Recent sermons
November 3, 2024 - Revelation 7:9-17
Years ago I was at my parent’s house to celebrate my father’s birthday. My mother was not present because she was at the bedside of my dying grandfather. My father’s birth and my grandfather’s death are within hours of each other. Within more recent memory, a dear member and friend of the of congregation Brenda Juenger died this week leading up to All Saints Day. So too, Adeline was born a couple days after. To be sure, there is life… and there is also death… into the midst of this, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life, those who believe in me will live even if they die.” Therefore, there is life… and there is death… but more than that, in Jesus, to those who believe, there is life again even if you die. I was talking to a pregnant girl recently. I said to her, “are you going to get that child baptized?” She said, “what has God ever done for me?” Brother’s and sisters in Christ, do not be confused… God does not promise or will for everyone to win the lottery. God does not promise to step between you and every violent criminal nor does he promise to take the wheel before an accident. I’m not saying he has never done those things nor am I saying he will not in the future. BUT THAT IS NOT THE PROMISE! The promise is “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live even if they die.” The irony is that death is something we will all have to live through. The promise of life after death is a seemingly improbably wager on a seemingly preposterous impossibility. Preposterous maybe. Utterly impossible for God? Absolutely not. Life, even in death, that is what All Saints Day is all about! Today is a celebration… not of death but of life. God is not a God of the dead, but a God of the living. And we are here today to celebrate the words in the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in the Communion of all the Saints.” And that is not just me and you. “John looked and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” “Who are these clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. Once again, the promise is not for everyone to be happy, wealthy, and wise. The promise is, even though tribulation will come, and death will happen, Jesus is still on his throne, and He is at the center of the scene, in the midst of it all. And ultimately, he will wipe away every tear from their, your, our, eyes. But the promise is not necessarily that is will happen today or even tomorrow. But let me at least say this, in order to make sense of life, you will inevitably have to make sense of death… and you can’t make sense of either without Jesus. The older I get, the more I’m realizing that death is not just something that comes at the end of life. Death is something you could experience at the middle of life and in various ways. One time a minister was walking down the street. He noticed a middle aged woman sitting at a bus stop wiping tears from her face. He wanted to help her so he asked her what was wrong. She was a little embarrassed and she replied nothing serious. Well when I saw you sitting there crying I just assumed… she said no, I’m just bored with it all. She then went on to tell him her life’s story. She had a family of four children and a hard working husband that was never around. She said, I get up early every morning, make breakfast, and pack lunches. I walk to the bus stop and get off near the house or where ever I’ll be cleaning that day. At the end of the day, I wait for the bus to take me home. I know what is waiting for me at home. More work, a couple of hours of sleep, only to get up and start it all over again. I’m just tired of the same old thing each and every day. That is a story of people far more typical than you and I could count. What do you do when you feel like you’re in a valley of dry bones? Maybe the more important question is what does God do. I suppose I should say, I’m a little surprised the lectionary for this Sunday is not Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. It certainly could have been fitting, especially given Ezekiel is asked “can these bones live?” And Ezekiel replies, ‘Sir you alone know.” I’m sure Ezekiel’s mind was full of many questions. Why did you bring me here? Why are you showing me this? Who were these people? What happened to them? How did they die? And God, where were you when they died? Those are some of the same questions I have, but notice, in the midst of these questions it was God who brought up the most difficult question of all: “Ezekiel, can these bones walk?” Answer, a preposterous impossibility becomes possible with God. Death is one of life’s most troubling problems. But I, for one, am glad God is not squeamish when it comes to dealing with the subject… And more than that, He provides us powerful assurance in the Book of Ezekiel, in the Gospels, and also in the book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation, John is given a vision of the Lamb on His throne. Earlier in Revelation Chapter 5 John points out the Lamb looks as though it had been slain. The Lamb still carries the scares of death, his death, our death. We see the scares, but he is no longer dead… he is very much alive… As is all the saints who are around his throne. As we apply that to today, there have been many deaths within our community of faith (not only here but within our friends and family). On All Saints Day we are reminded in a poignant way the presence of death and loss. It’s poignant recalling the names of those who once sat vibrantly among us. We are reminded they are not here, at least as they once were. But we are also reminded that our God is a God of life and our whole faith is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and ultimately, of the dead. Paul says, “We know that God, who raised Jesus Christ, will also raise us.” That is quite a wager. In the midst of grief, it almost sounds like a platitude, a platitude that I just choose to apply to my life to make me feel better. Well, it is not a platitude. How do we know. It is because the disciple John did not just see this vision in Revelation 7. He also arrived at the tomb of Jesus on Easter morning, and He witnessed Jesus was not there. He was resurrected. And it is his resurrection that gives you and me hope, even in the middle of a life where death makes its presence known everywhere. Christianity is the only religion that can make sense of death. In all the other world religions, you can strive you hardest to live a good life, to be moral, and work hard, and at the end of live, it was never enough. Christianity says, “You and I know that our redeemer lives. We live in him. He lives in us, and what comfort that sweet message brings.” John’s vision of Jesus exudes life to everyone around the throne. In 1 Thessalonians, the trumpet will sound and the dead will rise, not on account of a trumpet but on account of Jesus. C. S. Lewis once said, that no event corroborated his faith in the next world more than seeing the death of best friend. He said, in my mind, when death and William met, it was not my idea of William that changed but the idea of death that changed. Telling you from my own experiences, Jesus has changed my understanding of death, just as he has done time and time before, to Ezekiel, to John, to Marry and Martha with the raising of Lazarus, most importantly, on Easter. It is into this world, that is so suffused with death, that God has sent his son to be the resurrection and the life. Death may wear many disguises. We encounter it time and time again throughout life. It will most definitely take us from our physical existence as we know it. But Jesus Christ is the resurrection and in him we have life. And the promise is this, trust in him, and in doing so, you will live even if you die. We believe for 360 days a year in the resurrected Lord Jesus and the community of all the saint. Let us remember that and embrace it by faith. And someday soon, real soon, we too will be part of that great multitude which no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language. On that day He will read OUR names from the book of life. And we will stand before the throne and before the Lamb, and we will be wearing white robes, holding palm branches in our hands, and worshiping God saying “saying: “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever! Amen!" May the grace of God which surpasses all understanding trust your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.
