Christ Lutheran Church
Cleveland, Ohio
July 6, 2025
by: Rev. Dean Kavouras
Pentecost 4C
New Creation
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails, nor uncircumcision. But a New Creation. (Galatians 6:15 – DKV)
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Those were bold words that Saint Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians in the year 49 AD … just 16 years after Pentecost. But necessary words because in the church’s earliest years she experienced as much discord as joy.
Do you think things are chaotic in the modern church? They were just as bad then.
Paul’s words were as inflammatory as the blistering political rhetoric that politicians lob at one another today; caring not at all that at some point they might incite violence. We all beheld such ferocity one year ago today when a bloody assassination attempt was made against a presidential candidate. Yes, in Paul’s day as in ours, his words drove iceberg sized wedges between people. They caused extreme bitterness and animosity in every church and synagogue of the day.
With this ‘executive order’ as it were he states that: the age-old, divinely appointed rite of circumcision is now defunct and no longer means anything! But there could be no more shocking statement to any Jew, even to many who had converted to Christ.
This was an attack on the Bible. An attack on the God and His Law. On the only way of life that Jews including those now converted to Christ had ever known. It would have been something like the President signing an executive order that the Bill of Rights is no longer in effect. That was the effect of Paul’s words: “Circumcision counts for nothing!” Circumcision does you no good!
For 18 centuries through the best and worst of times the Jewish people counted on their God and His irrevocable Law. They believed that circumcision was a gracious act by which they were made children of God, and heir of all His promises. Most especially eternal life.
In our day it would be something like a preacher standing in this pulpit and saying: Baptism means nothing; is nothing; does nothing. How long would that preacher last?
But Paul did not take sides!
His “executive order” so to speak was a double edged sword stating that as Jews could no longer boast in circumcision; nor could Gentiles converted to Christ boast in the lack of it.
Hear his canon again: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision benefits, nor uncircumcision. But a New Creation. And all who walk in line with this canon – peace be upon you, and mercy and upon; the Israel of God.
And this brings us down to the meat and drink of today’s message: that while neither that ancient rite of circumcision which was the cutting away of the foreskin of the male reproductive organ. Nor lack of it no longer meant anything before God. But a new creation! A New Creation!
To be a New Creation in Christ – and that Beloved in crystal clear baptismal language; and has the same meaning as our hymn of the day when we sing, “Jesus Comes and Brings Pleasure Eternal.
But the consolation of baptism is much older than this 17th century hymn. In the early 200’s Tertullian, one of our earliest and brightest church Fathers wrote:
“Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness we are set free and admitted into eternal life … But we little fishes, after the example of our Fish Jesus Christ (IXTHUS) are born in water and have no safety thereafter except by permanently abiding in Living Water, the Crystal Fountain, The Rivers of the City of God.”
Yes, when Saint Paul talks about making us a New Creation in Christ he is referring to the church’s primary sacrament, the Rite of Christian Initiation that frees us “from the dominion of darkness” (Col 1:13) and makes us one with the Father Son and Holy Spirit. And we must never stop glorifying the grace of Baptism not only by dying daily to sin, but by tracing the sign of baptism over our bodies and our loved ones; and falling down before the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by which the world stands as dead and crucified to us, and we to the world.
By the Blessed Flood the Kingdom of God has been brought near to us, and we near to is. Indeed into it in every way. Remember, too, that this Holy Election in which we are elected by God is reliant strictly and only and entirely on the goodness of our God and Father. Not by merit or worthiness on our part; for no man living is righteous in His sight except in Christ.
Yes, we are each a New Creation in God. “O give thanks unto the Lord for He is Good and His mercy endures forever.”
Tender mercy gently extended to little fishes who are always tempted to take the devil’s fine-looking bait, which he assures us will give us a thrill like we’ve never had before. The release some happy chemicals into our brain that takes place when someone “likes” our social media posts.
Yes it’s all good. All good until. Until we bite into the hook – then fun is over and slavery sets in. Then we are led about by our noses. One sig leading to another and another, until we are besotted and soiled in every way. Until we can no longer abide our own odor to say nothing of our friends, families and associates..
To prevent this sad state of affairs. Or to reclaim us should we be deceived for a time (as so many are – let him that stands take heed lest he fall); our Lord has not only offered the sacrifice of his spotless flesh and blood on the shameful cross for all of our sins. But He continues to impart its benefits to us; and to all the world by His church. Unlike circumcision and the Old Testament sacrificial system the gospel of Christ never goes out of fashion, and is established in heaven for eternity. It is “the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:2)
That is what today’s gospel recounts: the preaching of the gospel to the nations by the apostles and their successors. Whose ministry restores sick bodies, sick with sin, and commands demonic ailments to depart – so that we will stop working against our own best interests, and live rational, faith-filled and charitable lives.
The Kingdom of God is near.
Take eat!
Take drink!