Every Grace Overflowing

Pentecost 10

August 2, 2015

2 Corinthians 9:8

Every Grace Overflowing

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Usually if something is overflowing, it's not good. If your glass is overflowing, it's not good. If the bathtub is overflowing, it's not good. If the Mississippi is overflowing, it's not good.

An evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. (Luke 6:45)

When water overflows, you can maybe contain it. But you can't contain up sin. When sin overflows from your angry heart, you can't clean it up.

This little babe, my daughter Elizabeth, before you this morning has evil stored up in her heart. She was conceived and born in sin. Her heart is filled up with sin and hates God. By the nature she has inherited from me, she hates what Christ wants for her. Paul wrote the following about everyone, including Elizabeth and me and you.

For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8)

Elizabeth can't overflow with hostility toward God or you, yet. She can't steal $20 out of your purse. She can't gossip about you. So it's easy to think to dismiss the truth that she was born evil. To say that she is unpleasing to God as she is by nature, is offensive to our ears.

Dear friends, this evil Elizabeth has to be killed. Paul wrote:

Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin―because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. (Romans 6:3-9)

He's talking about you and about Elizabeth. You were overflowing with hatred and slaves to evil. So Christ was killed on the cross and then He killed Elizabeth just moments ago in Baptism. By uniting her to His death, He guarantees that she will live. Christ used the hands and mouth of His pastor to wash and speak forgiveness and life into Elizabeth. For all of you baptized, He has done the same for you. You were overflowing with evil, and instead of trying to contain it, He killed you and resurrected you to be a new person.

This is how God overflows you with grace.

And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you overflow in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Elizabeth is rather limited in what she can say and do. This is good and bad. She can't draw with markers on anyone's wall or refuse to share a playground swing. But she also can't lend you any money or say thank you after a good meal. But she will. She'll do all these things. She's still a sinner, and she'll prove it. But now she's is a saint in the judgment of Christ Himself and she'll prove that, too, by receiving what He gives us. Her new life has begun by receiving water and His word. Jesus overflows grace to Elizabeth and you, and in His overflowing, you overflow in every good work as you receive and do what He gives you.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. Alleluia! Amen!