Sermon October 12-13, 2024

Title: In Christ we are never disheartened!
Text: Mark 10:17-22

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20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

As I began my week last Monday, I looked at the reality of another funeral for a dear friend and member Sue Vogt, and another sermon for this weekend to prepare.

What to say and how to say it remain on my mind.

Each week we receive the Lord's forgiveness in worship and then stumble through the week- both dead in sin and forgiven in Christ - and we need to come back to church and receive the Lord’s forgiveness once again. We live this life of death each day and often it hits hard and we don’t know if we can stand under the pressure. The truth is we can’t.

So, we come and confess our sins together.

“Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean.”

Yes, that is who we are dead in sin.

So we come back each week to hear the Good News and it is for that reason that I prepare a sermon each week that shows us our sin and also shows us our savior so that we can be forgiven, comforted, and renewed as we go back into this broken world for the week that lies ahead.

17 And as [Jesus] was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Isn’t that the question most ask? What must I do? What can I expect? What do you expect of me?

We ask it in all aspects of life. We ask it of parents, at school, with friends, or groups of friends. We ask it as we grow older, at work, and at times we rail against those expectations. They expect too much.

How can I measure up to that we think?

The Tigers had a wonderful and unexpected season. Some might say anything less than the World Series win is a failure. But with a this team and so many young players how can that be our goal?

For some fans only achieving the ultimate prize … makes it a successful season.

“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

The rich young man asks Jesus in our gospel lesson for today. As a rich man he has achieved much success in his life.

Many, measure success financially. Some by the things of this world that we have. Some are goal driven and look to acquire wealth as a protection for the future.

That is not in and of itself bad.

So Jesus asks first: “Why do you call me good? And tells him, No one is good except God alone.”

Jesus here sets the stage for what God requires. No one is good except God alone. But trying to go a bit deeper with this young man Jesus lays it out.

19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness [or] defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

Jesus gives him half of the commandments. He says for a start, how do you do with these? And remember Jesus hasn’t asked him about the table of the law that deals with God.

You are to have no other Gods, do not misuse the name of the Lord your God and keep holy the Sabbath day.

Jesus just asks … how do you do with these interactions with your neighbor in the world?

The rich young man answers:

“Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”

And I’m sure there are people who think that they measure up well. “I’m a pretty good person they think.”

But perfection for God is so much more than what we expect.
Perfection for the Lord requires no mistakes, not even one!
That’s perfection. That’s impossible, you might say … and it is.

Even as good as Miguel Cabrera was and has been over his career - 500 home runs and almost 3000 hits - but he makes an out almost 7 out of every ten times he comes to the plate and we revere him as a great hitter - when our God would require 10 hits out of 10 at plate appearances.

That’s perfection. That’s impossible, you might say … and it is.

Jesus loved this young man so it may seem a bit funny what he says next.

“You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

You only lack one thing. It’s your stuff.

Jesus say, “Sell it all and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven!”

22 Disheartened [by what Jesus had said to him], he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The other part of the law, the part about this man’s relationship between his stuff … and his God … has now come to light.

He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

It is not sinful to have stuff … as long as your stuff doesn’t have you; I heard a pastor once say.

Guitars were my idol. I grew up wanting a better guitar. When I got that a nice acoustic guitar was next on the list on needs. After three my dad didn’t know how many I had. It was just a pile of cases in my room.

Joe Bonamassa is a guitarist. He is really good. I saw a meme on Facebook where he was standing on a stage with 20 or 30 guitars and it seemed as many amplifiers.

The caption read: “Teach your children to love guitars and they won’t have money for drugs.”

It’s funny but true. My mom always knew where I was … down the basement with my band practicing. It kept me out of trouble but not focused on Jesus. My friend Rob, a great guitarist once said, “I use to worship the wood in my hands but now, by grace, I worship Jesus Christ and what he accomplished on the wood of the cross, for me.”

By God’s Holy Spirit he takes our eyes off of self and points us to Jesus, his cross, and the salvation he won for us there and the glorious resurrection that followed.

Where is your treasure?

The possessions we have, the work we do, and the things we save and treasure … the guitars for instance … will not measure up in God’s eyes. It is after all already his and it has been given to you … and how you use it can certainly benefit those in need, physically and spiritually.

There is nothing to be earned, because it has all been given. There is nothing to do, because it has all been done. Because of Christ, the good teacher, you have received God’s favor. Not for what you have or what you have done but because of what Christ has done for you.

The treasures on earth pale in comparison to the treasure God has in heaven for you.

