NATURALIZED CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
Romans 6:1b-11 Matthew 10:24-39 Jeremiah 20:7-13 Psalm 69:8-20
June 23, 2002
I. BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN
A. Questions
Is everyone here a United States Citizen? Now I think that all of us have been born into citizenship, right? Has anyone here gone through the naturalization process to become a United States Citizen? Do you personally know anyone who has become a U.S. citizen? How many famous people can you name who were or are naturalized citizens? Aren’t Henry Kissinger, Arnold Swartzineger and Madeline Albright naturalized citizens?
Can citizenship be revoked? If a Nazi war criminal comes to the United States under false pretenses, can his U.S. citizenship be revoked?
B. How an Immigrant Becomes a Citizen
Does anyone here know the naturalization process, how an immigrant can become a United States Citizen? Can anyone become a United States Citizen? What are the requirements, what are the steps you have to do and how long will it take? Do you have to know anything about American History like the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution? Doesn’t it take at least 7 years to become a citizen? Doesn’t an immigrant need a sponsor to participate with them in the process and to guarantee their financial independence? Why would anyone want to participate with an immigrant and be a sponsor?
C. “Participation in ...” What Does This Mean?
Now the good old Lutheran Question, what does this mean? What does it mean to become a U.S. citizen? Does Henry Kissinger or Arnold Scwartineger or Madeline Albright participate in the life of the U.S.? In fact all of them have participated in politics haven’t they? And I’m sure that on the fourth of July these three will participate in our history, don’t you?
So, in a way Henry Kissinger, Arnold Schwartzineger and Madeline Albright, along with the millions of other immigrants and descendants of immigrants, participate in the history of U.S. They participate in past joys and our sorrows even though they were not citizens during the struggle for independence or the civil war. Right? Naturalized citizens can fully participate in the life and history of the U.S.
II. ROMANS 6:3
A. Jesus our Sponsor
In a way, all of us are naturalized citizens of heaven. None of us were born in heaven and none of us can figure out all of the paper work or afford the naturalization cost to get to heaven. We all need a sponsor. That’s why Jesus came. Jesus came to be our sponsor. Jesus gets us through all of the red tape. Jesus forgives and corrects our mistakes.
B. Participation with Jesus
Now let’s read this passage from Romans 6:3-4 once more.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into his death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4
This passage is talking about participation. Jesus came to participate in our life and death struggles so that we can participate in Jesus’ death to life victory. Its kind of like a naturalized citizen and their sponsor participate together in the naturalization process. And kind of like a naturalized citizen participates in the life and history of the U.S. So too, we who are naturalized citizens of heaven participate in the struggles and in the death to life victory of our sponsor, Jesus. And we participate in the history of the Church.
C. Baptismal Service & Funeral Service
This idea of participation with Jesus’ life & death struggle is so important that we include it in our rite of Baptism and in our Funeral services. Turn to page 121 in the LBW. Lets have the women read just the first paragraph.
In Holy Baptism our gracious heavenly Father liberates us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 6:4 We are born children of a fallen humanity; in the waters of Baptism we are reborn children of God and inheritors of eternal life. By water and the Holy Spirit we are made members of the Church which is the body of Christ. As we live with him and with his people, we grow in faith, love and obedience to the will of God.
Now turn to page 206 and we’ll have the men read the second paragraph
6:3b “…When we were baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. 4 So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life. 5 If we have been joined to him by dying a death like his, so we shall be by a resurrection like his…” Romans 6:3b-5a
III. SPARROWS
A. Suffering - Cost of Discipleship
Now in the Gospel, Jesus is being very honest and open about what it means to become a naturalized citizen of heaven. Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush or try to sugar coat it. Jesus warns us that when we become disciples, when we become naturalized citizens, we too may suffer. We may be persecuted for our faith hope and love for Jesus. For example, when a friend or relative wants to plan an event for the time you go come to church, what happens? Are you willing to witness for Jesus? Are you willing to acknowledge your love for Jesus before others? In today’s Gospel Jesus said,
“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:24-39
B. Denial of Citizenship
What would you think of an immigrant who goes through the naturalization process and becomes a U.S. citizen and then denies their sponsor? What would you think of a naturalized citizen who denies their new country? If when asked to serve on a jury, this immigrant denied his citizen ship. Or when asked to pay his fair share of taxes, this immigrant denied his citizenship. Or when asked to serve in the military, this immigrant denied his citizenship. What would you think? How does God feel when we deny Jesus?
CONCLUSION
So, how can we deny Jesus? How can we continue to sin, knowing the price Jesus paid? Jesus suffered and died so that we might become naturalized citizens of heaven? Yes, sometimes the cost of discipleship, the cost to acknowledge our citizenship in heaven is high. Jesus understands. Jesus reminds us that God loves and watches over creation, from the sparrows that sing for us in the morning to the hairs on our head. So when we are persecuted, even by family members, God’s love will remain true. And God is looking forward to celebrating our citizenship with Him forever in heaven.
Now, may the peace of God
which surpasses all human understanding
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.