"Awakened in Christ" (Mark 10:14; Psalm 139)

Dear Christian friends, especially you, the grieving parents: Bryana and Corey; grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Before us this day are shattered hopes and dreams. While all deaths are difficult, there is something really unfair about the death of a child. It’s like planting a flower garden, imagining the glory that will come later in the summer. Then, just as tender shoots begin to appear, the rabbits and other rodents chew them up. It’s like watching for months as a new house takes shape only to have a fire destroy it just as you are able to move in. All the hopes and dreams with a baby registry. Then suddenly, you are preparing for a funeral. Melissa and I have been there. The hope and then the shock. We grieve with you. 

 

Today empty arms now hunger for hugs that will have to wait until the grand reunion in heaven. 

 

Amanda Jean Elaine. How we all wish we could have held her longer. How we wish we could have heard her giggle of delight. How we all wish we could have known her longer and seen her grow up.

 

But our gracious God knew her. And He still knows her. Amanda Jean’s frame was not hidden from our Lord when she was being made in secret, intricately woven in the deep darkness of her mother’s womb. The eyes of our living Lord saw Amanda Jean’s unformed substance, the days formed for her, few though they may have been on this side of heaven.

 

So, we gather here today with hearts aching, minds numbed, eyes filled with tears … and yet, you should still be hopeful in the midst of loss. You should be daring to rejoice in the midst of sorrow.

 

We rejoice in our tears because of the gift of Holy Baptism that God gave to Amanda Jean. Today, Jesus meets us in our grief head on and reminds us that in Holy Baptism, we are immersed in His death, His burial, and His resurrection (Romans 6:3-11).

 

But even in the joy of knowing Amanda Jean’s salvation through her baptism into Christ, we still mourn and grieve. We mourn and grieve because every human being has inherited that dreadful disease known as the original sin of Adam and Eve. Were it not for sin, there would not be death. Death is the consequence of the Fall into sin. So, we long for that day when Christ comes again to finally put an end to death.

 

Until that day, we mourn, but mourning is a good and godly work. Remember, Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. Jesus wept, because He loved His friend, so weeping and mourning the death of Amanda Jean or any of our loved ones is, indeed, a good and godly work.

 

But in Christ Jesus and in His Church, we have the ultimate medicine that brings true healing to our broken hearts, genuine ointment for our numbness, and the ultimate wiping away of our tears. What is it? It’s called the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, we grieve, but our grieving is mixed with hope. And this hope isn’t a wish. This hope is sure and certain. So, our tears are mixed with faith. Our sadness is mixed with joy, because one day in the future “we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed … [as] this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51b-52, 53b).

 

Jesus loves all the little children. He says, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). Jesus has given little Amanda Jean the kingdom. The same goes for you.

 

And how did we earn the kingdom of God? By God’s grace. It is because the very Son of God came down from heaven. He took upon Himself our flesh and became man. Just try to imagine that. God became man for Amanda Jean. God became man for you, too. He came to take upon Himself yours and my sins. He suffered, bled and died. But He did not remain dead and buried. He rose! He rose three days later. Through His perfect life and atoning death, Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel – life and immortality for all of us, including little Amanda Jean.

 

And just like you and me, Amanda Jean did nothing to deserve this gift. She received life and immortality. She did nothing to deserve it, but she received it. She received it from her Creator who knew her even in her mother’s womb. Today, she receives life from her Savior to carry her into eternity.

 

All we can do is receive. We are all on the receiving end of God’s life-giving ways no matter how many hours, days, weeks, months, or years we are given. We receive everything from our Father’s hands, through His Son and the Holy Spirit. This new life is given through Holy Baptism. And He keeps us in the one true faith through His Means of Grace, His Word and His Sacraments. 

 

Each week at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, we hear God’s healing words of absolution. Each week, He literally puts forgiveness, life, and salvation in our mouths with the living Body and Blood of Jesus every time we receive His Supper. God gives and we receive.

 

Meanwhile tears will continue to flow, there will still be heartache and numbness, but we can actually find comfort and rejoice in the midst of sorrow. God knows you and He knows what you are going through. Bryana and Corey, you are still Amanda Jean’s parents. You have been Amanda’s parents since she was conceived and made in secret.

 

The Psalmist writes: “How precious are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with You” (Psalm 139:17-18).

 

Today, little Amanda Jean is awake as she is in the very presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ, the very Lamb of God. And one day, by God’s grace, you will see her again with all the saints and angels in heaven.

