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Sermon from October 19, 2024

Sermon for 22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Mark 10:23-31

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen (Psalm 19:14).

Last week, we heard from Mark, Chapter 10, of a man who came to talk with Jesus and left downhearted and sorrowful because he was trusting in himself and his abilities and his great wealth and possessions and was not about to listen to and follow Jesus and trust Him and His Words (Mark 10:17-22).

Our Gospel lesson for today tells us of the conversation that Jesus then had with His disciples about what had happened. We hear that Jesus “looked around” - maybe to see the reaction of the disciples. Then He said to them, ”How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God.” “And the disciples were amazed at His Words.” The typical attitude of Jews of that time was that wealth was almost a sure sign that you were right with God and being greatly blessed by Him. Jesus seemed to be saying the opposite.

So Jesus repeated His message, using a very vivid image. “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.” Some scholars have tried to explain away what Jesus said by saying the camel just represents a thread that could go through the eye of a needle - but that’s not what Jesus said. Others have claimed that there was one narrow and low gate into Jerusalem that a camel could go through only by being forced to its knees and squeezed through. That explanation doesn’t make sense, either.

Jesus had used a camel as a dramatic example on another occasion, too. He told the Jewish religious leaders, who tended to be wealthier and more powerful and were considered and considered themselves better than ordinary people: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe to the temple (give 10% of your spices that you have or grow) but have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness… You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel” (Matthew 23:23-24).

In our text, Jesus then added one more phrase: “Children, how difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of God.” Period! It isn’t just wealth that can become more important than our Lord and His Word and will. It’s a First Commandment problem. “You shall have no other gods” (Exodus 20:3). “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10). Or as Martin Luther wrote, in explaining the First Commandment, “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

All things! That includes our possessions and our own wishes and desires and even people around us. Let me give a personal example that I have used before. If you know me very well, you know that I love books and what I can learn from them, especially in studying Scripture. When I theoretically retired more than ten years ago, I kept out books that I thought would be most useful but put many, many more books in storage. I am only now seriously looking through those many books, and my wife keeps saying, “If you haven’t used them for almost 11 years, do you really still need them?” She’s probably right, but it’s still hard to get rid of as many as I should. We all have our weaknesses in one way or another. And in our text, when the disciples heard what Jesus was saying, they were “exceedingly astonished” and said to Him, “Who then can be saved?”

And Jesus looked right at them and said, very bluntly, “With man, it is impossible.” And in the Greek it says, “With men (plural) it is impossible.” And the Greek word for “men” means not just “males” but refers to human beings - men, women, and children. With us human beings, no matter who we are, it is impossible to be saved - by our own goodness and efforts and accomplishments and possessions or anything else we do or produce. The Scriptures say the same thing in many other ways. “All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “There is no one who does good, not even one,” according to God’s perfect, holy standard (Psalm 14:1-3). “No one living is righteous before God” no matter how hard we try (Psalm 143:2). “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). And James, in his letter says, “Whoever keeps the whole law, but fails in one point, has become guilty of it all” (James 2:10). If we are guilty, we are guilty.

Impetuous Peter, though, doesn’t seem to like what Jesus is saying and tries to argue with Him, as he sometimes had done before. Peter wants to put the focus back on himself and his fellow disciples and the good they were doing. Peter began to say to Jesus, “See!” Look at us, Jesus, and how “we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus then stops him, but it is likely that Peter was about to add, “Our great sacrifices for You, Jesus, surely earn us some merit and honor and a place in Your kingdom.” The reality was that Peter and the others hadn’t really yet given up everything. Peter and Andrew had a house, and Peter had a family (Mark 1:29ff. and 1 Corinthians 9:5). When Peter needed to get away, he was able to get a boat and go fishing, etc. (John 21:1-3).

Peter and the others were totally missing the message of Jesus and the really Good News, the Gospel, that Jesus had added. “With man, it is impossible to be saved, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” God still loved this very sinful world, even after the fall into sin, and knew that we could never make ourselves worthy of God and rescue ourselves from our sins - just as we heard last week that Jesus loved the rich man who thought he was so good. Jesus sought to bring that man to the truth of his sin and to bring him to the gift of faith, though the man rejected him.

God the Father had sent His only Son, Jesus, into this world to save us, who could never save ourselves. And right after today’s text, Jesus told His disciples for the third time just what He was going to do for them (and for us.). He would go to Jerusalem and be condemned to die by Jewish religious leaders and Gentiles, Roman authorities, and suffer much to pay for the sins of the world and be killed (Mark 10:32-34).

Jesus was fulfilling the final verse of our text when He said, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Jesus seemed to be the last and the lost one when He gave up everything and died on the cross as a common criminal. The victors seemed to be Caiaphus, the high priest, and other Jewish officials, and Pontius Pilate and Roman power. They seemed to be first, and they were, in the eyes of many people. They had won and gotten rid of Jesus, it seemed.

Jesus was a true man, but He was also true God, and as He said in our text, “All things are possible with God.” Jesus saved this world in this amazing and surprising way, dying and rising again - something we could never do for ourselves or for anyone else. The certainty of His winning the victory and salvation for us was in His rising from the dead on the third day. This is His gift, received simply by faith and trust in Him and His already completed work for us. As Paul wrote so clearly, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

What does Jesus mean, then, when He speaks in the last part of our text of “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands?” Jesus is not speaking of rewards that Peter and the other disciples would earn from their works and sacrifices. In fact, Jesus also mentions “persecutions,” and eventually, all of the disciples, except John, died for the faith, seeking to share it with others. Jesus is speaking of the growth of the Holy Christian Church over time as the Gospel of Christ was shared and houses of worship sprang up, and more and more people were eventually brought to faith in Christ in many lands and kept in faith by the Lord and His Holy Spirit. The Spirit works through the means, the channels, by which the grace and salvation come, as God’s gifts to us in Christ - through the Word of God and the Sacraments.

