Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Mission: Impossible! (A sermon based on Mark 10:17-27)

Be perfect! That's what God demands. But you know that we just can't do it. It's literally impossible. At least for you and me it is. Even if we think we've done a pretty good job at being good, moral people, we fail to keep God's law perfectly all the time. And that failure earns us hell. But thank God that the mission of keeping God's law isn't impossible for Jesus. He did what we failed to do. And by his mission complete, he's done the impossible task of making us perfect that we might go to heaven. Mission: Impossible? Not for Jesus! For him it's Mission: Accomplished! Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Mark 10:17-27 and rejoice in Jesus mission accomplished for you! 

Mission: Impossible!

A sermon based on Mark 10:17-27

Sunday, October 21, 2012 – Pentecost 21B

 

I always thought the TV show and movie series "Mission: Impossible" was a misnomer. In every episode and in every movie, they accomplished the mission that previously self-destructed five seconds after they received it. But, I get it. "Mission: Probable," and "Mission: Pretty Likely You'll Succeed," just don't have the same exciting ring as "Mission Impossible."

But in our text for this morning, Jesus speaks of a mission that really is impossible. He talks about a camel, the largest animal native to Palestine, going through the eye of a needle, the smallest opening imaginable. Now that is impossible! Well… at least for us. But it's not impossible for Jesus. If he wanted, Jesus could perform a miracle and make the camel fit through. You see, Jesus takes the mission that is impossible for us and accomplishes it. And thank God! Because knowing that it was impossible for us to be perfect keeping all of God's law, knowing that it was impossible for us to get to heaven, no matter what we did, Jesus came to accomplish the mission. Mission: Impossible? Jesus makes it possible. In fact, Jesus makes it certain. Listen now to the account of Jesus doing the impossible in Mark 10:17-27…

 

17 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?" 18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

 

I.          He Keeps the Law

 

This man had it all, didn't he? The other gospels tell us he was a young man and a synagogue ruler with great wealth. He had wealth, power, honor, high-morals, respect and authority in the community and he was still young enough to enjoy it all. He was the kind of guy every Jewish mother would love to have as a son-in-law. He had it all… except for one thing: the certainty that he was going to heaven. He sensed there was something still left for him to do, but didn't know what it was. So he went to the most famous Rabbi around. He went to Jesus.

Running up to Jesus, he fell on his knees. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" There's no indication in these verses that this wealthy young ruler was anything but sincere. He really wanted to know. And Jesus got right to the heart of the matter. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone".

Now some will argue that Jesus denies that he is God in this verse. But that's not what's happening here. Jesus, who knows this man's heart, knew he thought he was pretty good. "No one is good—except God alone" Jesus reminds him. And though this man called Jesus "Good teacher," it wasn't enough. There's a world of difference between believing Jesus to be a great man and believing Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God. Jesus began to lead this man to recognize who he really was. "Why do you call me good?" Just as a compliment? Or because you know who I really am and how much you need me?

But the young man didn't think he needed Jesus as a Savior, only as a guide. So Jesus held up the mirror of the law. "What do you have to do to go to heaven? Keep all of the law." "You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

But the man was full of himself. And he answered, "Yeah, yeah. I've done all that." "All these I have kept since I was a boy." You see his limited understanding of sin allowed him to see himself as righteous before God. He thought that sin only involved outward actions, not inward thoughts and attitudes. And so, having never murdered anyone, having never cheated on his wife, or stolen his neighbor's cattle or spouse, he thought he was pretty good. He had no need for a Savior.

But Jesus loved the man and couldn't let him continue in his deadly self-righteousness. "No you haven't kept all the commandments. You can't get past the first because you love your wealth more than you love me." And Jesus unveiled his ugly greed. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

What was the one thing the man lacked? Perfection. God demands nothing less. He doesn't demand people try their hardest. He doesn't demand they refrain from just outward sin, but from every sin—from greed that clings to wealth and makes it one's god. God demands that we be perfect in every way, inside and out, in order to be a part of his kingdom. But quite frankly, that's impossible for any of us to do.

What if Jesus said to you, "Go sell all you have, give it away, and follow me?" Would you be able to? I ask not because that's what Jesus demands of you, but so you can examine your own heart.

I'm sure you're heard the story before of how they used to catch monkeys in the Orient. They'd put an aromatic nut in the bottom of a jar with a narrow neck. The monkeys would smell the nut, and come to grab it, but when they tried to remove their hands from the jar, their fist, clenched around the nut, was suddenly too big. And unable to pull its hand out, and unwilling to let go of the nut, it was trapped by its own greed.