October 27, 2024 - Revelation 14:6-7
This week marks the 507rd anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. This morning we will recall that on the morning before All Halos Day, October 31st 1517 Luther arrived on that faithful day to the city church in order to nail 95 problems that he had with current Church practice. Surely, the pounding of that hammer awoke Wittenberg from its theological slumber and (as surprising as it sounds) by the end of the week the same would be true throughout the rest of Europe. Today, there are many churches that call themselves Protestant. In some way shape or form, they consider themselves as part of the protest against Rome. Maybe so, I’m not disputing that; however, what I find within the many different Protestant denominations is that we all emphasizing something different. Some churches emphasize freewill, some churches emphasize God’s sovereignty, some churches emphasize good works, some churches emphasize discipleship, some churches emphasis gifts of the Spirit, there is a church down the road that emphasizes being a biker, there is a church across the river that emphasizes being a cowboy. There is nothing wrong with those things, but the Lutheran Church Protested in order to bring to the forefront the Gospel, that you cannot earn your way to Jesus Christ. You cannot earn God’s approval, you cannot give enough to buy it. You cannot do enough to merit it. You cannot achieve it. You cannot think your way up to it or reason yourself into it. It is a simply and unequivocally a gift of grace. Thanks be to God. Jesus said it like this, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Now, let me tell you what the text actually says “if the Son sets you Free, you will indeed be elutherosai”…. In other words, you will indeed be a Lutheran. It’s true… it’s right there. It’s in the Bible. To be set free… To be Lutheran… they are one and the same thing. Why? It is because Luther’s 95 Theses challenged and changed the trajectory of how people understood the Christian Church. How so? Church is not where you go to gain merit. Church is God coming down to us. It is where he announces his Word. It is where He proclaims the forgiveness of your sins to you. The trajectory is, God to us. It is only secondary that we in response give our thanks and praise to Him. First and foremost, the trajectory is God to us. Luther said, God does not need your good works. You need his good works. I admit this was not a revelation that Luther saw right away on the Eve of Halos 1517. The 95 Theses, in particular, rejected the selling of Indulgences. (The practice that you could buy the forgiveness of your sins). Luther did not become a crusader of the Gospel until sometime after Palm Sunday of 1518. On that day Luther stood in a pulpit and called the Gospel “the Happy switch.” He said everything that is yours is given to Jesus. Jesus get your sin, your mistakes, your judgment, your Death, he gets your hell. And guess what you get? You get his life, his sinless birth, his acts and deeds, his baptism, his promises. You get it all. His life for you. His love for you. His forgiveness for you. His body and blood for you… You get his resurrection on the third day and somehow in the fulness of time, because of him, one day your flesh will rise again to be like Him. The preface to the Augsburg Confessions states, “In these Last days of this transitory world {Acts 2:17], what a remarkable favor of Almighty God has arisen after the darkness of papal superstitions! According to His unspeakable love, patience, and mercy, He willed that the light of His Gospel [2 Cor 4:4] and Word—through which alone we receive true salvation—should arise and shine clearly and purely in Germany, our most beloved fatherland.” (Preface 3) As the Preface to the Lutheran Confession’s suggest, Reformation Day is a day to reflect upon the Gospel, what it is, what it does for us… it is not about Luther. It is a day of thanksgiving for what God has done in his unspeakable love, patience, and mercy: Today we give thanks for our many blessings as we remember the rediscovery of the Gospel-- that salvation is by grace alone, though faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone. It is on this day that our focus should be on the Gospel and on the Gospel only, for it is the Gospel and the Gospel only that can make us free. I’m sure it is obvious why Romans 3 was chosen for this occasion. “For by works of the law no human-being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But we hold that no one is justified through works of the law, but by faith.” No doubt that is simple and straight forward enough. In the Gospel lesson, Jesus makes a similar point. Jesus states that we are in bondage to a wretched master. We are slaves to sin. And we cannot free ourselves. As much as we might hate the reality, we all acknowledge that; that there is no amount of indulgences or good works that could ever appease God or give us certainty of our salvation. Jesus tells us, it is not our work that gets us out of bondage. Ironically, it is by the forming of new ties that we become free. Jesus says to stick with the son for the son will set you free. (The Son will make you a Lutheran. That’s a joke, but I’m serious.) Those two texts are easy to connect to the Reformation. Have you ever wondered about the text from Revelation 14? Those you studied Revelation recently during Bible study you might remember our conversation. 6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. How do you feel about me suggesting that text might be about Luther, that Luther might be the angel proclaiming the eternal gospel. One thing I’d also like add is that I’m not making this interpretation up, nor is it a an interpretation that grew out of many years of romanticizing Luther’s life and activities. Already in 1522 (5 years after the posting of the 95 theses) before anyone had any idea what would happen to Luther or his message, an Augustinian monk named Michael Stifel, penned a poem which interpreted Revelation 14 as a prophecy fulfilled by Luther. Stifel wrote, “St. John wrote for us about an angel that would set before us God’s Word complete and “clear”. Robert Rosin, a professor of mine at Westfield House in Cambridge, pointed out Stifel was using a play a pun in that poem. The word “clear” in old German was pronounced “luder”… The same way the Germans pronounced Luther. This interpretation began with Stifel but did not end with him. Johannes Bugenhagen preached Luther’s funeral in 1546, and he too made the same connection. And so did our beloved founder of the LCMS, C. F. W. Walther. He too saw Revelation 14 as a prophecy fulfilled by Luther and the Reformers. Walther wrote, “Luther is the only theologian who is prophesied in the Holy Scriptures. He is without doubt the angel of whom Revelation 14:6 spoke. I admit I’m not as sure as some of my predecessors that Revelation 