That’s why we are here tonight, hearing the Word of God again and receiving His forgiveness and being strengthened by remembrance of our Baptism and receiving the Presence of Christ Himself in the Lord’s Supper. These are the gifts of God, coming through His loving Divine Service to us and for us. As Lutherans, we say that this salvation, justification by God’s grace, received as a gift through faith in Christ alone, is the chief doctrine of the Christian faith. As Jesus said, “With man and our efforts, salvation is impossible, but not with God and His grace. All things are possible with God and His grace.

Unfortunately, that is not what many churches say. In the Roman Catholic Church, we receive some initial grace from God in our Baptism, but we must then do enough good to pay for the temporal consequences of our sins in this life (which Christ has not taken care of), and if we haven’t done enough, which is likely, we end up in purgatory after this life until we have done enough to merit eternal life.

Too many Protestant churches also say that we must initiate our life with God ourselves by deciding to follow Christ as an act of our own will, and then there is much work ahead to be a real Christian. One author described his life in an evangelical church as coming to Christ, but then not hearing as much about Christ, but being told to focus and be centered on his own life - his “yielding more to Christ, his obedience, his zeal, his prayers, his Bible verse memorization, his loving others more, his witnessing more,“ and on and on. These are all good things, but they put the focus on us and what we are trying to do and not on Christ and His saving work already done for us, by which we are saved and continue in the faith, by His grace and work in our lives, and the motivation we need.

Paul says, “To me, to live is Christ” - all wrapped up in Him. Paul says, “You then, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:21 and 2 Timothy 2:1). And we heard in our Epistle lesson for today, “We who have believed (in Christ) enter the rest that God gives… Whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his own works… Let us hold fast to our confession of Christ, the Son of God… For “we have a High Priest (Christ) who sympathizes with our weaknesses (whatever our own struggles)… Let us then with confidence draw near to Christ and His throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need” - not through our efforts, but through Christ and His saving work for us.

Let us pray, “Now may the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, keep our hearts and minds safe, only where they are safe, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Preparing for Worship - October 20, 2024

The Scriptures this week continue to give warnings that we heard last week about the dangers of focusing on wealth and personal gain instead of the Word of God and His will and His blessings for us.

The Psalm is Psalm 119:9-16, part of the longest psalm in the Bible, but summarizing key ideas emphasized again and again in this psalm. The psalmist knows that God and His Word will guard and keep him in his life. He “stores up God’s Word in his heart” to help him avoid sin and remember God’s gracious ways. He seeks to delight in His Lord more than all earthly riches. He will not forget God’s Word, which he needs the most.

We hear from King Solomon, a very wealthy and powerful man, in worldly terms, in Ecclesiastes 5:10-20. He reflects on his life and knows that “loving money and wealth” does not really satisfy. “Increasing goods” and “a full stomach” don’t let him sleep and can actually “hurt” him. Riches can come and go, and he can’t take any of them with him or provide for what his son and family really need, in this way. There is much “vexation and sickness and anger” in his life. It is much better to focus on the “gifts of God” and trust Him for the joy and blessings the Lord alone can give to his heart.

We heard last week the story of a very rich man who left Jesus gloomy and sorrowful because he was centered on himself and his efforts and did not want to give up any of his great possessions. Jesus comments on that in our text for today, Mark 10:23-31, saying twice how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples are astonished, for the attitude of many in Judaism was that wealth was a sign of God’s approval for a person. Jesus has to remind them that no one can be saved by his own effort, but only by and through God Himself and His work for them. Peter struggles with this and asks what reward he and the disciples would get for their own sacrifices. Jesus then speaks of blessings, but also persecution, for them. Only in the age to come would be the clear blessings of eternal life, by God’s grace, through Jesus and His sacrifice for them. Many who seem to be first in this life will end up being last, while Christ Himself, who seemed to be lost and last as He died on the cross as a criminal, will actually be first, with blessings for those who simply trust Him.

The Epistle lesson continues readings from Hebrews, this week from Hebrews 4:1-13 (14-16). The author continues using the example of so many of God’s people on the way to the Promised Land, but losing out on it and never entering it and God’s rest, because of rebellion and sin and finally unbelief toward God Himself and His way and plans. They had received God’s “good news” but refused to “rest from their own ideas and works” and simply trust Him. They were disobeying and rejecting the Word of God, which ultimately showed the unbelieving thoughts and intentions of their hearts. God’s saving plan centered not on us and our efforts, but on Jesus, our great High Priest, who lived a perfect life for us and gave up everything for us and our salvation. We have received His mercy and grace and pray that we may hold fast our confession of Him, trusting that He will help in every time of need until we reach our own time of eternal rest in Him in eternal life. In Him alone is our peace and hope. This teaching of justification by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ is the central teaching of our Christian faith.

Preparing for Worship - October 13, 2024

The Scriptures this week give warnings from the Lord about the dangers of falling away from faith in Him and His rescuing work for His people. There are also words of hope from the Lord, in listening to Him and trusting His work in enabling us to stay in faith.