All too often the devil traps us in that same monkey trap, doesn't he. We cling to our wealth thinking 10% of our income way too much to sacrifice for Jesus, let alone selling all we have. We cling to our own self-righteousness and our own good actions instead of to our Savior. And unwilling to let go of our trust in our 401k's and Roth IRA's, unwilling to let go of our trust in our charitable acts and good deeds to earn God's favor, we fail to trust in Jesus. We're trapped with our hands in the jar, ensnared by the hunter. We're less than perfect. We don't meet God's standards. We fail the mission and are doomed to hell.

Yes, "No one is good—except God alone." But Jesus, being true God did keep all of God's commandments perfectly. He never murdered, even with hate. He never committed adultery, even with lust. He never stole anything, even with laziness or greed. He never lied. He always honored his parent. And he even kept the first commandment perfectly, loving God the Father with all of his heart, with all of his soul, with all of his mind, with all of his strength. Keep the law perfectly? "That's impossible!" you say. But not for Jesus. He completed the mission impossible.

Now, we don't know what ever happened to this rich young man—whether he continued to reject Jesus and perished eternally, or if he later reconsidered and came to know about his Savior and the sacrifice Jesus willingly made for him. But Jesus would continue the lesson in the man's absence. He would teach his disciples that because it was impossible for them to be perfect by their efforts, it was to get also impossible for them to into heaven on their own. But he—Jesus—could do that impossible mission too…

 

II.         He Takes Us to Heaven

 

23 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 to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

 

Now don't misunderstand. There's nothing wrong with having wealth. Many wealthy people in the Bible have put their trust in God: Abraham, Job, and King David, just to name a few. But what makes it hard is the trust the wealthy tend to place in their wealth rather than in Jesus. Wealth has caused many a Christian to lose his or her place in heaven. So Jesus warned, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God… It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Like jumping up to touch the ceiling, it doesn't matter how good your vertical is. It just can't be done! There is no way to fit an entire camel through the eye of a needle. It's impossible. And it's equally impossible for the rich… and the poor and the middle class—for anyone!—to enter the kingdom of God on their own. Because God demands perfection, and because we can't keep his law perfectly, it simply cannot be done. The sins of pride and arrogance and self-righteousness, the sins of greed and the love of money, the sin of failing to give one's wealth back to the God who gave it—all these exclude one from the kingdom of God!

The disciples understood what Jesus was saying and they were amazed—literally, knocked off their feet in astonishment! If it was that hard for someone to get into heaven—that impossible—no one could do it! The disciples… said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Salvation is impossible for anyone on their own. But that doesn't mean it's impossible. As the angel Gabriel told Mary, who wondered how she, a virgin, could possibly give birth to a son, "Nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37) And a virgin did conceive and give birth to a son. God became man. And that man did, not just the improbable, but the impossible all the time.

He did the impossible when he healed the sick and demon possessed. (cf. Mark 1:21ff.) He did the impossible when he cured the incurable diseases of leprosy and paralysis (cf. Mark 1:40-2:12). He did the impossible when he controlled the weather at his command (cf. Mark 4:35ff). He did the impossible when he raised the dead to life (cf. Mark 5:42). He did the impossible when he fed more than 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two small fish (cf. Mark 6:30ff). He did the impossible when he walked across the surface of a lake (cf. Mark 6:45ff). Jesus did the impossible so often that he made people expect him to do the impossible.

In fact, the whole Christian faith—our faith—is built on "impossible" miracles. God came to earth to live as a man with human flesh that the immortal God-man could die. Now all sin is paid for by the blood he shed on the cross. The disease of our self-righteousness and self-trust is healed when faith is created in our dead, lifeless hearts of stone. What is by nature impossible—a person going to heaven (because he or she is less than perfect in sin)—is made possible—even certain!—in Jesus, who makes us perfect with his accomplished mission impossible.

It's been said that a man may get to heaven without riches, without honor, without learning, and without friends, but he cannot get there without Jesus. That is impossible. But dear friends, thank God we do have Jesus because in him, the impossible mission of entering heaven is more than possible. It's certain.