What we lack is found in Christ!

Jesus says: come, follow me!

In the name of the Father and of the Son+ and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon October 5-6, 2024

Title: Christ is our hope!

Text: Mark 10:2-16

 
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15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Robert Fulghum wrote in the Kansas City Times, "Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

"These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody . . . When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together … Unless you become like little children, you won't enter the kingdom of heaven."
Hugh Duncan.

So what is childlike faith?

Well, Webster says of a child: It is an unborn or recently born person; a young person especially between infancy and youth; a childlike or childish person; a person not yet of age; a son or daughter of human parents; one strongly influenced by another or by a place, or state of affairs.

And about faith Webster says: It’s a strong belief or trust in someone or something; belief in the existence of God; strong religious feelings or beliefs; a system of religious beliefs; fidelity to one's promises; sincerity of intentions; belief and trust in and loyalty to God; belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion; firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust.

So, picture if you will a young child standing on the side of a pool; not yet of age to swim and having not been taught how, but being strongly influenced by dad’s call to jump and that he will catch them.

The child too has strong feelings and beliefs, that if dad misses or drops me, “I will hit the water and I’m going to sink as fast as the stones I’ve dropped in the pool at the deep end!”

But dad has promised to catch them and so they place their trust his intentions … complete trust and loyalty in dad … though there is no proof.

As the child jumps, dad catches … confirming their faith in the object of their safety - the one who will not let them fall.

It is true as well with our heavenly father. St. Paul writes in his epistle in 2 Tim 4:18:

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:18

It is his promise.

So, where do we place our trust?
What is the object of faith for the Christian?
Is it in our self? Is it in our parents?
Is it in the church or religion as a whole?
Is it society and political power?
Is it strong or weak like a child?

13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.

Children, or infants or babies can’t come to Jesus so “they” probable refers to their parents or responsible adults who were bringing them to Jesus.

Much like you and me who continue to bring the little boys and girls, who are brought as infants to the waters of Holy Baptism … where God himself marks them as his child. God’s work that requires are action!

It’s why, I’m sure, that Martin Luther wrote this in his Small Catechism:

As the head of the family should teach them in a simple way to his household.

God’s work and our action!

The responsibility is given to parents and more specifically to fathers to teach their children about Jesus, as they are called to be the ones that are the spiritual heads of their households.

So, how do we teach?

Certainly, the Catechism is one important way. Sunday school and Bible study is another, and ongoing Catechesis, which is the instruction in the faith through the word of God. But singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is another way as well.

One song that more clearly shows the childlike faith that Jesus is talking about was written in the mid 1700’s by Henrietta L. von Hays.

I am Jesus’ little lamb, Ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my needs and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same,
Even calls me by my name.

Childlike faith clings to the savior as a child to his mother and father; Knowing that every need is provided for them by God daily, and that he lovingly calls each one of us by name.

Day by day, at home, away, Jesus is my staff and stay.
When I hunger, Jesus feeds me,
Into pleasant pastures leads me;
When I thirst, he bids me go
where the quiet waters flow.

Every day our childlike faith is placed in him. Whether hunger or thirst, we can find the pleasant pastures of rest in him as we daily remember the quiet waters of our own baptism of forgiveness, where our sins have been washed away.

Who so happy as I am, Even now the shepherd’s lamb?
And when my short life is ended,
By his angel host attended,
He shall fold me to his breast,
There within his arms to rest.

Our joy with childlike faith is in the good shepherd Jesus who will, even as our life comes to a close and we look to him through the eyes of old age, comfort us all in his loving arms where we will rest with him in eternity.

Now, that responsibility is on mom and dad. It is great for grandparents to help and care for their grandchildren but mom and dad have the mandate and responsibility. So do all you can to connect your children to the faith and if you are grandparents, you still have your children who you can help and motivate to be in worship with their children. Do all you can and do not prohibit them!

Remember: It is God’s work and our action, so do not withhold your children from the Lord!

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

To hinder a child from the Lord makes our Lord indignant.

Indignant means:

A feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base:

So, displeasing our Lord is a strong offence, especially as it refers to our children.

It is by God’s Grace, Mercy, and Spirit that we too can receive his Kingdom with that blessed childlike faith he gives. May we, by that same Spirit, pray to always remain in the one true faith as a child who is Jesus’ little lamb.

Let us as a reminder for ourselves as we close today sing together, I am Jesus little lamb hymn # 740 in the Lutheran Service book.

In the name of the Father and of the Son+ and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen