What Are You Waiting For?

Last Sunday after Pentecost

November 22, 2015

Mark 13:32-37

What Are You Waiting For?

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

What are you waiting for?

A birthday? A raise? A baby? A tooth? The end of winter? Retirement?

We are waiting for a lot of things.

Just three days before Jesus was crucified, one of His disciples was waiting. He was waiting for Jesus to be impressed. He was walking with Jesus near the Temple and was impressed with the architecture; he wanted Jesus to be impressed, too.

As He was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:1-4)

And Jesus went on to tell them about the signs of the end of the world.

The world has seen many lying preachers, men pretending to be the real Jesus, wars, rumors of wars, famine, earthquakes. The Gospel has been preached to ends of the earth and the world certainly hates Christ and those who follow Him.

All these signs have happened and will continue to happen until Jesus comes back.

And so today, the question is: are you waiting for Him to come back? Jesus declared:

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'” (Mark 13:32-37)

For believers who trust that Jesus is coming back, the better question is: how you are waiting?

Jesus' answer is clear: Be alert and be on watch because you don't know when He will come back. And while we wait for Him, He has assigned tasks to us.

Our tasks that He has called us to do are many and varied: teaching kids, medical care, building things, fixing things, adjusting spines, making music, encouraging people, and much more.

But our most important job is tell people about Jesus. And we want to make sure we do this in the right order.

First, we need to clear up a key point: Are you people? Are you a person? You are and that means that Jesus is for you. This means that, first and foremost, we tell ourselves about Jesus through daily prayer. Finding a designated place in our home for our Bible and designating time every day to read a portion quietly aloud to ourselves. Law and Gospel isn't just for unbelievers; it's for us, too.

Second, we speak Him to our family by reading the Bible together, singing hymns together, praying together, and coming to church together and staying to study what Jesus says with our church family.

And finally, we confess Christ to people who don't know or don't know well. An important way we do this is to spend our money to support our pastors as they go out and speak to strangers about Jesus. This happens here and overseas. A good example of this is our missionaries sent out to places like Russia, Malawi, and Antigua.

Another important job Jesus has given us to do is to live a life that refuses to accommodate to the culture around us. When our strange beliefs cause others to take notice and perhaps to be upset with us, we will respond with Christ. The suffering and crucified Christ who won victory over death and Satan for all people; the Christ who lives again and is coming back.

A God who is coming back is scary for those who don't believe. That our building and our nation and our world won't be around for long is scary for unbelievers. But as we speak Christ to them, we pray that the Spirit will create trust in their hearts that will turn their fear of His return into watchful waiting with us.

These are the jobs that Jesus has left us here to do while He is away. But He is coming back, probably today. If not, maybe tomorrow. But whenever He does, He will find us at work, not working for ourselves, but by His mercy and receiving His Supper, working for Him.

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

When Less Is More

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

November 15, 2015

Mark 12:41-44

When Less Is More

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

In the old days, many of our churches were like the churches in the days of Jesus. After the sermon and before Communion, the congregation will line up and one at a time walk behind the altar (most altars in the old days were the tall beautiful kind) and put their offerings in a box. There were no ushers or plates, just a box behind the altar.

But over time something bad began to happen. People started to think that they were paying for God to care about them. They even thought that their money in a box was what made them worthy to receive the blessed Supper of Holy Communion.

None of our churches receive money in this way today. And I'm glad. Whenever what we are doing or how we are doing it gets in the way of Christ's cross, gospel, and sacraments (the things that God does), then we wisely ask why we are doing what we are doing.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything―all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

Unlike our old practice of giving money where others couldn't see how much you put in to the box, Jesus could. Anybody could see how much money you put in the Temple treasury (the Temple was where Jews of the Old Testament rightly gathered to offer sacrifices to God that pointed them to Jesus).

Could you imagine if I followed around the ushers as they pass the offering plates this morning? Could you imagine if our offering box was behind our altar today and everyone could see you what you put in? Wouldn't that be scary? Intimidating? Offensive? Would you even come to church next Sunday?

But that's what Jesus did. He watched closely what everyone put in. And strangely of all people, He didn't need to. He already knew because God knows all things, and that includes trillions and trillions of very specific things. He knew how much the widow gave, the rich people gave, and He knows how much you'll give this morning.

Did you consider that as you wrote your check last night or you dig through your money this morning? And I'm guessing that doesn't offend us. But if Jesus unhide Himself from our eyes, that would be weird, even uncomfortable. We are sinful people who trust our eyes, and when other eyes are on us, we get nervous. Are they judging me?

In one sense, the Culture has stolen Jesus from the Church and made Him the ultimate Non-Judge. But what was He doing as He watched the people put in their money and then talked about them? Wasn't He judging? We know that Jesus always does what is good, right, and salutary. So His judging of how much money was put in by one and all was also good and right.

And His judgment was that less is more when the heart is full of His promises. His greatest promise is that He became poor so that we might become rich.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

This is the way God does things. He uses what seems like less in our eyes to accomplish more than we can possibly imagine. For the poor widow and for us Christ gave His own body as an offering on the cross. This offering looked small, just like the widow's offering. Indeed the name of the coin she put in was a lepton, which is Greek for small. To our eyes those pennies and His body seem small. But with our new baptized eyes we see enormous wisdom and mercy.

The widow's small money was given in trust of her dear Lord's promises that even though she dies, she lives.

In those olden days she did die. But she lives around the throne of Christ, not because of her money, but because of His enormous offering of Himself.

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

Why Not More Questions?

Twenty-forth Sunday after Pentecost

November 8, 2015

Mark 12:34

Why Not More Questions?

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

If Jesus showed up right now, what would you say to Him?

A few things to note. First of all, you wouldn't have to say anything right away, because we'd all be on the floor, prostrate or kneeling with fear. (Almost everytime God shows up in the Bible, people are falling over with fear. As they should.)

Secondly, you'd have sometime to think, but sooner than later, Jesus would come to you and tell you not to be afraid. Maybe He'd even show you His nail-marked hands and use them to pick you up off the floor.

And lastly, if you asked Him a question that isn't in Holy Scripture, would He even answer it?

“Lord, what should I do about my government?”

Render unto Caesar.

“What should I do about my parents?”

Honor your father and mother.

“What should I do about my children?”

Love your enemies.

“Lord, what is heaven like?”

Like a wedding banquet.

“What does eternity feel like?”

He'd probably just smile.

On the other hand, Jesus' enemies loved to hammer Him with questions. Just a bit earlier they had tried to trap Him over questions about the government and the afterlife (Mark 12).

But now a new voice was heard. One of the teachers of the law, a man who devoted his life to scribing down the words of the Law of Moses, asked Jesus which command of the Law was the most important. This man spent his life writing down and re-copying the scrolls of the Old Testament. He was the ancient version of the medieval monk, using pen and ink and parchment to painstakingly recopy more editions of God's Word.

This man knew the Law of Moses that Jesus had handed down to His people at Mt. Sinai like the back of his hand. And he was deeply invested in his question:

“Which command is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28)

Unlike a bit earlier, I don't think this wasn't a set-up question, trying to trap Jesus. He recognized Jesus' wisdom and knew His answer to this question would be wise and true. And Jesus answered well.

“This is the most important,” Jesus answered:

Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

“The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Jesus summed up the Commandments with their essence: Love. When there is love for God, we will fear and love Him above all else, we will use His name well, and we will remember His Sabbath. When there is love for the people in our lives, we will honor our parents, watch out for the physical needs of children, we will protect and cherish all marriages and reserve sex for the married man and wife, we will respect other peoples' property and possessions and help them kept their stuff, and we will speak well of others and defend their good names. When there is love for God and our neighbors, good works abound.

When the scribe, the teacher of the law, heard Jesus' answer, he was correctly excited. He repeats back to the Good Teacher what he has just heard, because he had been listening carefully.

Then the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one else except Him. And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:32-33)

It might seem bold to our ears as we hear the scribe tell Jesus that He was right. We think, “Well, duh. Of course, Jesus is right. He always right.” But this man had probably struggled with this question for a long time, and to hear this wise Rabbi confirm his own thoughts must have been electric. A eureka moment, perhaps. His answer revealed that he had always hoped that the key truth of God's promise was not sacrifice, but love for God and fellow human beings. He had correctly confessed God's Law. In a word, it demands love, relentlessly, without fail.

When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34a)

But this man had not confessed the Gospel; he still did not have the truth that would save his soul. He was close, but not there yet. Jesus didn't tell him that he in or even near the kingdom of God. Instead He told the scribe that he was not far off from the kingdom. The only other time this expression (“not far off”) is used is when Paul is talking to a crowd of heathen philosophers in Athens (Acts 17). Jesus and Paul weren't talking to believers.

Jesus' questioner, this scribe, was right to love the Law, but he was trying to use the Law to save himself. He had dismissed the false religion of going-through-the-motions with the false religion of be-really-busy-and-full-of-love.