Now, dear friends, use your wealth to thank God. Use your riches as a tangible way to express your gratitude to God for all the gifts he's given you—the material wealth and the spiritual wealth that's yours. Take the time to plan your gifts to God, giving him, not what's left over in your budget, but, expressing your thanks to him for taking away your every sin—of pride and self-righteousness, of greed and materialism—set aside a portion of your wealth for him first. And watch God do impossible things in the Kingdom with your gift. After all, just look at what impossible things he's already accomplished! He was perfect! He's made us perfect! And he will take us to heaven! Now eagerly give what you have in thanks to your Savior who gave all that he had for you on the cross! In his name, dear friends, amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Our Relationship to God Helps Us Submit (A sermon based on Ephesians 5:21-31)

Do you like to submit to someone else? Do you like to yield your rights to serve someone else? In Christ, you can honestly answer yes to both questions. Considering how he submitted to the Father's will, how he lowered himself to rescue us, how he loved us with a perfect love, we are eager to submit to his will, to love him with grateful hearts, and to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Ephesians 5:21-31 and be encouraged to submit to one another just as Christ submitted for you...

Our Relationship to God Helps Us Submit

A sermon based on Ephesians 5:21-31

Sunday, October 14, 2012 – Pentecost 20B

 

William Shakespeare once wrote, "He is half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she; and she, a fair divided excellence, whose fullness of perfection lies in him."

Man and woman were created for each other. Human beings were created to have relationships with one another. Whether you're married or single, young or old, everyone here has relationships other people, and some, no doubt, are of the opposite sex.

This morning, God speaks to us about those relationships. He points out how we are to act in our relationships, especially with those of the opposite sex.

Now of all the relationship advice offered by friends and counselors, magazines and talk-show hosts, none compares to the guidance which God gives in his Word! After all, who can better define the roles of men and women, than he who created them in the first place?

And yet, like all the others, this doctrine of Scripture–the roles of men and women that God has given to each—has been greatly misunderstood, abused, and often flat out rejected.  

This morning as we take a look at both roles, as we hear Paul pull aside first wives, then husbands and speak to each separately, we see how these God-given roles are not a burden, but a blessing. We see how our relationship with God affects our relationships with others. We see how it's really a joy to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ and to fill each other up with the Holy Spirit. Listen now to God's instruction through Paul in Ephesians 5:21-31…

 

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

 

I.              Submitting Because Jesus Did (23,25-27,30)

 

Wives, submit to your husbands…in everything? Husbands, love your wives in the same way Christ loved the church?… give yourself up for her? That's easier said than done. It's not always going to be easy to submit to one another. It's not always going to be easy to be loving toward each other. Why not? Because of sin.

Because of sin, we are all deep down pretty selfish. We look to serve ourselves, not others and to get what's in our best interest, not someone else's. We listen to that voice that says, "Submission? Sacrifice? No thanks! That's not for me! I'm going to stand up for myself, get what I'm entitled to, push hard and manipulate others to get my own way."

For that reason, women, there are times that you fail to submit to the men in your lives. You insist on getting your own way and don't listen to them at all. You fail to submit as God wants you to, and in doing so, you fail to submit to God.

Because of sin, men, you aren't perfect either. You fail to be loving to the women in your lives. At times, you're more interested in the game on TV or your own relaxation than in how her day went. You look to have your needs met before hers. You fail to be loving, and in doing so, you fail to love God.

For saying, "I'll submit to you after you submit to me," and for saying, "I'll be loving to you once you're loving to me," for all the sins we've committed, for all the sins we will commit, we deserve hell. That's the cold, hard truth. We don't deserve to have any loving relationships, least of all a loving relationship with God. We deserve to be punished for our selfish attitudes that choose to serve ourselves rather than each other, that choose to serve ourselves rather than God.

But friends, there's good news. You do have a relationship with God. Not because of how loving you've been to him or because of how well you've submitted to him. But because of how loving and submitting he's been to you. Because of what he did for you, you won't go to the hell that you deserve. Listen again to what he did…

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

In most of the relationships we have, at least the ones we volunteer, there's a certain attraction. There's a reason you married the spouse you did. You were attracted to your husband or wife. There's a reason you have the friends you choose. You enjoy their company.

But friends, Jesus loved you when you were unlovable. When you were corrupt sinners looking to no one's interests but your own, he gave himself up for you. He died on the cross, taking your sins on himself, suffering the hell that you deserved. And in that act of dying on the cross, he made you sinless and holy and clean, without stain or wrinkle.

Imagine if after you got ready for church this morning and were all dressed up, you went to the kitchen for some breakfast and spilled a huge glob of jam on your shirt or blouse. Would you still wear it to church? Maybe. But I'm guessing most of you would find that article of clothing unacceptable to wear and would go back and change.