14 is a direct reference to Luther, and I doubt Luther would have seen himself as the fulfillment of Revelation 14. But I’m sure you understand why this text has been applied to Luther. Because Luther really was a truly significant messenger (angelos) of the Gospel in every sense of the word. He stood up to the Pope Leo, he challenged false doctrine, he changed the landscape of Christianity, and he translated the Bible into the language of the people. Dear Christian friends, don’t underestimate the Word of God… and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel makes alive, the Gospel restores, the Gospel is a powerful thing because it is Jesus Christ Crucified for miserable sinners like us. The clear Gospel, that is the forgiveness of sins, is the message that Luther brought back into the church. The Gospel, not Luther, is what we celebrate on Reformation Day. So allow me to leave you with the Words of Jesus, “If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples and the truth will set you free. For if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” May the grace of God, which surpasses all understanding trust your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
October 20, 2024 - Mark 10:23-31
Last week we talked about a discussion that Jesus had with a very wealthy young ruler. The wealthy ruler had sought out Jesus and he had come to ask Jesus a question. He asked “What must I do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus gave him a concise answer. Jesus said “Sell all that you have. Give it to the poor, and come follow me.” It is quite clear that by the close of the discussion that Jesus had exposed the man’s overwhelming love for the world. So accordingly, Jesus required the man to make a choice. The man could either continue to tie himself to the world or He could follow Jesus but he could not do both. The only way to eternal life is by surrendering your life over to Jesus and the man was not willing to hand over the control. I think it is clear from this episode that Jesus is not interested in making halfhearted disciples. Jesus does not play numbers games where he is ok with having half of your heart. Jesus wants true believers. He wants committed followers. He wants people willing to give up their own identity in order to embrace a new one, one that is Christ centered and one that is Christ led. After the man left, Jesus went into a teaching moment in which he reflected to the disciples “…it is difficult for those with wealth to enter the kingdom of God.” Unsurprisingly, the disciples were dumb-founded to hear this saying. I imagine that the disciples thought that wealth was evidence of God’s blessing and favor. Although a lot of people think this way, in contrast, Jesus was saying the opposite. He said that wealth is more of an obstacle than an advantage when it comes to faith. Why do you suppose he would say that? I think the answer is simple. I think Jesus is saying that those who have great wealth have the tendency to place their trust in their processions. Those with store houses of things tend to have more to love in this world than those without the same. So given this, it is harder for those who must walk away from riches in order to follow Jesus than for those who don’t. It really is a basic principle. The man in our text last week had derived his security from his processions rather than from the Gospel. So to re-enforce Jesus’ point, Jesus said it a second time. He said, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!” Notice that a few minutes ago Jesus was talking about how hard it is for the rich to enter. Now Jesus is saying it is very difficult/impossible in general. I want us to recognize that this saying is not just for the wealthy. First of all, there is all manner of things that can get in the way of our salvation, and besides, we should also acknowledge that one does not need to have money for money to be your God. But notice that I purposely used the word “impossible” because Jesus said, “With man it is simply impossible.” Jesus goes on to tell us how impossible it is. Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Let’s reflect upon this revealing example. Imagine the smallest camel you have ever seen… now imagine the largest needle you have ever used. Jesus is likely using the largest well known animal that the disciples were readily aware of and the smallest hole one could conceivably make. Put them together and what do you get. You get an impossible situation. The disciples respond to this by becoming “exceedingly astonished.” I think a good way to express the point is that they were totally dumbfounded. They were greatly baffled because I imagine that they would have added the rich ruler to their ranks in a second. The disciples responded as one might expect. In Verse 26 they ask Jesus, “Then who can be saved?” First of all, I think we should notice the difference between the disciple’s question and the precious question from the rich man. While the rich young ruler asked, “What can I DO to inherit eternal life,” in contrast, the disciples asked, “Then who can BE saved?” I understand that the disciples did not fully understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection… they would have had no idea how those two events would prove to be atonement for their sins… at least, not yet. But Jesus had told them about his death and resurrection not once but twice and at least it seems like there is a small glimmer of understanding that is beginning to break through in their language. If nothing else, their question is at least on track toward the right answer. Jesus reaffirms what they said. He said, “You are quite right. You cannot save yourself?” “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” I think the extended episode from this week and last week reveals several truths. One truth is that material things have a tendency to get between us and God. Another truth is that we cannot buy our way to salvation. I think that is the ultimate point of this section in Mark Chapter 10. I do not think it would be wise, helpful, or even true, for me to definitively demonize money from the pulpit. I would be wrong to suggest that currency, all kinds, is fundamentally a bad thing and I know I would also be wrong to suggest the blanket statement “that all of us should give away everything we own.” I can think of situations in which this would be beneficial advice. That being said, I don’t think that is the point of this text. What I do believe to be true from this text is that there are many things that wealth cannot buy. I imagine you have heard the saying that “Money can buy a bed but it can’t buy sleep. Money can buy food but it cannot buy an appetite. Money can buy medicine but it cannot buy health. Money can buy fine jewelry but it cannot buy love.” I know these are simple platitudes, put I think the point is well understood. Money is not