This false religion is tempting to us today. We reject a religion of going-through-the-motions, but we also hear the siren song that our hearts and the world coos at us: be really nice and busy and loving. Every day a famous broadcaster from Minnesota urges his national audience with his trademark: Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.® (Garrison Keillor, Writer's Almanac)

I think our deeply held hope that we can save ourselves shows up in our potential questions to Jesus. Typically our questions are the side of the spectrum that wants to know what I can do for God. This is a “good impulse” that can hurt us spiritually. Notice what happened after Jesus' final remark,

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” . . . no one dared to question Him any longer. (Mark 12:34b)

In the Gospel of Mark, there were no more questions from the scribes or Pharisees, at least not until the illegal trial of Good Friday. Why not more questions? Why didn't they dare to ask Him anything else?

Because finally the lovers of the Law, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees understood that Jesus was never going to embrace the Law as the way of salvation. He is the Way. And so they had nothing more to say to Him. They were done with Him, the living enfleshed Word of God.

By His choice and will, we are saved from ourselves, from our sin. So it is natural we have questions. About how to live and serve, yes. About what is coming in the future, of course. But above all, let us ask Him Gospel questions, “Why did You did die for me? And when are You coming back?”

And He answers to each of us in turn, “Because I have had mercy on you and care about you above all others. And I am coming back soon.”

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

Christ Speaks Well of the Faithful Departed

All Saints Day

November 1, 2015

Matthew 5:1-12

Christ Speaks Well of the Faithful Departed

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

Why don't we speak ill of the dead? Why don't people who are alive say mean things about those who have died? Habit, tradition, politeness are all reasons. You don't go to a funeral and bad-mouth the person who died. It's just not done. It isn't good manners.

But another reason is that when someone we love dies, we are naturally drawn to remember only the good things about them. Even if Aunt Hilda was a terrible cook, we'll still find something nice to say.

Because of His cross, Christ has nothing but good things to say about our dearly departed ones.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3-12)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and so on. And Christ promises them rewards for today and forever.

For some of His promises Jesus used the present tense: this is your reward now, the kingdom of heaven. But He also promises things to come: they will be comforted, they will inherit the earth, they will be shown mercy.

When a believer dies, they come into the kingdom that they've always been a part of. This is the kingdom that they have prayed for themselves and others: Thy kingdom come. Baptism, Preaching, and Communion brings us into His kingdom. And when we die, we come ever more fully into the kingdom to which we belong. The same kingdom; it just looks different.

All these rewards of which Christ speaks are ours because of Him. Heaven is ours because He suffered hell on the cross. We are shown mercy, not because we turned the other cheek, but because He turned the other cheek and was sticken, smitten, and afflicted. His enemies hit Him and He showed us mercy. We will see God because Christ has made us pure with His blood.

We speak well of the dead. This is good. But it doesn't do anything for our salvation. Reminiscing at the visitation and saying that at least Aunt Hilda tried hard to be a a great cook doesn't change the fact that she burnt every cake she baked. Our efforts don't matter to God as He judges our salvation. Effort doesn't matter when you're dead.

This is the basic reason why faithful Christian churches and their pastors keep eulogies out of the funeral service. Eulogies are long followery emotional lists of all the good things that the dearly departed accomplished and tried to do with their lives; they have no place in the worship of Christ. A eulogy pushes Jesus to the side and places ourselves on a pedestal. Eulogies reinforce our deeply-held opinion that we can save ourselves through effort and work and belonging to the right groups of people.

Why do families become so agitated when told that the best place for the eulogy is somewhere other than the funeral service? Part of it, I think, is the belief that their loved one is being disrespected. But most of it is more about the living than about the dead. The dead in Christ doesn't care; they alraedy are with Him. The survivors become even more angry when the eulogy is clearly revealed for what it is: worship of human beings.

So faithful Christian funerals overflow with Christ. They preach what He has done, His suffering, death, and resurrection, and His Gospel Sacraments, and His imminent return at the end of time. This is the service that every faithful Christian wishes that their loved ones hear at their funeral: Christ speaking well of the dead.

And unlike our speaking, His words make things happen. His word makes the dead come to life. This is what happened to each of you in Baptism: Christ spoke well of you, who once were dead. And it will happen again, when He comes back, and speaks the dead to the life and living into life everlasting.

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

Christ Makes You the Camel

Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost

October 18, 2015

Mark 10:25

Christ Makes You the Camel

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

What sounds do camels make? I'm not sure either, but I think something like this:

“Dear, can you help get the groceries out of the car? There are too many bags.”

“Honey, we have to get both cars in for oil changes.”

“Why are all toys on the floor?! We have too much stuff!”

We make these sounds. We are the camels that Jesus is talking about.

Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.” (Mark 10:23-25)

We're programmed to think that two things about being rich. First, that the rich those with more than us. And secondly, that being is bad.

But we are rich. We have plenty. We're never hungry. We smell good. We have soft beds and warm houses.

And none of this is bad. Christ Jesus gives you all your plenty, and nothing that Christ gives you is bad. He can't give you bad gifts.

But we are sinners, and so we worship the gifts that God gives instead of the God who gives them. And so Jesus tells us that those who are rich are hard to get into heaven. It is hard because the rich can cushion themselves away from their own sins, and thus cushion themselves away from the Savior from our sins.

Let's look at the sins Jesus mentions.

Don't murder. A rich man who plows into a pedestrian can hire lawyers, arguing that it wasn't his fault.

Don't cheat on your wife. A rich man who commits adultery can entice his wife to look the other way, or rather, look at his money and pretend that he is a good husband.

Don't steal or defraud. When most men steals or rips somebody off, they often are caught and sent to prison. When a rich man defrauds his company or a union boss skims the dues, they are often able to use their influence to walk away with a slap on the wrist.

Don't bear false witness. When a rich man bears false witness his children or his wife, he can avoid an apology with a iPhone 6s.

Honor your father and mother. A rich man can avoid his elderly parents by thoughtless placing them in a posh old folks home and feel good about not visiting them because he's working to earn the money to pay their rent.

These examples probably don't apply to you.

But these sins still cling to us. We hate each other and hold grudges. We lust after the bodies of others. We are lazy at work and lazy with our families. We lie to ourselves constantly. We are rude to our parents when they deserve our respect. All these and more cling to us, so yes, Jesus is talking to the rich young man and us today.

Why does this matter?

For much of human history, hatred, lust, laziness, and lying held tough consequences. These sins often meant you didn't get to eat. But our wealth insulates us from much of the fallout from our sins, so much so that we can come to think that we are without sin. If you can keep your sins from coming back to bite you, pretty soon you can start to think that you don't sin, or at least, they aren't that bad.

This is why Jesus said:

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)

Rich people like us can pretend that we aren't sinners. And since Jesus came for sinners only, we end up treating Jesus on the margins of our lives. Sure, He's there, He's around, we go to church mostly, but the center of our lives? No, and that's why it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for us to enter God's kingdom.

But Jesus has wonderful news: we are the camels that He's talking about.

Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.” So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:23-27)

Christ makes us the camels that pass through the eye of the needle. Christ speaks us camels into the kingdom of God by becoming the camel who

was pierced for our transgressions . . .

crushed by our iniquities . . .

the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 53:5a,6b)

And so

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5b)

He is the Camel of God, or rather and better, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, including the sins of people who have plenty.

What does a camel sound like?

“Lord, have mercy on me, sinner, a poor, miserable creature.”

“Lord, forgive me all my sin.”

“Lord, thank you for Your mercy and love.”

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

The Two Will Become One

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

October 11, 2015

Mark 10:7-9 & Ephesians 5:32

The Two Will Become One

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

Can someone get a divorce from the Church? No, because when someone deserts the Church, they are really walking out on Christ Jesus. Listen to how Paul laid it out:

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church―for we are members of His body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery―but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Ephesiasn 5:28-32)

The whole discussion in the Bible about marriage and divorce are extensions of a much deeper reality. The uniting of one man and one woman in marriage is a reflection of Christ's uniting with His Church.

The prophets repeatedly spoke of God's faithfully caring for His chosen nation, the Jewish people, like a devoted husband. And sadly the prophets rebuke God's people for their adultery and desertion from the one true God to chase after the more handsome idols created by men (Jeremiah 3).

“The house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 5:11)

This unfaithfulness is heard in the questions of Jesus' enemies. Since they were always looking for a way out of their marriage to one true God, their hard hearts had no problem carrying this lust for adultery into their own marriages to their wives.

Some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

"What did Moses command you?" He replied.

They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."

"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'

'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:2-9)

Jesus rebuked their hard hearts and called them to see that marriage and really every good gift is a gift from our dear Lord. To seek ways to destroy what God creates is sin, plain and simple.

So Paul wrote words of encouragement to the Ephesians to treat marriage with holy joy and reverence. Marriage is to be a living parable of Christ's mercy and sacrifice for us. Not just love, but far more―works of mercy and sacrifice that deliver to us the opposite of what we deserve.

When someone deserts their spouse, this is a grievous sin. Not unforgivable, but a grievous sin that wounds the consciences of all involved: the other spouse, the parents, the children, the pastor, but above all, the unfaithful spouse. The Devil will use this awful decision and heinous deed to work on the minds of those involved:

they caused this,

they should have done that,

God is mad at me,

I'm mad at God,

and perhaps worst of all, I don't care what God says.

And so it goes. The Devil delights in divorce because so often the snake uses it to drag or lure the Bride―the Church―away from the Bridegroom―Jesus Christ.

But there is hope for those who have been deserted. And even hope for the villains who have deserted their families. Jeremiah passed along these stunning words from the Lord to His people:

“Return, faithless Israel, I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the Lord, 'I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt―you have rebelled against the Lord your God . . . Return, faithless people," declares the Lord, "for I am your husband. (Jeremiah 3:12-14)

Dear friends, the Devil is delighted to sponsor the ongoing assault on marriage. He's been doing it for centuries. And now he gains much from the current battle. Obviously he destroys many souls of those who advocate the un-marriage of the day, but he is also happy to use our frustration to keep us from seeing our own desertions and adulteries. We have looked at awful things, read awful things, and watched awful things. They used to come in VHS, now they stream online.

But maybe you've never looked at that smut since you don't know how to operate a VCR or turn on your email.

But you treated your spouse with anger. You've counted their faults and used them to wound when you needed to win. Or perhaps you've laughed at the shows that make husbands look like incompetent idiots and wives like shrill screamers or objects of lust.

But there is still hope for us, because of the words of Christ: “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” He, the Bridegroom, faithfully chases us with these words, His wandering Bride. And He finds us, again and again.

Praise Him for true marriages, where husbands sacrifice for their brides and wives serve their husbands. For in their faithfulness, their repentance and forgiveness to each other, we see the deeper truth and joy. This is what Christ is for us. And instead of the wedding reception at the beginning of the marriage, He saves it for eternity.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' But they paid no attention and went off―one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (Matthew 22:2-10)

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

Christ Alone Gives Us Credit for His Work

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 4, 2015

Mark 9:38-40

Christ Alone Gives Us Credit for His Work

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

Kids, you draw lots of pictures. Pictures of dogs, houses, clouds, pictures of lots of different things. If you draw a picture of an elephant, would it be okay if your brother wrote his name on the paper and then he gave it to your mom and pretended like he drew the elephant. No, that wouldn't be okay. He'd be taking credit for your work and you'd be probably be sad or even a little mad that he stole your picture.

In the Bible this morning we heard about a different kind of stealing that made Joshua and John mad.

A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:27-29)

“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.”

“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, for whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:38-40)

Joshua and John were mad because they thought that someone was taking credit for God's work. But they shouldn't have been mad. Moses told Joshua and Jesus told John not to be mad. They told them that only believers can do God's work. And gladly believers can be found anywhere.

And even more, God's work will always be known sooner or later as God's work. To put it another way, you can't plagiarize God or steal from Him for long.

Before Moses led the Exodus out of Egypt, he faced off with Pharoah's magicians. These sorcerers actually had power from the Devil that could perform a few of first plagues of Egypt, but they quickly were overwhelmed by God's strength. Soon everyone knew that only the one true God has power that endures for the good of His people.

Christ is the Prophet who surpassed even Moses. Christ delivered all of His people out of slavery to sin using His own life. Moses was given power from Jesus to do the work that helped one small group of people for a small amount of time; Jesus used Himself and Himself alone to deliver salvation to all mankind. He delivers us from evil and casts away demons with His name. His name saves us and He gives His name to us to speak when we baptize sinners, preach the Gospel, and feed the hungry with His holy supper.

John was worried that a man who wasn't following Jesus was driving out demons in Jesus' name. But Jesus told John that this man was following Him. He wasn't stealing from God. The man was using Jesus' name. He was giving credit to the only true powerful God.

Our catechism teaches us over and over that we're saved not because of the group to which we belong, but because of His hallowed name. Which group you gather with on Sunday morning and the pastor you learn from matters. But we rejoice when we see other Christians doing good in the name of Christ.

We rejoice when any Christian speaks truth about life to a mother who

thinks there are no alternatives for her living unborn baby.

We rejoice when any Christian pastor speaks and baptizes a baby.

We rejoice when any Christian suffers for speaking the truth about

marriage to their family and friends.

We rejoice when any Christian does good in Jesus' name.

We rejoice that whoever is not against is for us.

All of this good is evidence of Christ's choosing to use His people and giving us the credit. He shares His goodness with His people and we are everywhere.

What kind of man buys his wife a present and lets his children sign their names on the card? A good man. Jesus is the best man, God in the flesh, who gives us credit for His work.

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