ, so he could reach out his hand and grab the “rope of salvation” offered to him. But he doesn’t gloat over the fact. Instead, he wishes that, if it were possible, God would cut that rope, if it would bring about Israel’s conversion. Understand what Paul is saying. He was willing to be damned, forsaken, and condemned by God for others. Paul had the heart of Christ. He was willing to be condemned for the very people who condemned him. It was because the love of Christ compelled him. He had a heart – a heart cured in the furnace of sorrow and anguish – a heart filled with the truth – a heart that was willing to give itself for someone else. This is the very heart that led our Savior to suffer hell on the cross in our place.
Do we have such a heart? When you read what’s going on in the Middle East, how do you react? Do you say in your heart: “Stupid people! It serves you right!” Or do you pray that hatred may be silenced? Do you pray for God’s will to be accomplished? We must for Christ’s love compels us. The heart of Christ has been revealed to us. Flee to the cross and learn anew what it means to have a heart. Bring your hatred and apathy towards others; bring your selfish condemnations; your anger and fear. Bring those things to the cross, place them at your Savior’s feet, and see how his precious blood washes them away. By God’s grace, his heart has been revealed to you. We have the truth! The Scriptures reveal it to us. As John says in his Gospel: These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Only the Word of Truth can give us a heart for the truth. As Paul says: I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit.” All that the apostle says is spoken as an ambassador of Jesus Christ. He speaks under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The truth is that Jesus Christ has accomplished the salvation of the world. This same Jesus was born a Jew, a descendant of the patriarchs, according to his human nature. But he was also much more! He is the promised Christ “who is God over all, forever praised!” Paul now had a heart for this truth. He loved the message of the gospel. And he longed to share that message with all people, especially his fellow Jews who had turned from it. Every other nation has its philosophers and wise men, but only Israel had heroes of faith like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David, and Solomon. These men believed the truth and proclaimed the truth of God promises. Paul wanted his fellow Israelites to have the God-given faith to grab a hold of the rope of promise and believe!
The truth is that God wants all people to be saved. That means he wants Jews and Gentiles, Americans, Africans, Europeans, Russians, Palestinians, Israelis, Iraqis – all people! It takes people who have a heart for people to share this truth with people. In order for us to share the gospel we need to be rooted in the gospel. We need to be in the Word of God – a people growing, so that we can share the Word of God –a people going. Support our missionaries with your prayers and offerings. They are sharing Christ’s heart in places we can’t go, but our hearts can go with them. Pray that God would also give you the opportunity and the words to share the truth of salvation with someone close to your heart – a family member, a friend, or a neighbor. Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to shower you with the heart of Christ and fill you with a love for others. He will answer that prayer and he will sustain you. He’ll lead you to the means of grace – the gospel in Word and Sacrament. There he will fill your heart with a love for others and a love for the truth.
Now is the time - the time for those who know the Savior to proclaim Christ, so that those without Christ can come to him. Now is the time - the time to go to a lost world with the love of Christ! You have a heart – Christ’ heart has been revealed to you! So, have a heart – share what you’ve been given! Amen.