everything, and to be sure, it cannot buy you salvation. Brothers and sisters in Christ, another way to say this is that salvation is priceless. This truth was rather disheartening to the wealthy ruler who wanted to write Jesus a check. But I hope that it is not that for you. I hope it is comforting to you because it is a message of Gospel. Think about the implications if you did have to buy your way to heaven. What do you suppose it would cost? Who can could afford it? Heaven would be a club full of fortune 500 CEOs… So can you see why I see this text as a message of Gospel? To be honest, I’m glad it is a message of Gospel because Jesus preached this message more than any other topic. Jesus said, "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven. Woe to you rich, for you have received your reward” (Luke 6:20). Jesus said, a slave cannot serve two masters. For a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot service God and Mammon. (Luke 6:16) Jesus said, "Whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Jesus said, "A person’s life does not consist in the possessions that he has." (Luke 12:15). Jesus said, "Sell your possessions and give offerings and provide yourselves with purses in heaven." Ultimately, all these sayings of Jesus effectively say the same thing. They tell us that a full safe will not save your soul. They tell us that not only will an eternal inheritance not be achieved by the amount of things you have stored here on earth, but the opposite could prove to be true. The danger is that they could become a stumbling block and an obstacle for your faith. In those cases Jesus said, get rid of it. Don’t allow your stuff to get between you and God. One commentator I read said this, “there are two worlds that exist… this one and the one to come. Two systems exist. This world’s system with its promises, prospects, pleasures, processions, perspectives, and power; and the next which has a totally different scale of values. Wealth seems to ally itself with the first kingdom while making itself an enemy with the second.” It would be true to say that the rich young ruler seemed to have everything that we think we want. He was young, powerful, and it seemed that he had unlimited resources. It would truly be nice to align with him, right? Well, maybe not. The man who seemingly had everything left saddened and without faith. Follow Jesus, however, and Jesus promises eternal life in which he says we will receive 100 fold in the present age and even more in the age to come. Brothers and sisters in Christ that is a 10,000 percent return. It would be nice if the stock market worked like that. But what does it mean when Jesus promises us 100 fold in the present age. Well, the text says that some will be required to leave their father and mother and brothers and sister to come follow Jesus. But look around you. You have 70 brothers and sisters siting all around you. Jesus has given you a family and that family is going to be so much bigger in the age to come. Ultimately, we cannot force our way into being part of the family but thanks be to God that we don’t have to. So if our works and our processions cannot help us in this endeavor than what can? Jesus said, “all things are possible with God.” Christ has paid the price so rest assured of your salvation because it has already been purchased for you. All that we need to do is “be saved.” All that you need to do is passively trust that Jesus is your Lord and Savior. To be honest, you are not even left to do that on your own devices. Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit and He promises to create and sustain our faith. So in His name we pray and it is His name only that saves. May the grace of God that passes all understanding trust your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
October 13, 2024 - Mark 10:17-22
Last week’s text focused upon marriage and the family. At the end of the text, little children were being brought to Jesus and the disciples were rebuking them. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Today we come to a passage of the rich young man which follows in all of the gospels that story about the children. The contrast is obvious. The conviction is severe. In our context I pray that Jesus will shape us and our faith will grow. I’m confident that most people will not recognize this name. I did not recognize the name either until this week. Isidor Rabi was a pioneer in atomic physics. He won the Nobel Prize for developing a way of measuring the magnetic properties of atoms. His work lead to such things as the atomic clock, atomic bomb, microwaves, radar, cell phones, lasers, MRIs, things that we are all grateful for. Friends once asked him, how he became a scientist? He said every day his mother would talk to him about his day at school. She was no so much concerned about he had learned but she always asked him this, “Did you ask good questions?” That’s what led me to become a scientist. I’ve been asking good questions all my life. This scene in Mark is full of good questions. Entering into conversation between this young man, Jesus, and his disciples, I would say at the outset that these questions and these answers will lead us to a far superior discovery than the magnetic properties of atoms. Our discovery can be this, salvation and our satisfaction in Jesus. And that discovery is better than anything anyone could find anywhere else. How is this conversation meant to shape us? Three things: our presumption will be revealed, our idolatry will find its way to be replaced, and God’s remarkable provision must be embraced. First look at our presumption and the need for it to be revealed by Jesus. As Jesus started on his way a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” First thing I want you to notice, notice the approach. Here we have a man. Matthew calls him young. Luke calls him a ruler, and in Mark Jesus calls him rich. That’s why he is called the rich young ruler. Notice he comes running and kneeling. What caught my attention is the disciples don’t get in his way. Remember the last time in the text people were coming to Jesus and the disciples blocked them because they were little and they offered nothing. This time He was clearly a significant figure. You can imagine the influence that this guy could potentially bring to the “Jesus movement.” He offers power and resources. Come on over. Then he asked what must I do to inherit eternal life? That is the most important question anyone would ever ask, but there is irony in his question. He is asking what must I do to inherit? In that day inheritance was simple. It was not based on something you do but on someone you are. The question itself shows that he believes that life, eternal life, is based on his doing rather than his being. He is confused by the outset. And that explains Jesus’s admonition, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Jesus