 

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"In Christ Alone We Endure" (Mark 13:1-13)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Jesus said: “And you will be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13).

 

Today is one of those Sundays where it may sound wrong saying, “This is the Gospel of the Lord.” 

 

Are you looking forward to the coming of Christ? Normally, we’d all say, “Yes!” But how are you feeling after today’s Gospel reading? Does the coming of Christ actually sound like a glorious day? Are you beginning to second guess saying, “Come, Lord Jesus”?

 

We all look forward to the day when we are sheltered in the presence of the Lamb of God. We all look forward to when we will hunger no more, thirst no more, suffer no more. But until that great and glorious day, Christ says, “There shall be a time of trouble” (Daniel 12:1). Many will be led away by false christs – false pastors – wolves in sheep’s clothing, who preach what our sinful itching ears desire to hear rather than what we need to hear, who refuse to preach God’s Word as they bend to the cultural tides. 

 

Christ warns of wars and rumors of wars. Nations rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Earthquakes in various places. Famines. They will bring you before councils. They will beat you. They will bring you to trial and hand you over. Brother delivering brother to death. Father delivering his child, and children rising against their parents to have them put to death. We will seemingly be hated by all.

 

Are you still looking forward to the coming of Christ? It sounds like all hell will be breaking loose. It sounds a lot like doom and gloom. Where is the good news in any of this?

 

Jesus says, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2).

 

Not only will the Jerusalem temple be destroyed – for which it already has been – but everything built by human hands will be destroyed – including this building known as Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. As much as this may shock us today, this certainly shocked Christ’s disciples then. They were not only shocked, but they were disturbed!

 

You see, the temple was the heart and center of Jewish life. It was where they prayed. It was where their sins were forgiven. For any Jew, the destruction of the temple meant – really – the end of the world. 

 

Everything built with human hands will be destroyed on the Last Day. Those beautiful churches, those tall skyscrapers, those billion-dollar sports stadiums. Everything will be destroyed. Everything. So, we shouldn’t be too impressed by the structures all around us.

 

Not only that. But Satan will be spreading murder and mayhem wherever he can. He will get in as much destruction as he can in the short time he has left. 

 

But there is good news. Did you catch it? Christ says: “The one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13b).

 

Really? We have to endure? How can we endure through deception, wars and rumors of wars, persecution, even persecution from within our own nuclear families?

 

That’s the good news? Endure? All I have to do is endure through times of trouble, troubles that will be far worse than I can even imagine, and then I will be saved? How could surviving unprecedented troubles really comfort me?

 

If we’re honest, for those who travel, we barely endure the TSA line at the airport. We have to wait in line, then when we reach the end of the line, we are treated like criminals. Many would rather pay for TSA pre-check or Clear, so they can cut in line and avoid the humiliation.

 

We barely endure traveling in a car with a toddler across state lines.

 

We barely endure when the car in front of you is going the speed limit.

 

We barely endure the thought that someone may not like you, let alone be angry with you, or actually hate you.

 

Just look at Christ’s disciples. How well did they do at enduring during trials? Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus privately: “Tell us, when will these things be?” (Mark 13:4a).

 

Peter denied Jesus not just once, not just twice, but three times. And James, John, and Andrew joined Peter, and the other apostles, who hid away behind locked doors after Jesus was crucified for the fear of the Jewish authorities.

 

So, are Christ’s own apostles doomed? Are we doomed? How can anyone be saved? What hope do we have of enduring all that Christ lays out for us today?

 

So many of us struggle with just little things. So many of us feel overwhelmed already with just those little things. So, how could we endure when the bad turns to the worst?

 

Some weeks ago, we heard Christ say: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). Again, I bring up that rich young man from Mark 10. Christ’s disciples believed that simple wealth proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that rich people must have special access before God. But just because you are wealthy doesn’t guarantee salvation. The only guarantee of salvation is faith alone in Christ Jesus.

 

So, the only hope we have to endure all things is to look to Christ alone, who has endured everything before us and for us!

 

Christ has already been betrayed and abandoned. He was delivered over to the council and beaten. He stood before governors and kings. He was hated by all. He was scourged and crucified. The earth quaked. He died.

 

Christ endured it all for you and me, so that we would be saved. Then on that third day, He rose in victory over our evil foes: sin, death, and the devil. And Christ wasn’t done yet! He would later ascend to the right hand of God the Father in glory. Then He would send the Holy Spirit.