The Psalm is Psalm 90:12-17. This is a Psalm of Moses, written after God’s people had been rescued from slavery in Egypt. Moses reminds them of how short their lives are on this earth, in comparison with the everlasting Lord, and how many struggles they will have in this sinful world. As our reading begins, Moses calls upon his people to “number their days, that they may get a heart of wisdom” from the Lord. They need the Lord’s pity and mercy and steadfast love and will be able to see His glorious power and work on their behalf. He is able also to establish our work in ways that are pleasing to Him and give us joy and gladness in His grace.

Unfortunately, God’s own people often sinned and rebelled against Him. The Old Testament lesson, from Amos 5:6-7, 10-15, is an example of this from the time of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Many of the people hated hearing the truth and acted unjustly toward others, especially the poor and the needy. They built stone houses and planted vineyards, often profiting off the abuse of others. Their sins were great, in this evil time. Amos called upon the people to “seek the Lord and live,” but also prophesied that many of them would never enjoy their homes and vineyards, because they would be carried away into captivity (by the Assyrians) because of their sinful unbelief. There is a promise, though, that the Lord might spare and be gracious to a “remnant” of God’s people, who remained in faith by His grace. That is what happened when Jesus came from that remnant of surviving, faithful Jews and did His saving, forgiving work for all people.

The Epistle lesson continues readings from the Letter to the Hebrews in Hebrews 3:12-19. Here, too, come warnings of evil hearts that could lead people to fall away from the living God in unbelief. The example here is from God’s Old Testament people and their rebellion against God at the time of Moses. (You could read about this in Numbers 14:1ff, for example.) In Hebrews 3:15-19, the author quotes from Psalm 95:7ff, showing that almost all of those who came out of Egypt died in the wilderness in sin and rebellion and unbelief. He calls God’s people who share in Christ to hold on to our original confidence in Him. Sin is so deceitful, and our hearts can become hardened over time against the Lord. So, the author says, we need to keep on exhorting and encouraging each other through the use of God’s Word and Sacraments, through which the Holy Spirit works and keeps us in faith. That’s why we have worship and the Divine Service together and read and study our Scriptures, etc. It is not, as some say, “once in faith, you can never fall away.” We continually need our Lord and His Word and grace to keep us in faith.

The Gospel lesson is from Mark 10:17-22. A Jewish man runs up to Jesus and calls him a good teacher and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus points him to the reality that only God is good, and one must depend on Him alone. (Jesus Himself was sinless, but as a true man, he always depended upon His heavenly Father’s guidance and direction and help.) Jesus then reminds the man of many of the Ten Commandments, which should have helped him realize his own sinfulness. Instead, the man thinks he has kept all these commandments from youth, which Jews were often taught should and could be done. Jesus challenges the man, who was rich, at his greatest point of weakness, and asks him to sell what he had and give it to the poor. Even more important, Jesus calls the man simply to come and follow Him, Jesus, in faith, for He was the promised Savior, whose perfect life and payment for the sins of the world on the cross could save him. The man is shocked and gloomy and goes away sorrowful. He was breaking the First Commandment, above all, trusting himself and his own goodness and his great wealth, rather than Jesus, Lord and Savior. (This is said so simply in many places and in Mark 16:16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Be sure to pay attention to next week’s reading from Mark, also, which speaks to all of us and our need for Jesus our Savior, too. He alone can save us by His grace through the continuing gift of faith in Him.)

Preparing for Worship - October 6, 2024

Several of our readings this week focus on the blessings of marriage and children. A series of readings also begins from the Letter to the Hebrews, focusing on Jesus as our Prophet, Priest, and King and the need to stay close to Him.

The Old Testament lesson is from Genesis 2:18-25. We hear of the many animals and birds God had created, the harmony with them, and all creation in the perfect world God had created, as Abraham names them. God then created the perfect helper and companion for Adam from one of his ribs and instituted the gift of marriage, bringing Adam and Eve together in oneness with each other. This is the origin of the whole human race and all nations (Acts 17:26).

The Psalm is Psalm 128. It is a “song of ascent,” sung as people went up to Jerusalem. “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” This is reflected in families with the blessing of a wife and children and the desire to live long enough to see “children’s children.” In His wisdom, this is not God’s plan for all, but this is the way the human race continues until Christ’s return.

The Gospel lesson is from Mark 10:2-16. Pharisees came and tried to “test” Jesus by asking what His view was about divorce and its “lawfulness.” Jewish views about what Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 varied. Some thought divorce was clearly wrong; others, like Rabbi Hillel, wrote that a husband could divorce his wife even for such things as letting his food burn. Jesus said that Moses wrote this because of the hardness of human hearts and human failure. Jesus took the Pharisees back to God’s original intent for marriage in Genesis 2, our Old Testament lesson. The high standard of God is the lifelong commitment of a man and woman in marriage. In this passage, we also hear again of Jesus’ love and concern for children. The disciples did not want Jesus bothered by children, but Jesus wanted the children to come to Him and be blessed, as they also could be part of the Kingdom of God. He held this high standard of the value of children and had already taught the disciples this (see Mark 9:35-37), but they failed. They had failed and sinned, but obviously, there could also be repentance and forgiveness of their sins. That is why Jesus had come into the world. He had come to “save sinners,” which we all are. (See Matthew 9:11-13 and Mark 2:16-17 and Romans 5:6-8 and 1 Timothy 1:15, etc.) He came for us to make us His children and bless us, too.