is not saying no one is good except God and I am not him. We know that to be true from the rest of Scripture. Rather Jesus is giving an admonition, a friendly reproof, a warning to this young man. This young man sees Jesus only as a teacher. He did not think him to be Lord, he did not think him to be Savior. And he comes to him and calls him good. Jesus responds, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Jesus points out his fundamental problem which is recognizing goodness and badness. From the outset Jesus gives a gentle but firm admonition to say, I am good. I am God. And this will not be a consultation of advice which you can take or leave as you choose. My answer will be one of authority. You call me good. No one is good but God. I am He. In verse 19 Jesus gives the answers. Jesus said, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud (This is probably a nuanced rendering of the 9th and 10th commandment “do not covet.” It is possible that Jesus was seeking to expose the fact that this man is wealthy and loves his riches). He ended with the commandment honor your father and mother. In Mark Jesus just listed these commandments. But in Matthew Jesus said, you must keep the law. To which the rich young ruler replied which ones? I think that question reveals a lot about the problem and possibly the problem within many of us. Deep inside of us we have this curiosity of what is it that I have to do to make you happy. Or what is the secret thing I mustn’t do to loose your favor. When you are basing your life on your works and your record, you will always ask “which ones” and you will always live in insecurity. Then the man said, “teacher, I have kept all of these since I was a boy.” I don’t think he is lying. I just think he missed the Sermon on the Mount. I imagine he never murdered anyone or committed adultery. Maybe he’s never stolen…. Maybe. But he does not understand the deeper sins underneath the sins. Unaware of his sins, Jesus does a remarkable thing in verse 21. Jesus looked at him and loved him. There are a couple things in that. Do you know who is the hardest people to love? People who think that are better than they are. I can excuse myself from loving them because they are haughty and prideful. But Jesus looks right into his eyes of a man that just told him I have kept all the commandments and Jesus loved him. When you face prideful people, self-righteous people, people with no self-awareness, do you like your Savior love them? I find it’s easy to love the lowly, the desperate, the sinner, but the one that is pridefully blind, do you love them? You might say, how does Jesus love this man? How does he display it? I would say he displays it like the scene in the Lord of the Rings where Gandolf is with Bilbo. Bilbo is holding on to the precious ring thinking no one will make me let go… This is the thing I have to have. And then Gandolf said in his booming voice, “Bilbo Baggins, I’m not trying to rob you. I’m trying to help you.” Jesus loves the ruler by telling him what he says next. It sounds severe. But it is love because he is inviting the rich young ruler to lay down the precious that will destroy him. THAT IS LOVE, NOT HATE! The application of the rich young ruler is let’s be honest we are more like the rich young ruler than we would ever admit. We often think we are better than we are. We often think we are good. And sometimes we think we can do what is required. And Jesus says, you can’t do it. Come to Jesus and he will reveal it. But the beauty is that he can also replace our idolatry with himself. Jesus said, “one thing you lack.” It’s interesting to me that in Matthew’s Gospel the man literally asked “what do I lack?” I believe he asked about lack, and the reason we ask about lack, is because deep down if you base you life on doing you will be empty. You know it’s never enough. If you are honest, and you are asking while collectively considering the comandments, you know you lack. And to show him this, Jesus wants to talk about what you love. Go sell everything that you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” After he listed all those from the second table of the law, Jesus takes him to the first table of the law… Jesus takes him to the first commandment. You shall have no other God’s before me. I understand he does not say it explicitly but he says it as he reveals the man’s functional God: his wealth, his resourcefulness, his achievement. Jesus could not begun with a message of forgiveness of sins because this man does not know he is a sinner. Martin Luther said when you break any of the commandments you break the first commandment. All of our sins are rooted in pursuit of another God one way or another. All of our sins are misplaced worship. And all of our sins are misplaced love. And Jesus says, all of that will leave you lacking and lost. The man came to Jesus to be taught and Jesus says I want to do more than teach you. I want you to trust me whole heartedly. I want you to love me. Someone said this, “Do not spread a thin layer of admiration over a self-justifying idolatrous heart.” Augustine said, “idolatry is worshiping anything that ought to be used (or stewarded), or using anything that ought to be worshiped.” Idolatry must not just be recognized it must be replaced or else verse 22. “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Don’t walk away sad. As you stare into the face of Jesus listening to him, fall down and replace all your lesser lovers. Stop changing all the things you were meant to steward. It will only leave you sad. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” How hard. Wealth is not a disqualification for the kingdom but it is a definite danger. Why? Jesus is not saying it is a sin to be rich. You can be poor and pine after the things of the rich in the same way the rich do. They are both equally in danger. Riches are dangerous why? Riches blind us. They blind us to our need. They blind us to our state of lack. They promise control. I have the power. They promise independence. I need no one else. They promise satisfaction and they are dangerous because they blind us. It is hard, although not impossible, to embrace lack when you are rich… and I’ll tell you, based upon the global world, everyone sitting in here right now is rich. You are in the top 1 percent of the world. Case in point, the Gospel is not thriving in America. But it is in Africa. Why? Because of what Jesus says in this text. He calls them children in verse 24. Isn’t that surprising? You cannot be too little for the kingdom but you can be too big. The disciples are perplexed. “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Embrace the remarkable provision of God through Jesus. Only God can do what must be done. And he did exactly that. Jesus came down from heaven. He left the glories and the treasures of his father. He left his heavenly wealth to come to us. And in