Friends, that's how we are by nature in our sin. God won't accept us into heaven stained in our sins—we're unacceptable. But Christ's blood, shed on the cross, is the best stain remover there is. He makes us clean by the washing waters of Baptism, he makes us holy through the message of the cross. He takes away every stain, every wrinkle, every blemish and makes you holy, blameless, and acceptable to God. And having made you clean, he made you his own…

Paul quotes Genesis 2, when he writes, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." And he continues in verse 32, beyond our text, to apply this verse to the relationship we have with Christ: "This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church." Just as husband and wife unite to become one flesh, Christ has become one with us, his church. He has married himself to you, promises to forgive you, to strengthen you and one day soon, take you to the eternal honeymoon of heaven.

What an awesome relationship we have with Jesus! We get his love in spite of our sins. We get forgiveness, being made spotless and clean. We get heaven itself when we deserve hell. And we don't have to do a thing for it! We don't have to submit to God perfectly, or love him perfectly, because Jesus did those things perfectly for us and gave us his perfection.

But now, with a perfect relationship with Jesus, entirely by his effort and entirely at his expense, we can't help but thank him and let our gratitude motivate us to strive with all our hearts to do what's pleasing to him. We let that gratitude drive us to follow Christ's example, and submit like Jesus did, "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ…" And through Paul God gives us some specific ways to do that as we say "Thank You" to Jesus for our relationship with him…

 

II.            Submitting Like Jesus Did (21-25,28-29,31)

 

Now because of our natural inclination to be more concerned with "What my spouse should be doing" rather than "what I should be doing," In a literary way, Paul pulls women aside and speaks just to them, saying "Here's your role. You worry about this." Then he does the same for men, pulling them aside as well.

Since Paul addresses wives first, so so will I… women, listen to how you can thank Jesus for the relationship you have with him…  22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything… the wife must respect her husband.

Women, it won't always be easy to submit to men, to fall in line with their leadership, to give up what you know is best in order to do what they think is best. But women, in thanksgiving to God, submit. What will it matter 100 years from now if you give up your rights? It won't! You've got a place reserved for you in heaven! Forgive the men in your lives for their less than perfect leadership with the same forgiveness that Christ gave you and submit to them anyway.

Now, don't get me wrong, ladies. Submission does not mean that you become slaves. In fact, submission doesn't deal with positions of superiority or inferiority. It deals with order.

You see, the Greek word translated "submit" is a military term. No Paul isn't making reference to the "Battle of the Sexes" or to the civil war that can be common among husbands and wives. But the term was used of soldiers lining up in military formation, of getting into the proper order.

Think of it this way: The forty-year old truck driver submits to the fourteen year old crossing guard when he tells him to stop the vehicle. He submits, not because he is weaker, less intelligent, or inferior in any way. But, for good order, for the good of drivers and pedestrians alike, he submits.

Women, in Christ you can do the same. Yield your right of way. Give up your right to talk about your day when your men don't want to. Give up your right to relax after a hard day's work to talk when they do. Submit to them as if submitting to Jesus himself (for you know it's pleasing to him if you do). Submit to them, not because you have to, but because you want to out of love for your Savior as your act of worship to him. And when you do, ladies, you'll make the job of loving you much easier for the men in your life…

Now men, the ladies certainly has a big job of submitting to us in everything, don't they? But don't get too excited. We're not off the hook. God tells us how we can show him our gratitude for the full and free forgiveness and the heaven he's given us. And as men, our job is just as big as the women's, maybe bigger. Paul says, 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Men, we're given a big task, to love the women in our lives with the same selfless love that Jesus has shown to each of us. And it won't always be easy. When all you want to do is relax in front of the TV after a hard day's work and all they want to do is talk about their day, it might be tough to love them selflessly. But remember how Christ loved you selflessly and love them in the same way. What will it matter 100 years from now if you give up your rights? It won't. You've got a place reserved in heaven! Forgive the women in your lives for their less than perfect submission and love them with the same love that Christ gave you.

And how did Christ love you? How will you love women? With a self-sacrificial love. Christ gave up his glory to suffer hell for us. Christ gave us his life that we might live. Men, give up your rights to serve others in love. As leaders, don't base your decisions on what's in your best interest, but what's in their best interest. Sacrifice yourself for your women. Give up your right to peace and quiet when they want to talk. Give up your right to spend money on your hobby when they want to shop. Give up your right to hang out with the guys every now and then to love your woman in the way Christ loved you—with a sacrificial love. Love them, not because you have to, but because you want to out of love for your Savior as your act of worship to him. And when you do, men, you'll make the job of submitting to you a whole lot easier for the women in your life.