The Epistle lesson is from Hebrews 2:1-13(14-18). The Letter to the Hebrews emphasizes that God has spoken throughout the Scriptures, but “in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son” and His saving work for us (Hebrews 1:1-2). Hebrews 2 begins with a key warning. “We must pay attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it” and “neglect such a great salvation” that Christ Jesus has provided for us. The Biblical writer then quotes from numerous Scriptures that show that Jesus was and is the promised Savior, through His perfect life and “suffering of death” for us, “to make propitiation” (His atoning sacrifice) “for the sins of the people,” including us, as our great “High Priest.” We then, who “share in flesh and blood” with Him, are brought to “put our trust in Him” and continue in such faith through the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” in God’s Word and Sacraments. (Here are some of the Old Testament Scriptures quoted or referred to: Psalm 8:4-8, Psalm 22:23, Isaiah 8:17-18 and 12:2, and 2 Samuel 22:3.) Jesus is the “merciful and faithful High Priest” for us who can help us through times of suffering and temptation that we all face. Thanks be to God for the victory we have in Christ! May we stay close to Him always and “keep paying attention to what we have heard” through Him and the whole Word of God.

Preparing for Worship - September 29, 2024

There are two possible sets of readings for this Sunday. I will list all but only give very brief explanations, as there are 9 possible Scriptures, and I cannot cover them all very thoroughly. Churches can use the readings for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost. These are:

Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29

Psalm 104:27-35

James 5:(1-12)13-20

Mark 9:38-50

You can study the Epistle from James 5 by looking at the previously posted podcast. The Words from Psalm 104 show the mercy and care of the Lord in “providing food in due season,” caring for His people, and calling for trust in Him and praise, even as farmers patiently trust the Lord, in that James 5 lesson.

In the Old Testament lesson from Numbers, God’s people are grumbling (warned about in the Epistle), complaining about the manna God was providing, and wanting something else. Moses is also becoming very frustrated because he cannot control or deal with these rebellious people. He almost wishes to give up and die. God provides 70 helpers for Moses and gives them a measure of the Holy Spirit, as Moses had. Moses rejoices in all those who are faithfully helping, even if two of them are not doing everything in the planned way.

This parallels the Gospel lesson from Mark 9, where John complains about someone who is not one of the chosen disciples casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus rejoices in anyone truly doing some good, trusting in the name of Christ. Jesus also warns about going astray and leading others astray. Jesus wants us to battle sin in our lives that would hurt us and others. Sin comes from sinful hearts (Mark 7:20-230, so Jesus is not asking us literally to cut off parts of our body, but to take sin seriously and battle it with the Lord’s help and forgiveness.

The other set of readings possible this week are for focusing on St. Michael and All Angels Sunday. The readings are:

Daniel 10:10-14, 12:1-3

Psalm 91

Revelation 12:7-12

Matthew 18:1-11 or Luke 10:17-20

This set of readings focuses upon the fact that God created holy angels, as well as our amazing universe and the first human beings, Adam and Eve, to live on the earth along with all of its other creatures. The Epistle from Revelation 12 speaks of the rebellion of the devil, Satan, and other angels who became evil and opposed God. They were cast out of the presence of God and came to earth, tempting Adam and Eve to fall into sin, as well. Ever since, there has been a battle between good and evil, including angels, with the victory over evil coming finally through God’s own Son, Jesus, the Lamb who was sacrificed for us. Satan always attacks and accuses us of our sins, but through Jesus, there is forgiveness and life. The archangel Michael is mentioned here and in the Old Testament reading in Daniel 10 as a leader of the holy angels, battling Satan and his forces. The angel who speaks to Daniel had been battling, together with Michael, evil spirits in Persia, who were influencing leaders and people there toward evil. This holy angel then strengthens Daniel (think of how angels strengthened Jesus, tempted in the wilderness and in the Garden of Gethsemane, in Matthew 4:11 and Luke 22:43). The angel also tells Daniel more things to come in the future, with regard to leaders of Greece, and in Daniel 12, in the end times, when Michael will help deliver God’s people for everlasting life, while others, apart from Christ, will receive everlasting shame and contempt in hell.

The Psalm, Psalm 91, speaks of God’s overarching care for His people. Part of His care is holy angels, who help and protect God’s people who trust in the Lord (Psalm 91:9-13). The devil quotes from this passage, out of context, trying to get Jesus to jump off the temple. Surely, God’s angels would help Him, but Jesus knows that He was not to put God to the test but to do His will always.

The Gospel lesson, Matthew 18:1-11, speaks of God’s care, even for little children who have the gift of simple faith, and that there are guardian angels watching over them, from the presence of the Heavenly Father. There are also reminders to battle evil temptations within us, as described in the Mark 9 passage in the first set of readings. See that for more comments. Finally, Luke 10:17-20 indicates that Jesus gave power to His own disciples to battle evil spirits in His Name. Even more important, though, is that their names are written in heaven, as among those who have been rescued by the gift of faith in Jesus and His saving work for them. That is the best gift.

There is so much more in these passages, but hopefully, this will give you a start in looking at them before and after worship.

Bible Study - Thoughts on James 5:7-11, 13-20

James talks, in this Scripture, about how our Lord has helped us in difficult times in the past and how He continues to help us as we face these challenges in the present and in the future. He speaks of three “p’s” that we need, provided by our Lord.

The first of these is “patience.” “Be patient, therefore, until the coming of the Lord,” James writes. He uses the example of farmers, who do as much as they can but are dependent on things that are beyond their control. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit, being patient about it, needing rain at proper times, yet not too much rain, and needing much sunshine and some decent weather at harvest time to bring the crops in. Farmers are some of the greatest examples of needing patience and living by faith as they work.