contrast to this man to stands before Jesus, Jesus actually has a perfect record. He has kept the law. And Jesus has an even deeper saddness. The man walks away because he does not want to do what Jesus asked of him. But Jesus’ sadness is this, I will do what is asked, I will die your death, even though you walk away. And yet Jesus remains a joyful giver. He gives us himself to make us his wealth. God gives his only son to make a wretch his treasure. How do you have your presumption revealed, how do you have your idolatry replaced, how does wealth not destroy you? Answer? Embrace the remarkable provision of God through Jesus who for you left wealth. Who for you emptied himself to give you the ultimate wealth and the ultimate provision, His love. When that captures you, idolatry is replaced and riches and wealth loose their luster. Jesus does not just provide salvation, he provides satisfaction but you only get that when you realize it’s found nowhere but in him. Onetime Larry King, the interview man, was asked do you like answers or do you just like asking questions? He said, I just like asking questions. Please don’t just come thing morning asking questions. Answers have been given and there is salvation and satisfaction in no other. Don’t go away sad. Embrace him. Follow him. And you too will inherit eternal life. May the grace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
October 6, 2024 - Mark 10:2-16
Before we begin to discuss Mark Chapter 10, I would like to make some preliminary comments. I was reminded of something that Billy Graham’s daughter said at his funeral. Ruth Graham told a story, her story. How after 21 years, her marriage ended in divorce. She said, she was devastated and the rug was pulled out from under her. She moved near her sister, as her family thought it would be good for her to move away and get a fresh start elsewhere. She was then introduced to a handsome widower. And they began to date fast and furiously. Her children did not like him. Her mother and father called her and said slow down, let us get to know the man. But being stubborn she married the man. Within 24 hours she knew he had made a terrible mistake and after 5 weeks she fled. With nowhere to go, she went to her mom and dad. It was a two day drive. Questions rolled around in her mind. What was I going to say to daddy, to mom, to my children? I have been such a failure. Surely they were tired of fooling with me. We told you not to do it. You have embarrassed us. The Grahams lived on the side of a mountain. As she rounded the last curve, there stood her father waiting for her. As she got out of the car, her father came out to her and wrapped his arms around her and said welcome home. No shame, no blame, no condemnation. Then she said these words, “My father was not God. But he showed me what God was like that day. That we can come home with our blame, brokenness, and failure. And God says “welcome home.” I have met a lot of people over the years that made mistakes, that feel shame, guilt, and burden, and then some of them do the worse thing they could possibly do, add injury to insult by removing themselves from church. That is not what God wants, and speaking on behalf of the church, that is not what we want. We want you here. Because none of us are perfect. And all of us, need to hear of God’s forgiveness. “Welcome home”. That beings said, by way of caution, understand this particular passage is not one of pastoral care. This passage is a confrontation between Jesus and the pridefully religious. Thus Jesus’ tone in the passage is not one of pastoral care like Billy Graham to his daughter. Jesus is in conflict. He is being trapped. His tone is different because of it. Indeed Jesus possesses a pastoral care tone. To hear that, go to places like Jesus’ discussion with the women caught in adultery or the women at the well. But here, this is prophetic correction. One clarification, the main emphasis of this passage is not the major concern of many of us at this present moment. Perhaps you enter this morning still carrying the baggage of your breakup still in need of healing after your broken relationship. And maybe you really want to have assurance of forgiveness after you’re marriage ended. Or you want to hear some marital advice because you want your marriage to be stronger. You never wanted your marriage to be anything less than perfect. Those may be your main concerns, and the Bible speaks to those things. But this text does not address those things here. Having given a moment of caution concerning the tone of Jesus and giving a moment of clarification of all the things this passage does not address, let me offer a moment of care. This is a hard text to preach as a pastor. Because part of a pastor’s job is to care for you individually. And in preaching this passage to the whole, I’m unable to address your situations particularly. But I pray the Holy Spirit might do what I cannot do, and apply His Word to your situation and your heart. Here is a word of comfort, whether you are married happily, married miserably, single, dating, divorced, widowed, widower, re-married; there is a marriage that is yours. And it is with Jesus. Jesus calls his church his bride. And for all of us, that marriage is not over and it never will be. The last time this passage appeared in the lectionary, it was LWML Sunday at my church and I was given another text as an option to preach on, so I did. That’s fine once in a while, but like I said last week, being faithful requires us to not skip over text just because they are hard or because we don’t like the way they challenge us. Let’s be honest, marriage is tough. It must be tough because the divorce rate is 40 percent. Marriage is tough and let me just add this is also a tough message. It is a touch message because it is bound up in all kinds of emotions and hurt and blame. None the less, I cannot change what God says. This passage breaks into two clear parts. The trap and then the truth. The trap is in verses 1-2 and the truth follows. Let’s look at the trap. It is important to see the trap, the location of the trap, and the intention of the trap. And all things considered, it explains his tone. In verse 1 it says, then Jesus left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. Notice where Jesus is located. He is in the region of modern Jordan. There Herod Antipas was king. Have you made the connection? The trap was set in the Judean wilderness by the Jordan. Who used to preach in the same location? None other than John the Baptist. Why did John get put into prison and lose his head? Because he criticized Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife. So in the same location and concerning the same subject, John the Baptist was trapped and lost his life. This passage might feel a little out of flow in the Gospel. Jesus had been revealing who he is, while also helping his disciples to understand