Dear friends, today, through the Word of God you are reminded of the special relationship that Jesus has with you, not because you deserve it, not because you're so lovable, but because of his perfect grace and love for you. Let his love and service to you then motivate you to love and serve each other, submitting to one another, in thanksgiving. Let his love and service to you, serve as your model as you strive to give him thanks.

Friends, it's my prayer that as you leave here today you would be so filled with the Holy Spirit, that you can't be full of yourselves. I pray that you will leave here with a renewed commitment to be the husband or wife, the man or woman that God has made you. That you will leave here to go home and to work and to play eager to submit to each other, not because you must, but because you want to in thanks to Jesus for the relationship you have with him. In his name, dear friends, amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Jesus Prepares His People (A sermon based on Mark 9:38-50)

Do you like salt on your food? Do you like your food to be cooked? :) With a little fire and a little salt, your food is prepared much better. In a similar way, Jesus tells us that with a little fire and a little salt, you and I are better prepared. We're prepared for eternity avoiding the fire of hell. We're prepared for this life as we learn to live for Jesus and for others. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Mark 9:38-50 and let Jesus prepare you with a little fire and a little salt...

Jesus Prepares His People

A sermon based on  Mark 9:38-50

Sunday, October 8, 2012

 

When you're preparing your favorite meal, what do you all to make it taste so good? Do you put ketchup on everything? Maybe you prefer mustard. I remember my dad used to put pepper on everything. My mom covered everything in salt. But one member asked me once, "You know what my favorite food additive is?" I guessed salt. But he replied, "No. It's fire." And he had a good point. Fire makes a lot of good foods edible. A raw burger, raw chicken, raw salmon, just aren't as good as meat that's cooked. And it's not very healthy either. You know I like bacon, but I've never eaten it raw. Fire is an excellent additive to food.

But even after it's cooked, I take after my mom. I like to add a little salt. I like salty bacon. I like salt on my burger, salt on my fries, salt on my popcorn, salt on my chips. Give me salty snacks over chocolate or desert any day. Salt is an excellent additive to food too.

Add fire and add salt when you prepare your meal and, in most cases, your food becomes better. And this morning, Jesus says the same is true of people too. As he prepares his people for heaven, Jesus adds fire and adds salt to make us better. Jesus says everyone will be salted, or sprinkled, with fire. And Jesus says we are to have salt among us too. Then, with Jesus doing the preparing with his fire and salt, we have a pleasing aroma to God, delightful and delicious to him. Let's take a look at how Jesus prepares his people according to Mark 9:38-50…

 

38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

42 "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where " 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' 49 Everyone will be salted with fire.

50 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."


I.              With a Little Fire

 

Last week, we heard how Jesus' disciples were arguing about which of them was the greatest and we heard his gentle rebuke as he taught them that true greatness was serving others without thought of repayment, but in thanks to him. But it seems like the lesson didn't take too well—at least not with John. "Okay," John conceded, "No one of us is better than the others. All twelve have equal greatness as we serve you, Jesus. Got it. But… at least all twelve of us are better than this guy. I mean, sure he drives out demons, but he's no disciple. He's not one of us." 38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

And again Jesus rebukes his disciples: 39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

 "Leave the guy alone!" Jesus told John. "He's serving me. That's evidenced by the fact that he is driving out demons. If he didn't belong to me, he couldn't do what he's doing. So what if he's not one of you?" And Jesus redirected John's attention. "Instead of worrying about this other man and his faith, why don't you guys worry about yourselves and your own faith? Before addressing the speck in his eye, let's talk about your plank of pride and jealously. After all, there's plenty to worry about here isn't there?"  

And just as he addressed Peter as "satan," he would use harsh law to jar his disciples into examining their own lives and hearts. "You're obviously very concerned about the spiritual welfare of others, John. How concerned are you about your own sin? To what extent are you willing to go to root sin out of your life?"

43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where " 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'

Harsh law, right? But did you notice the conditionals? "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off… If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off… If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…" If these body parts were the cause of sin in your life, you would do well to get rid of them! Because being crippled or blind sure beats being damned! But Jesus isn't calling for self-mutilation here. If only the problem were in the external limbs—then maybe self-mutilation would be a simple solution.

But the problem runs much deeper, doesn't it? It wasn't John's hand or foot or eye that caused him to sin, was it? It was his foolish pride that ran much deeper than his extremities. It was a poison that began in his heart and from his very core infiltrated every part of his body.

So out of great care for John, this disciple whom Jesus loved so dearly, he pointed out that this jealousy toward this other man was just as deserving of hell as any other sin.