“You also be patient,” James says, “Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-8). (James is referring to the second coming of Christ on the last day, which may be at any day or hour. No one knows when that will be but God, so we are called to wait patiently and not listen to false prophets who claim that they know the real time.)

James also uses the example of prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They were trying to do the Lord’s work, and yet they had much suffering and trouble, also. We heard last week of David and Jeremiah and of our Lord Jesus Himself, and all the difficulties they faced. James also mentions Job and Elijah. He says, “Behold, we consider these blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness, the patience of Job.” Patience is a “fruit of the Holy Spirit,” as He works through the Word and Sacraments (Galatians 5:22-23).

James also warns, “Do not grumble against one another so that you may not be judged.” It is so tempting, at times, to become so impatient that we strike out with harsh words at others or even the Lord when He is not doing for us what we want Him to do. Even Job himself had to say, “I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). And Elijah, whom James says was “a man with a nature like ours,” with its sinful weaknesses, once thought he was the only believer left and was so discouraged that he wanted to die.

How much we all also need that second “p” about which James writes - the importance of “prayer” to the Lord in times of trouble, as well as prayers of joy in times of blessing. James writes. “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray! Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise! Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” Note that the prayer of faith and the Lord Himself are the important factors in all this.

Some have tried to turn the anointing with oil into a kind of sacrament of healing. Praying is the main verb, though, and applying oil, likely olive oil, is secondary, only as a kind of soothing medicine in the ancient world. Isaiah 1:6 speaks of bruises and sores being bound up and softened with oil. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says that the Samaritan bound up the wounds of the man, beaten and left to die, pouring wine and oil on the wounds. Many other examples of this use of olive oil as a kind of medicine could be given from ancient literature, as well. Anointing the head of someone with some oil was also a sign of welcome and respect for someone. (See Luke 7:46, where Jesus did not receive such a welcome from a Pharisee who invited Him to a meal.)

The important thing was the praying. James writes, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power, as it is working” (in its effects). We also heard, some weeks ago, about the armor of God, which He provides for us. That includes using “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:17ff.). Paul also wrote, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayers work! They may not always bring us what we want, but they bring us what God knows is ultimately best for us in His wisdom. His work is most important, even in our praying, as we don’t always know what to pray for or how to do it. (See Luke 11:1ff, Matthew 6:5-13, and Romans 8:25-28, for example.)

Be patient! Keep praying! And the third “p” that James mentions in this passage is seeing the “purpose” of the Lord. James says, “You have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” The Lord loves the people of this world, including us, in spite of our problems and struggles. That is why He sent Jesus to be our Savior and to die for all on the cross, for the forgiveness of sins and to make us counted acceptable to Him through faith in Jesus. That’s why Jesus also instituted the true Sacrament of Baptism, by which an infant or child or adult of any age can be brought into God’s kingdom by the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God and the water of baptism to forgive sins and create faith in a person.

The “purpose” of God is compassion and mercy in Christ and also in the gift of the Lord’s Supper. Christ Himself comes to us, as believers, to forgive and strengthen us, too, whatever we struggle with, as we confess our sins and trust His Word of Promise, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).

And there is hope for others, too, in the Lord’s compassionate purposes. As this reading ends, James says that even if people wander from the truth, they can be brought back through the Word and their souls saved and the multitude of their sins forgiven in God’s mercy in Jesus (James 5:19-20).

May the Lord give us patience, whatever we are dealing with these days, and keep us using prayer for ourselves and for one another, and in trust that even if He does not answer our prayers as we wish, He is still working for our good and His purposes are full of compassion and mercy for us in Christ, our Lord and Savior (Romans 8:28).

Sermon for September 21, 2024

A Sermon on Mark 9:30-37 - September 21, 2024

Gospel for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen

As our text begins, Jesus and His disciples were passing through Galilee, but He didn’t want others to know this because He had much to teach His disciples. He could see many of their weaknesses.

For example, we heard last week that the disciples were unable to cast out an evil spirit from a young boy. Earlier, when Jesus had sent them out on a mission trip, two by two, He gave them authority over all the evil spirits (Mark 6:7, Luke 9:1) in His Name. They came back so excited that they were able to cast out many demons ( Mark 6:13, Luke 10:17-20). Jesus had to remind them, though, that they should be rejoicing even more, that their names were written in heaven through Jesus and His heavenly Father’s plan, which Jesus was carrying out for them.

The fact that Jesus had to remind them that the demon “could not be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29) might have been an indication that they had been trusting too much in themselves and their abilities to deal with the demon, and not in Jesus and His power, and calling upon Him and His power, in prayer.

Don’t we do the same all too often? We have a problem or difficulty and try to do everything we can think of to deal with it - and only later, sometimes much later, remember to take it to the Lord in prayer for His gracious and very needed help.

In today’s text, Jesus especially wanted to teach His disciples about His most important work, providing forgiveness and salvation to the world through His suffering, death, and resurrection. This was predicted in the Old Testament and pointed out in our Old Testament lesson for today. The Lord revealed to the prophet Jeremiah that because he had faithfully shown the King and people of Judah their great sin of worshipping false gods and making offerings to the false god, Baal, many of the Jews now wanted to kill him, like a gentle lamb, led to the slaughter. From what we know, Jeremiah did not die in this way. But when God’s own Son, our Lord Jesus, came into this world, John the Baptist said of Him, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29,36). This is the primary reason why Jesus had been sent to us.