how the cross would be part of his mission. Suddenly out of nowhere, and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, he begins to talk about marriage and divorce. But the intention and the nature of the trap is revealed in verse 2. “And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” The pharisees are not coming to Jesus to be sincerely taught. They have come to test him. To set him up. To tear him down. There are only 4 uses of this verb to test in the Gospel of Mark. Three times that word refers to the Pharisees. But the first use is for Satan who tested Jesus in the wilderness. What Mark is saying is the Pharisees approach to Jesus has more in common with Satan than anyone else. For like Satan they are twisting Scripture. They are seeking to trap Jesus and to harm his mission. How so, how are they doing that with a question like: is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? You have to understand at that time there were two schools of thought on how to interpret Deuteronomy 24:1. That verse says, if a man marries a women, if then becomes unpleasing to him, because he finds something indecent in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house… The trap is concerning the word indecent. And there were two schools of thought. There was the liberal camp that interpreted it as just about anything the male wanted it to be. There were rabbinical writing that suggested a man could divorce his wife if she forgot to salt the food. The other school of thought was that indecency only referred to committing adultery. Where were the Pharisees? Surprisingly, given the Pharisees often fell on the conservative end of things, here they are the ones who take the liberal view. Why? Because they were male. And the liberal view protected their authority and male dominated power. But also conveniently, they were siding with Herod Antipas and luring Jesus to say something against Herod knowing how it ended for John the Baptist. In the midst of this, hear now the truth Jesus speaks. Jesus answers the pharisee’s question by asking a question of his own. “What did Moses command you?” Jesus makes it quite clear that he will be the one to ask the questions. He will be the one to test them. And he will be the one in control of his destiny. He will die in his own time, when he lays his own life down, not by the hand of Herod. What did Moses command you? They responded “Moses permitted divorce”. But here is the point: permissive law and prescriptive law are two different things. Do not confuse God’s permission as his command. One things that is clear is divorce is never commanded in the Bible. But as we see in verse 5, it is conceded… and it is a painful concession. One that was never meant to be. I reiterate never. None, the less the Bible allows for a merciful concession. Meaning, there could be times when an individual is in grave danger. And in situations when it is absolutely-seemingly necessary there is a concession. But it is always on account of sin even if there are those times where you find yourself as a victim and not the agent. I feel as though I could dwell on this subject and the sermon could be 20 more minutes. But to be honest, none of us would be better for it. So here is what I want to ask you personally… individually, what word will you take with you? What word will escort you to the Lord Supper and what word will you carry home with you. An angry word “God hates divorce!” “God hates me.” Because to be fair, if we are honest, we have all committed indecencies and will be declared indecent by God himself. Hear these words from the Hymn “In the shattered bliss of Eden”, Verse 4 reads, “Lamb of God, once slain for sinners, Host who spreads this meal divine, Here You pledge our sins are covered, pledge received in bread and wine: take and eat; this is my body, given on the cross for you, take and drink; this cup of blessing is my blood poured out for you.” In Mark Chapter 10, predominated as it is, on the topic of Marriage and divorce, Jesus is the savior for every part of the text. He is the Savior at the beginning of the text as he teaches the crowd. Jesus is the Savior as the Pharisees test him. He is the Savior of the conundrum of divorce and marriage and the pastoral practice around it. And he is the savior for all human kind and he has taken all our sins to the cross. From the youngest to the oldest. From the womb to the tomb Jesus is Savior… He is your savior. Please take that with you today. I have only scratched the surface of this text, I have not even talked about the little children at the end. But of course, divorce affects them too. It is painful for all who have to live through it. And so I’m not surprised that Jesus focuses more on God’s plan for marriage and less on the concession. The word “one” is emphasized over and over, taking us back to the Book of Genesis where God designed the whole system. To understand life in the messy middle, Jesus goes back to the beautiful beginning and notices the way things are is not the ways they were supposed to be. The covenantal design for marriage was one of oneness, one male, one female, one covenant, one mission, one flesh. That is the vision for marriage. That is God’s design. In our cultural context, where self is the ultimate authority, you might say who says so? Verse 9 makes clear, “Therefore what God joins together let no man separate.” I will be brief on this final point, in Verses 10-12 Jesus does not say everything the Bible says on remarriage. If divorce is permitted in some cases, than the right to remarriage is assumed. So why does Jesus make it seem like remarriage is adultery? Probably he is hinting at the fact that many marriages end for unbiblical reasons. But ultimately, Jesus is emphasizing the gospel goal. Jesus wants repentance and subsequently healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Therefore, don’t forget the design I have for you. The power of God’s grace can reconcile and redeem the most broken of people and relationships. The greatest offences can be overcome. Even in situations where marital reconciliation is not advisable, even in those cases, it is always imperative that we forgive as Jesus forgives us. So wherever you are, the goal is always forgiveness and reconciliation. Remember when I said, divorce rates are currently at 40 percent? It does not have to be that way. Interestingly enough Dr. Phil wrote in his book “Relationships Matter” Divorce rate among couples that pray together is about one in ten thousand.” Even if it is half, even if it were a thousandth of that, that is an impressive statistic. When Christ is the third cord, relationships don’t typically break. Once again, there is a marriage that is yours. And it is with Jesus. Jesus calls his church his bride. And for all of us, that marriage is not over and it never will be. In the grace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.