And Jesus does the same for us. You haven't killed anyone? You haven't had sex with anyone but your spouse? You've never robbed a bank or done illegal drugs? At least you're not as bad as those other Christians ("or at least they call themselves Christians!") Well… so what?! Your heart still causes you to sin in your own way. You are still corrupt to the core, from the inside out. Who cares about them? Worry about you!  Worry about your own pride. Worry about your own arrogance. Have you been willing to go to any and every extreme to be rid of sin in your life?!

Me either.

The truth is that we all deserve to be drowned in the sea with a millstone hung around our necks. We all deserve worse than that. We all deserve to, "be thrown into hell,  where  '[the] worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

But in his great love for us, Jesus doesn't throw us into the fire of hell. But he does salt, or maybe "sprinkle" us with fire. With strong preaching of the Law, he reminds us that hell is a very real place. A place we don't ever want to go to, but a place we all deserve to go to. Everyone is salted with this fire of the Law. Whether they want to admit it or not, they know from their consciences that they deserve punishment from a holy God. So do we.

And that reminder of hell is a good thing. It reminds me of my very real need for a Savior. My suffering in this life is a good thing. It reminds me that life isn't about this life. It's much better to be salted with a little fire, better to be grilled with the law, if you will, better to have the heat turned up now, than to burn forever in hell. Thank God that as he prepares his people, he adds a little fire!

And you know that because of his grace, you won't endure the fire of hell and be burned to a crip. Jesus endured hell so that we won't ever have to. He took the full heat of God's wrath on the cross when the Father completely forsook him. And he did it all for us.

By his sacrifice Jesus has made us clean, just as Malachi prophesied: "2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years." (Malachi 3:2-4)

And now we do belong to Jesus. Whether weak in faith or strong, we are the Lord's. We belong to him. We're his own. And that truth is now reflected in the way that we live, not for ourselves or for our pride or glory, but for him, seasoning our lives with salt…


II.            With a Little Salt

 

I like popcorn, but let's face it. It's really just a carrier for the salt. Without the salt it just wouldn't be the same. Without the salt, what's the point? So, in our house anyway, there is no popcorn without salt. And that's true of Christians too. There are no Christians without salt. Because they belong to Christ, disciples of Jesus produce fruit of faith.

This unnamed man who was driving out demons in Jesus' name wasn't an unbeliever. There's not even any indication that he was teaching anything but the truth. I don't know that's it fair to infer that he was somehow heterodox, that is, teaching things other than the truth. He wasn't using Jesus name as some sort of talisman against demons, but was a genuine believer and disciple of Jesus, even if he wasn't one of the twelve. His faith was evidenced by his actions. He didn't drive out a demon by his own power, but by the power of Jesus in whom he believed and in whom he acted.

And that was nothing for John to be worried or upset about. Instead, John (and the others) should cling to their faith in Jesus themselves and produce fruit of faith as well. In this case, the fruit Jesus called for was to get along: "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

"Have salt among yourselves, John. Don't lose your saltiness, but cling to the promises I've give you. Have faith in me.  And let this faith be evidenced in your actions. Have salt among yourselves. Season your words with kindness. Sprinkle your actions generously with love, with more than just a pinch! Be at peace with each other, no longer arguing with each other over who's the greatest, no longer worrying about who's better between you and others."

And again, the same holds true with us, dear friends. Since we belong to the Lord, since we have been redeemed and made his very own, we too produce fruit of faith. Not "we should," not "we ought to," not "we will," but "we do." It's just who we are. We have been saved from the fire! And we've been sprinkled with the preserving salt of God's grace in Christ. And as he prepares us, he generously sprinkles into our lives countless opportunities to show our thanks!

Now , "Have salt in yourselves!" Cling to the Word. Make regular use of the Sacrament. And don't lose your saltiness, but keep your faith in Jesus. And this will season your life in a wonderful way. You'll continue to be eager to live, not for yourselves or for your selfish, proud, and jealous glory, but for your Savior. Eager to humbly serve him, rejoicing when others do to.

And your fruits may seem big, as you drive out demons—literally, performing miracles, or figuratively, helping your fellow believers to resist satan's attacks. Or your fruits may seem less impressive as you give a cup of cold water to refresh a thirsty kid or as you simply get along with one another, "and be at peace with each other." And when you do live for Jesus with these "salty" acts, whether big or small, in whatever you do "in [Jesus'] name because you belong to Christ" you will offer a pleasing sacrifice to God. And by his grace, you "will certainly not lose [your] reward."