Earlier, in Mark 8:31-33, Jesus had taught about suffering and being killed and rising again, but Peter began to rebuke Jesus, saying that He should never talk about such things. Jesus had to tell Peter that He was not thinking the thoughts of God but the thoughts of sinful man.

On another occasion, Jesus had talked briefly about suffering many things and being treated with contempt, and yet rising from the dead. Again, the disciples did not know what all this meant, especially the rising from the dead.

And again, in our text, Jesus said very clearly, “The Son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.” Again, the disciples “did not understand this saying of Jesus, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.” Most likely, they just didn’t want to hear what Jesus had to say. Their minds were on other things, as we will see as our text goes on.

When Jesus and the disciples reached Capernaum and likely the home of Peter, Jesus asked them what they were discussing along the way. It was obvious to Him that they were having a lively and heated disagreement with one another. The disciples kept silent, though, because they were arguing with one another about who was the greatest among them. Jesus was talking about His own suffering and death, and all they could think about was themselves and which of them was the best and the greatest and should be honored the most.

We hear then that Jesus sat down. Among the Jews, a rabbi or teacher would sit down if he had something really important to teach. Jesus then called the twelve, those close disciples, and said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” As one commentator wrote, “Instead of urging ambition for high position and power, Christ knows of only one valid reason for fame before Him and His Father - humble, unpretentious service, without a thought of reward.” And to make that even clearer, Jesus took a child, a pretty small child, as He could take him up in His arms, and said, “Whoever receives one such child in My Name receives Me.”

Imagine that! If we help a little child in the Name of Christ, we are helping and serving Christ Himself and receiving Him. And Jesus adds, “Whoever receives Me, receives not just Me, but Him Who sent Me" (God the Father), and as we read on in the Scriptures, we also receive God the Holy Spirit, Who comes to us and works in us, through Christ and His Word.

What always gets in the way, though, is our own human pride and and way of thinking and our desire for greatness on our terms. Another commentator suggests that when we read a Scripture passage like this or the Epistle today, where James says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6) - we should write down the word PRIDE. Right in the center is the letter “I.” It is so easy to focus on my human thinking and my wishes and my desires, what I want instead of what we know as believers should always be at the center - the wisdom from above in Christ our Lord and His Word and will.

As we’ll hear in the coming weeks in Mark’s Gospel, this was so hard for Christ’s disciples to remember and learn. They and we fail so often. That’s why Christ Jesus came: to teach us God’s will but also to live it out in a perfect way for His disciples and for us, too. “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” James came, he said, “not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”( Mark 10:45). Only He could do this perfectly for us. That’s why Jesus had to keep repeating the Words in our text: “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.” That is how He would pay the ransom price for the payment of all the sins of His disciples. And the Scriptures also say, “Christ died for all” - for every man, woman, and child, big or small. And that includes each of us here tonight, too.

And Jesus predicted, “When He is killed, after three days He will rise” - with victory over sin, Satan, and death for all of us who have come to faith through Baptism and trust in Him - and with everlasting life ahead. And once we are Christ’s, we are strengthened constantly by Him, as we are gathered around His Word and Sacraments. Jesus said, “If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32) - free from continual pride in self and the messages of a very sinful world, and free to follow Christ in a better way and to serve others.

As Paul wrote, “We also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the Word of God which you received from us, you accepted it not as the word of Men, but as what it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). And as Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who works (through that Word) to give life; our human flesh is no help at all. The Words I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life” now and forever (John 6:63).

Stay close then to those sacred Words and Writings, which many of “you have know from childhood, which are able to make you wise” (not in human worldly wisdom) but “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15ff).

Please rise: Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. Amen. (Philippians 4:7)

Preparing for Worship - September 22, 2024

The psalm for this week is Psalm 54. The introduction tells us that this psalm was written by David when he and others had fled from Jerusalem when King Saul wanted to capture and kill him. David had gone to the town of Ziph, and people of the town went and told King Saul where David was hiding. (You can read about this in 1 Samuel 23:19ff.) The people were not following God’s will but the evil plans of the King. David finds out that he has been betrayed and is able to escape. He prays to God to help and save him because these “strangers” from the town had risen against him and were trying to help take his life. David trusts that God would still uphold his life, in His faithfulness to him as the future king. David freely makes sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness. (In the chapters that follow 1 Samuel 23, David has opportunities to kill King Saul, but he does not do so since Saul is still the anointed King. David trusts that the Lord would deliver him in His own time and way, as the Lord did, and would give him the kingdom.

In the Old Testament lesson, Jeremiah 11:18-20, the prophet Jeremiah also had great difficulty. He had been speaking against the leaders and people of Judah and Jerusalem for going against the Lord and worshipping and making offerings to false gods. Jeremiah did not realize that the people wanted to cut him off and kill him, as a lamb led to the slaughter, until the Lord revealed it to him. Like David, Jeremiah committed himself to the Lord, who knows the hearts and minds of people and would judge righteously and care for him

What happened with David and Jeremiah, even when they tried to follow the Lord faithfully, was happening also to our Lord Jesus, in our Gospel lesson, Mark 9:30-37. Jesus knew that those opposed to Him, the Lamb of God, the Son of Man, would eventually lead Him to slaughter, at their own hands and the hands of the Roman authorities, as He suffered and was crucified and died on the cross. This was necessary to take away the sin of the world, as predicted by John the Baptist in John 1:29,36 and Old Testament prophecy. Yet, after three days, Jesus would rise again in victory. Jesus had told His disciples about this before (see Mark 8:31-33 and 9:9-12), but again, they did not understand what He meant and were even afraid to ask Him about it.