 

If enduring is something that we do by our own reason and strength, we would never endure. If enduring is something that we can manage, then salvation is tied to works. What Jesus describes to us today is clearly unendurable for sinners, but thanks be to God “all things are possible with God,”as He gives us the only way we can endure and that is by clinging to Jesus Christ alone!

 

Jesus says: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). So, we only endure since Christ endured for us! Our victory is His victory! Our salvation is His salvation! 

 

Yes, endurance is tough. But it’s only tough if we endure by ourselves. In Christ alone, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). 

 

Jesus has endured for you! So, you can also endure in Him!

 

Today and at each Divine Service, Jesus gives you the way to endure to the end. He comes to us in His body and blood broken and shed for you and your sins! He comes to us through His Word that endures forever!

 

So, when all hell breaks loose – and it will, Christ invites us to hide in Him and thus endure through Him.

 

Remember, this is why Christ became man, why He suffered and died, why He endured all. Apart from Christ, all things are impossible. Apart from Christ, we are doomed. 

 

But remember your Baptism into Christ, where Christ claimed you as His own. Each time we eat the bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. And He is coming, for He has promised. And God keeps all of His promises. He never lies (Titus 1:2). He is with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

 

Even though we may see everything around us disappear, Christ tells us: don’t be alarmed. Even when the fallen world temps us through false teachings in order to lead us astray, or worldly peace comes to an end through persecution, war, earthquakes, and family ties, always remember: Christ endures. And if you cling to Christ, you will also endure!

 

Nothing, not even Christ’s dire list we heard today, can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. By grace through faith in Christ alone, through His Means of Grace, we endure to the end. In Christ alone, we are saved! So, we say: “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Faith-filled Giving" (Mark 12:38-44)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: 

“And [Jesus] called His disciples to Him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on’” (Mark 12:43-44).

Some weeks ago, a rich young man came up to Jesus and asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). After Jesus examined the heart issues of this rich young man, He 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” (Mark 10:21). That’s the last we hear of this rich young man as he left Jesus disgruntled since He could not part from his absolute dependence on his great possessions.

 

In today’s Gospel lesson, we find Jesus and His disciples sitting in the temple court of the women, where the temple offerings were deposited. As they sit, Jesus is examining the hearts of all the worshipers.

 

There, in the court of the women, are 13 trumpet-shaped receptacles. If you are a Millennial or older, like me, you may remember those highway toll baskets. Those offering receptacles would look similar to those toll baskets. Worshipers would walk up to those receptacles and drop in their coins of copper, silver, or gold.

 

There, with Jesus and His disciples, would be other onlookers watching what others had given to the temple treasury, in case they felt the urge to outdo their neighbor.

 

Then comes up a woman, a widow. She drops into the receptacle two small copper coins. In today’s money, this would be a fraction of a cent. But surprisingly, Jesus says to His disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44). 

 

Now, how did Jesus know this? Did He ask this widow? No! He knew because as the Son of God, He could look into her heart. You see, Jesus knows vastly more about us and all others than we even know about ourselves.

 

This past Tuesday was the general election. You may be thrilled with the results, or you may be down in the dumps. Today, you may be thinking you know your future. But do you really know? Psalm 146 teaches us: “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish”(Psalm 146:3-4).

 

Do you really know everything that is going to happen in this coming year? Do you really know what your income will be? Do you really know what your overall financial situation will be? As much as we think we know – we don’t. We live in uncertainty. So much of our life is uncertain. 

 

Today’s Gospel text teaches us many things. One of those things is proportional giving. Jesus said the rich had given out of their abundance. For the rich, it was a surplus, an overflow. They made a lot of money, and they gave a lot of money. 

 

But for that widow, she gave all that she had – 100 percent. Now, the amount cannot compare, but percentage wise, that widow gave more than anyone else.

 

Proportional, or percentage giving, has always been the way God prescribed. Old Testament Israel was required to give 10 percent of the income they received. The tithe was God’s system of percentage giving. 

 

One reason why God prescribed proportional giving is that it works at all income levels. Some have said, “If I had a larger income, I would give a tithe, but right now, I can’t afford it.” 

 

Well, the nice thing about proportional giving is that it grows or shrinks with every paycheck. It works for everyone.

 

Now, in today’s Gospel text, Jesus still speaks about proportional giving, but He doesn’t demand any particular percentage. So, we can give more or less than ten percent. But our offerings should still reflect the way God has blessed us.