So be salty—not like the sailors who's speech was salty in a different sense—but like your Savior, who gave his life for you that you might belong to him. Sprinkle some kindness into your speech. Add a pinch of humble service to your schedule. Throw in a dash of forgiveness to your family and friends. And gently, and with great humility sprinkle them with the fire of the Law to prepare them for the preserving salt of the Gospel. And as you too prepare people with a little fire and a little salt, what a pleasing aroma it will be to God rising up to him in heaven. "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other." In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen.   

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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Monday, October 1, 2012

Anyone Can Be Great! (A sermon based on Mark 9:30-37)

Tired of being mediocre? Tired of being normal? Want to be great? Want to be awesome? Then listen to Jesus! In today's sermon he tells us how anyone can be great! We are great in God's sight--perfect even!--through Jesus death and resurrection. Now we humble ourselves and strive to serve others in thanks to God, seeking nothing in return. That is what makes us truly great in God's sight. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Mark 9:30-37 and be truly great!

Anyone Can Be Great!

A sermon based on Mark 9:30-37

Sunday, September 30, 2012 – Pentecost 18B

 

Back in April, Time Magazine released their annual issue of the 100 Most Influential People in Our World – A list of who they consider to be the greatest people of our day. This year's list includes such names as athletes Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow, entertainers, Stephen Colbert, Rhihanna, and E.L. James (the author of Fifty Shades of Grey), and entrepreneurs like Mitt Romney and Sara Blakely (the inventor of Spanx -- those girdles made of spandex).

But that leads one to ask, "How exactly do you define 'greatness'"? Webster's dictionary defines "great" as being above average, but above average in what? In intelligence? In power? In wealth? In popularity? While that may be the way the world defines greatness, how do we?

This morning we hear the somewhat embarrassing account of the disciples discussing that very question. We hear them argue about not only the definition of greatness, but about which of them best fit that description. After all, Jesus had taken only three of them up the mount of Transfiguration to see him in his glory and told them not to tell the other nine what happened there. Meanwhile the other nine had trouble driving a demon out of a boy. Naturally, this led some to think they were greater, and others to think they were inferior.

Now, as Jesus is spending some "alone time" with his disciples in one last intense training period before his death, he teaches them about the cross, and he teaches them what it really means to be great.

This morning, Jesus turns the book right-side up[1] for us too and teaches us what it means to be great. Jesus shows us how to be great. We become great by focusing on the cross. We become great when we humbly serve him in thanks for what he's done. Listen now to Jesus teach about true greatness in Mark 9:30-37…

 

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

 

I.     By Focusing on the Cross (v.30-32)

 

Imagine seeing Jesus standing on top of that mount of Transfiguration dazzling white, brilliant with glory! Imagine watching a demon violently come out of a boy with a shriek at the command of Jesus. What power, what glory! How great Jesus must have seemed! The disciples must have recalled John the Baptist's words, "He must become greater!" (John 3:30) and thought "Now we're getting close. Soon he'll reveal how great he is to the world. Soon he'll take a throne and be the best king with the most wealth and power and glory! He will be a king truly worthy of the title others gave themselves – Jesus the Great."

And they were right. Well, sort of. Jesus would soon reveal how he was the greatest King the world has ever seen. But the disciples had the wrong idea of greatness. Jesus would not be political great, he didn't come as a general to lead an army against the Romans, but to single-handedly fight Satan, sin, death, hell. Here's how he'd do it… Here's how he'd show his greatness…

He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

"What? Be killed? How would that show he's great?" the disciples must have thought. "He must be talking in parables again." They still didn't get it. But the memory of Jesus calling Peter "satan" was too fresh in their minds and they were scared to ask for clarification. Besides, what if their idea really was wrong? Ceasar was great. Herod was great. The Roman generals who conquered the world were great. They had power and wealth and armies. They didn't willingly go to their death. Why would Jesus, who had already proven how great he really was, willingly be brought low to suffer a shameful death? And the disciples put it out of their minds to continue the discussion on their ideas of greatness.

 

Jesus is true God, with more power than we can imagine. He can create anything or alter history instantly by simply speaking. Who could be greater than that? Yet, he gave it up. But why? Why would Jesus "the Great" willingly be humiliated, stripped of his clothes, tortured on a cross, and suffer a shameful death? Well, you know the answer. It's for us. Out of love for us, "he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:7-8) He humbled himself to pay for our sins.