Part of the problem, of course, was that they were mostly thinking about themselves, instead of Jesus. They were trying to hide the fact that they were arguing about which of them was the greatest disciple. Jesus had again to sit down with them and teach again that they were to be “last of all and servants of all,” servants even of a little child. That is what Jesus Himself would do. He was the Son of Man, who “came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). In fact, He “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6), so that the Good News of Jesus could be proclaimed to all people. And with Christ, one would also receive the blessings of His Heavenly Father, who sent Him and the Holy Spirit, who worked through Jesus and His Word.

What the disciples struggled with, the focus on themselves and the sinful world and its appeal, instead of Christ Jesus, is also what James talks about in our Epistle lesson for this Sunday, James 3:13-4:10. In this third reading from his letter, James speaks very strongly, in 4:1-10, about the dangers of “friendship with the world,” which can make one “an enemy of God.” He speaks of fights and quarrels and coveting and passions and adultery and even murder. (That sounds far-fetched, but we saw in the news a few weeks ago that five people were killed because one family member thought he might be cheated out of his inheritance.) We know of King David’s problems with both adultery and murder. We know of Jesus’ warning about bad thoughts and desires in our minds that are also sins. And how often do we pray, asking too much for our own desires and not for what our Lord would want? All this is a call to repentance from our worldly pride in ourselves and the need for humility and asking the Lord to help us to submit ourselves to Him and His will.

What we really need is what James talks about in the first part of our reading, James 3:13-18, a focus on “the wisdom that comes down from above.” James had said in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” The greatest gift of God is, of course, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is called “the Power of God and the Wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24) and did His saving work for us. Once we are baptized believers in Christ, our Lord will not easily let us go away from Him either. James says that the Lord “yearns jealously over the Spirit that He has made to dwell in us” (James 4:5). Twice James speaks of God giving us His grace, and more grace, His undeserved love and favor for us (James 4:6 and Proverbs 3:34) and helping us battle sinful worldly pride and keeping us humble before Him. He does that through Scriptures like this passage, which shows us the reality and danger of our sins, but above all, He shows us again the Wisdom, mercy, and forgiveness of Christ our Savior. There is our hope.

Preparing for Worship - September 15, 2024

The Scripture readings for this week speak of challenges that God’s people and even Jesus faced, and yet how the Lord’s care carried them through. The psalm is Psalm 116:1-9. We don’t know who the psalmist was, but he was “brought low” and was near to death, with “distress and anguish.” He called upon the Lord to deliver him, and the Lord heard his pleas for mercy and saved him. He learned to keep calling upon the Lord as long as he lived, for the Lord had delivered him from “tears and stumbling and death.” The Lord would preserve him as He knew best and would one day take him to the land of the living in eternal life.

The Old Testament lesson is one of the “Servant Songs” of the promised Savior, our Lord Jesus, in Isaiah’s prophesy. In this passage, the Servant knew that His tongue had been taught by the Lord God Himself, His Heavenly Father. The Servant could, therefore, sustain the weary with the Words He would speak, and He keeps hearing the Lord’s Word and will in His ear, morning by morning. (See the way that Jesus speaks in John 5:19-36 about His ministry as the Son, Who listens to and sees His Father and does His will. Believers would eventually honor Him, the Son, just as they honor the Father (and eventually the Holy Spirit) as the one true Triune God at work for them. See how Jesus also reached out to the weary and heavy laden, as well as to children, in Matthew 9:25-30. He could bring them all rest and peace.)

Jesus is also not rebellious at the Lord’s will, even though it would mean much suffering and disgrace at the hands of His enemies in this world. A number of things He experienced on the way to the cross are predicted by Him here, in Isaiah 50:6. (See Mark 15:15 and Mark 14:64-65 and Matthew 26:66-68.) Yet Jesus “set His face like a flint” to go to Jerusalem to suffer and die. (See Luke 9:51.) He knew that the Lord His God would help Him, even when He faced His adversaries who would declare Him guilty. (See Matthew 26:62-66.) Jesus knew, as he says twice, that the Lord God would help Him, and He would win the victory over sin and Satan and evil and death. (See Romans 8:31-38.)

Finally, as the Old Testament lesson ends, the Servant says, “Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of His servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on His God.” In the darkest of days, we are called to trust our Lord, as Jesus did, and listen to His voice, and not try to produce our own light with our own ideas and schemes and thinking (Isaiah 50:10-11). What we try to do and produce on our own will end up being “moth-eaten” (Isaiah 50:9), as Jesus says a number of times in His teaching. (See Matthew 6:19-20, Luke 12:33, and James 5:2.)

As our Gospel lesson begins, in Mark 9:14-29, Jesus and His disciples had just seen the great glory and light of His transfiguration (Matthew 9:2-9), but Jesus then began to speak about suffering and dying and rising again - things they did not understand (Matthew 9:9-13). Jesus also found His other disciples having difficulty because they could not cast out an unclean, evil spirit from a boy brought to them. Jesus was frustrated and spoke of how “faithless” His own generation was and how hard it was to put up with their lack of faith and understanding. Jesus called for faith and trust in Him, and the boy’s father cried out and said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” He knew that he needed the Lord’s help to believe as he should - as we all do! Jesus then quickly cast the evil spirit out of the boy, and Jesus lifted up the boy to good health. The disciples asked why they could not heal this boy when earlier they were able to “cast out many evil spirits” (Mark 6:7-13). Jesus simply said, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” This response of Jesus makes us wonder if the disciples forgot where their own power to cast out demons had come from. Jesus had given them this power. It was not in their own ability or strength. They may have even forgotten to pray to the Lord their God and to ask Jesus Himself for His strength and power for them to help this boy. (Do we do the same? When some difficulty comes, do we try first to do what we think to do and only later lean upon the Lord and His strength and His power to heal? We forget Jesus and His promise to be with us always and help us through. See Matthew 28:20, Psalm 50:15, Proverbs 3:5, etc.)