September 29, 2024 - Mark 9:38-50
Grace, mercy, and peace be to all of you from God our Father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope this text from Mark Chapter 9 turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps it could prove to be a blessing in disguise for all of us suffering with sins and or difficulties. While your head is still reeling with trying to sort out the little ones, the millstones, the amputations, the worms, the fire, the devil, and the deep blue sea, hopefully you will not mind if I fail to mention any of these things. I’ll be honest, I’m glad you are still here. One time I had a visitor who arrived late to church. Literally he walked in, sat down, I read the Gospel reading from Mark 9, and he verbalized, “this church is not for me” and he got up and left. This is a tough text, but being faithful means we need to deal with it, not get up and leave. I’m glad you are still here. Having heard the reading, let us all be reminded that earlier Mark 9, Jesus told us He would go to the cross for us, for me, for you, for the forgiveness of our sins. He also said, “on the third day, he would rise,” for me, for you, so that one day soon, we too will have resurrected bodies like His… Given what Jesus had just said in the previous section, I find it shocking that our text would begin in verse 38 with John asking Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, but we told him to stop because he was not one of us.” I have no idea why John said this, although I suppose he was troubled by the fact that his man, who was not one of them, seemed to have abilities that even the disciples were found to lack earlier in Mark Chapter 9. But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. So in other words, what Jesus is saying is that whether it is casting out demons or something far less spectacular like giving a cup of water to someone, if they are doing it on account of the name of Jesus than we need to accept them as brothers and sisters in Christ. Because to be sure, it is not our job to be the judge and it is certainly not our job to reject those that Christ has accepted. Like I said, there is a lot in this text. But to summarize the text, today Jesus says “salt is good”. We all know that. But what is interesting is that three word phrase is the summation of the text. Or in other words, it is what everything else has either been leading up to or somehow building towards for the past 12 verses. Salt is good… That is easy to say, but does that truism make the words previously stated any less harsh? “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[b] it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Whoever… that is a pretty wide circle. It could include the kind of person who is intent on destroying a child’s faith and turning that child towards accepting evil things. It could be the kind of person who is looking to replace a child’s faith with another… maybe in favor of an enlightened view that does not need God in the first place. Maybe it is referencing the undertones of persecution in the text. But I have a feeling Jesus was looking directly at the disciples when he said this. Not looking off in the distance imagining the Scribes and the Pharisees or Roman soldiers. I think he was looking directly at them, the whole bunch of them, who ironically, and carelessly will go on to rebuke little children who are being brought to Jesus for a blessing in Chapter 10. Sometimes you wonder if they were listening at all. Perhaps the same is true for us. Jesus says, if anyone so compromises the integrity of the Christian faith that a child looks, sees, touches, tastes and turns and runs… Lord have mercy, because it happens, doesn’t it? It even happens to good families. It happens to church families. It happens to families of church leaders. Maybe that is why Jesus moves on from that to speak of the real issue, which is not just how a person affects others, but on what goes on on the inside. If your hand, if your foot, if your eye causes you to sin. Clearly he is not talking about someone else out there. He is talking to you. We are no longer in the “life as usual” I’ll fix it tomorrow mode. We are talking about something much more drastic. Of course I always heard people suggest that Jesus is using hyperbole. They say that Jesus is using obvious exaggeration to make a point and that he would never require for us to cut off our limbs. I suppose there is some truth to this assertion. Sometimes I wish that it were as easy as Jesus suggests. I wish that I could just remove some of my outside appendages and the temptations to sin would be removed along with it. But weeks ago in Mark Chapter 7 Jesus taught that it was not what goes into the body that makes it unclean but what come out of the body. His teaching at that time was that the human heart was corrupt, and as you know, you cannot remove that part of your body and live... of course the irony is you also cannot life with it. Our hands lead us into sin, and so do our feet, and our eyes, and all other parts of our bodies. Perhaps the point, though, it that our hands represent the things we do… our feet represent the places we go, and our eyes represent the things we choose to look at. Although it is true that we cannot change our internals, I think in a very real sense we need to show a bit of restraint and maturity when it comes to external influences. If watching a certain TV show leads you astray than stop watching it. If your TV in general leads you into doubt and unhelpful fears, terrors, anxieties, cut the cord. Tear it out of your life completely. If money causes you problems get rid of it, if you are constantly watching the stock market and anxious about the ups and downs so much so no one wants to be near you when the dow drops, do us all a favor and give it to charity. Do you see what Jesus is suggesting here? He is literally saying that we need to deal radically and dramatically with the sin in our lives. He said take all the unhelpful appendages in your life that are damaging you and literally drop them to the bottom of the ocean… You’re better off. Because Sin is an insidious cancer that will take control of your very being if you give it any loose freedoms. But “Salt is good.” You bet it is. In other words, we are special to God and he does not want anything to come between us and him. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said “you” (which I assume to be the same group of disciples hearing the text now), “you are the salt of the earth.” Salt is good. Salt is precious. Salt was used to weigh out wages. Salt was used to preserve meat. Salt is good. Salt turns what is bland and tasteless like a potato into succulent lip smacking finger licking French fry with smiles and burps of contentment. And I think there is more to this salt metaphor. Salt was used in the Old Testament while making burnt offering to God. I think that is the reason behind the reference “everyone will be salted in fire”. The point Jesus is making is that the disciples are God’s covenantal people. You are God’s Covenantal people and what does he say about you. He says, “salt is good.” Salt is precious. It is not just an attribute. It is an identity because salt has definite properties that cannot change or weaken. Of course Jesus says in Verse 50, if salt loses its saltness, (not just saltiness but saltness,) how will it become salty again. I think he is admitting salt, although pure in and of itself, can be compromised by impurities, and how does it become salty again? How do you make it good again? Because in its current state it is not good for anything. You might as well throw it on the ground to be trampled over or throw it into the sea. Hard words… especially for us today. But they are hard words meant for grace. After all, it is the Lord who calls us to be His. He calls us “the salt of the earth”. Salt is good. Therefore, I cleanse, I forgive, I redeem, I restore. I remake contaminated salt salty again. Can you believe it? Heed the invitation of the Psalmist that said, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” And just consider, in Mark chapter 9 Jesus is even willing to work through people that are not fully following Him. That means there are people who are hearing Jesus and listening to him but are not fully following him like the disciples. And Jesus is still at work even in them. How cool is that… How gracious is that? Because that means, just because you struggle to kick off whatever sins are holding you back, Jesus is not going to throw you away. Just because the struggle continues does not mean you should leave or quit, and never show up to church again, thinking you don’t belong. God can and does work even in those people. The text portrays everyone as unfaithful, everyone as lacking sufficient saltiness, everyone as condemned by the law. And yet you are invited to share in the succulence of the Gospel. It is easy to miss the covenantal language. How do you know you are salt? It is because Jesus loves you… so much that he died on the cross for you. So much that he came back from the dead for you. And he handed you a ton of promises and ensures us that we have the Holy Spirit. Understand that Christ died for all of our sins and he conquered death and the grave for us. Let that truth comfort you… You are God’s Covenantal people. Jesus says Salt is good. Therefore I call you and therefore I forgive you… be at peace and share in the succulence of the Gospel and share in the nourishment of God’s Word.
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