Are we so different from the disciples? Don't we too have a desire to be number one, to be better than everyone else? Don't we too have those same "me-first" attitudes that lead us to cheat and lie, to slander others, to politick and play games, to do whatever it takes to get ahead, to get what we want, even calling our selfishness "ambition" and pretending it's a virtue? Don't we play the "I'm greater than you are" game in the way we treat our classmates who may not be as "cool" as we are, with our co-workers who sometimes struggle to do what we find easy, with our family members who don't do for us the things we think they ought?

For these attitudes and actions that put ourselves ahead of others we deserve the shame and the torment that Jesus willingly endured. But we won't ever face it because of the cross. Jesus humbled himself for us. He died for every selfish desire we've ever had to be number one, to be better than everyone else. He died to pay for our "me-first" attitudes and times we've played "I'm greater than you."

 And the resurrection is our proof. Jesus rose again victorious, having conquered Satan, sin, death and hell… for us!  That's what makes Jesus truly great! As John pointed out, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  (1 John 15:13) This is what makes Jesus greater than any other religious leader. He didn't just teach the way to salvation he became the way to salvation.

And not only does that make Jesus great, but it makes us great too. William Shakespeare once wrote this famous saying on greatness: "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." We aren't born great, but steeped in sin. On our own we can never become great enough for God. But we've been given greatness by our Savior, who took away our every sin so we're not only great, but perfect in God's sight. Greatness has been thrust upon us by God's grace!

We're great, not because we have intelligence or talent, fame or money or a nice car, not because we do great things or make great changes in society, or because we're so great toward God. But we're great because of what Jesus did—taking our every sin away on the cross. Keep your focus on the cross and you are truly great!

And this greatness, given to us, thrust upon us, humbles us of our own pride and it makes us eager to thank him for what he's made us. It makes us eager to serve him in humble thanks…

 

II.    By Serving Him in Thanks (v.33-37)

 

Does it seem odd that after Jesus finished talking about how he would suffer and die on the cross for his disciples they would engage in the petty argument of which of them were the greatest? Maybe Peter, James and John started it. "We got to go in the house when Jesus raised Jairus' daughter, you guys didn't." (cf. Mark 5:37) "We got to go up the mountain with him and can't tell you what we saw there. It's a secret." (Mark 9:2-12) If not outright stated, it may have been implied, "We're clearly better than you. We are the elite. Jesus even thinks so." And Jesus called them on it…

When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 

Like a parent catching the kids bickering, Jesus asks, "What were you guys talking about back there?" And like little kids caught in a fight, they hang their heads in shame and keep quiet, understanding that Jesus wasn't likely pleased by their conversation. But to instruct them, Jesus didn't scold the disciples, but gave them a vivid and powerful object lesson. Holding a little child on his lap he told them what true greatness was all about…

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

So what's Jesus saying, that teachers and mothers are great and everyone else is inferior? No. What he's saying is that true greatness is found in humbly serving others in thanksgiving to Jesus without any thought of being repaid. No wonder Jesus used a little kid as an example.

Think of it this way… Have you ever changed a diaper? Some of you have changed a few more than others, but what if you had the baby up on the changing table, you finished the diaper change and then you said, "Alright, kid, that will be $.25 for the diaper, $.05 for the wipes, $3.00 for labor, not to mention the handling fee, the hazardous waste disposal fee… Let's see… Your total is $5.25. Pay up, buddy!" How much do you think you'd get out of the baby? Nothing, right? Babies can't pay you back for what you do to them. Little children can't repay you for all the meals you've prepared, for all the laundry you've done, for all the sleepless nights. So why do you do it all? Why do you take care of them? Because we love them. We serve out of love, looking for nothing in return.

That, dear friends, is what it means to be great. True greatness is found in serving. True greatness is seeking nothing in return. We serve others, not to get something out of them (that's manipulation), but simply out of love—love for each other (Cf. Romans 13:8-10) and especially love for our Savior, since he tells us "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me" and "…whatever you [do] for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you [do] for me." (Matthew 25:40) When you serve someone without any thought of getting something in return, Jesus views it as a personal favor to him and a favor to God.

When you serve without any thought of repayment, then you will be great! So make yourself first… the first to offer to do the dishes, the first to say "I'm sorry," the first to sign to up to volunteer, the first to change the diaper, not looking to get anything for it, but only to say "thanks" to Jesus who, didn't "come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) Be the first to share the message of his greatness with others to thank him for making you sinless—for making you truly great! Then, even thought you may not have the most money, the most power, or the most brains, thought you may never be featured in Time or in any magazine, by humbly serving others in thanks to Jesus, you will truly be great! Amen.


[1] A reference to the children's message, where Pastor read a book upside down. It made no sense until it was turned right-side up.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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