The Epistle lesson continues readings from James. This week, we hear in James 3:1-12 of the power of the human tongue, particularly for evil, and how hard it is to control. That is why it is hard to be a teacher and use our tongues in a positive way. We all stumble much and are not in any way close to being perfect. In fact, James says that “no human being can tame the tongue.” It is “a restless evil” and “set on fire by hell,” going all the way back to the fall of Adam and Eve into sin through the influence of Satan. Out of every mouth comes both good and evil, and it should not be so. (By the way, this makes it clear that James did not teach salvation by works, for we are all poor, miserable sinners, even with our tongues.) Only that Servant sent from God, God’s own Son, had a tongue that was taught and sustained by God. Only He was always listening to His Father and doing His will and fulfilling all righteousness for us (Matthew 3:15) and finally paying for all our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21), suffering the fires of hell for us, God-forsaken, on the cross, so that we might be forgiven and saved and brought to Him in baptism and faith. Now, by His grace, we “hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” (The battle with our tongues is spoken of in so many other Scriptures, too. Here are some examples: Matthew 12:34-37, Matthew 15:10-11, Proverbs 16:27-28, Psalm 140:1-3,9-10, Luke 6:27-28, Romans 12:14, Matthew 5:21-22, etc. and etc.) James says, “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of it all.” Our tongues alone condemn us. Our only hope is, as James says, that “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). It is only by God’s mercy for us, earned by Christ, that we can be and are forgiven and saved. Thanks be to God, Who alone gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) - even in our battle with our tongues!

Preparing for Worship - September 8, 2024

The Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 34:4-7a, is another of the many prophecies in Isaiah of God’s coming to His people with judgment for sin but bringing salvation, above all. We who have anxious hearts about many things are told, “Be strong; fear not!” When people see many miracles and healings happening through Jesus, they will know that He is the Promised One. He will also provide Living Water, the Water of Life, coming through the Holy Spirit as well. (See John 7:37-39.)

The psalm, Psalm 146, is also prophetic of Christ. We are not to put our trust in other people, even those as powerful as princes, for they cannot bring salvation. They soon die, and their plans perish. We trust the Lord God, our Creator, mostly especially in the gift of His Son, Jesus, who helped the oppressed, gave food to the hungry, opened the eyes of the blind, lifted up those bowed down by the troubles of life, and set us free from captivity to sin. He helped the Jewish widow of Nain (Luke 7:11ff) and non-Jewish sojourners in many places. He was righteous for us and keeps faith forever for us in His life, death, and resurrection for us. Other leaders come and go, but He will reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords ( Revelation 17:14) together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We simply trust Him all our life and say, “Praise the LORD.” The Hebrew for that is Hallelu-Yah (Yahweh) (Psalm 146:1).

The Gospel lesson is Mark 7:(24-30)31-37, where we have two stories of Jesus doing His saving work for people, as predicted in the Old Testament lesson and Psalm. Jesus knew that His primary ministry was among His own Jewish people, but He also went to non-Jewish, Gentile areas like Tyre and Sidon, for He knew that His saving work was for all people and all nations. A Gentile woman with a child possessed by an evil spirit came to Jesus and asked for help. She had the gift of faith and called Jesus “Lord” and trusted Him much more than many of His fellow Jews, knowing that even “crumbs” from Jesus would be enough, and the demon was defeated and cast out, and her daughter was healed. (See Luke 10:13-14, where Jesus predicts such things.) Jesus then went to the “Decapolis” area, an area where there were 10 towns with a mix of Jews and non-Jews. Another person was brought to Him for help. The man was deaf and had a speech impediment, which often happens when people have never heard real speech. Jesus privately healed the man, and he could hear and speak plainly. The people were astonished and couldn’t help but tell others, “Jesus has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Who does this sound like in Genesis 1:31? See again the parallels and predictions in Isaiah 35:5-6, Isaiah 29:18-19, Isaiah 42:1,6-9, and Isaiah 56:6-8

The Epistle lesson is James 2:1-10, 14-18, the first of several readings from James. As we have heard, Jesus showed no partiality but reached out to all kinds of people, poor and rich, Jew and non-Jew. (See Acts 10:34 and many similar passages.) James reminds the believers, therefore, that they should show no partiality, either, in holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in the church. It would be easy to pay more attention to the rich and powerful, who could benefit the church the most, it would seem. That is not always true, and we are called to love our neighbors, whoever they are. James reminds us that we are all sinners, too. If we sin in just one way (and who can do that well?), we are still guilty sinners. James has already said that holding the faith of Christ is key (James 2:2,5). James has also said that by God’s own will, He brought us forth to faith by His Word (James 1:17-18). But our Lord gives us a living faith that wants to do good for others, in gratefulness for what He has done for us to save us. The gift of faith saves, but such faith shows itself in works of love for our neighbor, in gratitude to God. (See other passages such as Ephesians 2:4-10, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 1 John 3:17, and Matthew 7:21.) We show our faith in the saving work of Jesus in our own works of love for others.