 

If the Old Testament people had to give 10 percent, and all they had was the promise of the Savior, what about how much we have been blessed? We are blessed with the certainty that the promise of the Savior has been fulfilled! Jesus Christ has come! We know He died and rose from the dead for us. We know that He has taken away sins. So, what’s the proper proportional thanksgiving for salvation?

 

But oddly enough, today’s text isn’t primarily about proportional giving. Recall all those rich people dropping in their silver and gold into the receptacles. It is likely that many gave a hefty proportion. Remember, ten percent was commanded, but many exceeded that. And someone could give 70, or 80, or 90 percent and still not be commended by Jesus. And why is that? What makes this widow so easily commended by Jesus?

 

You see, if we think our tithes and offerings gets us in good with God, then no percentage is good. God doesn’t need our tithes and offerings. He is God. He is wealthier beyond what we can imagine. However, the Church requires it and our neighbor in need requires it.

 

What really matters here is faith. God desires that we fear, love and trust in Him above all things. Faith is recognizing what God has done for us in the past and believing what He will continue to do for us in the future. 

 

The widow had so little of everything, except faith. It may be no accident that Jesus speaks about the scribes taking advantage of widows in their poverty and then covering up their wickedness by saying long prayers so that everyone would think them to be holy. It could very well be that a scribe took advantage of this widow and has deposited her money as his money into the temple receptacle.

 

Even if that is the case, this widow still offers to God the last of her money. And she gave as a matter of faith. Her husband had died, which meant she lost her sole source of income. Yet, she believed that God had provided for her and that He would continue to provide for her into the future.

 

You see, Christian giving is always a matter of faith. As I said earlier, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. But we know Who already knows. So, do you recognize what God has done for you in the past? Do you trust that He will provide for you in the future? Christian giving is a question of faith. It is a question of trust. Christian giving is trusting that God will take care of you.

 

The widow completely trusted God. She trusted Him sacrificially.

 

Now, I’m not saying to empty out your bank accounts. That would be stupid and unwise. That would be a wrong interpretation of our text. But Jesus is inviting us to give Him ourselves. He is inviting us to trust in Him. He is inviting us to cling to Him as the Giver of all things for body and soul. If we truly trusted in Jesus, then our tithes and offerings would also represent that. 

 

Like the rich young man in Mark 10, today’s text about the widow’s faith also leaves us with a cliffhanger. What happens next? We don’t know.

 

Maybe Jesus and His disciples cared for her? Maybe she starved?

 

It’s no accident that we don’t know. If we did, it may have ruined the meaning of today’s text.

 

We are left in uncertainty about the widow, because our Christian tithes and offerings are always to be given in the face of uncertainty, since our giving is always to be an exercise of faith. Again, we don’t know our financial future. We don’t know if we may face catastrophic bills. We don’t know if you will lose your job, or if social security will dry up. We just don’t know.

 

But we do have some things that are always certain. Christ is coming back. Eternal life is certain for everyone who trusts in Jesus. His death and resurrection has made forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation certain for everyone who clings to Jesus as their Lord.

 

Today’s event at the temple is particularly thrilling for another reason. This would be Jesus’ last visit to the temple. From there, He went forward to offer Himself – all that He is – on the cross to pay the price we could not pay, to make the contribution we could not make. On that Good Friday, He paid our entire debt of sin. In Christ alone, we are forgiven. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The Limitlessness of God's Grace" (Mark 10:23-31)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: 

Jesus said to His disciples: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).

 

This verse – when plucked out of its context – is one of the most misinterpreted and most misunderstood verses in Scripture. You see for many people, when they see those words “All things are possible with God,” they immediately think God is offering permission or even encouraging or affirming whatever they want. 

 

And even many wolves in sheep’s clothing disguising themselves as pastors will use that verse as their proof text for “Name it and claim it,” or even encouraging their parishioners into sins. 

 

So, if you only name what you want, by claiming what you want to God, then He will give it to you. The problem is that way of thinking is not Biblical and it is against the clear teaching of Scripture. This wrong interpretation puts man in control of God – as a sort of Disney Genie.

 

Now, taken in context, that verse “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27) teaches the limitlessness of God’s grace.

 

Last week, a rich young man came up to Jesus and asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). This rich young man expected wise advice and even Jesus’ approval for his riches, but instead Jesus told him to rid himself of his idol worship of his wealth, which became his false god and then follow Him. That price tag on getting rid of his false god was too much for this man. 

 

Jesus’ Law preaching brought despair to this rich young man as He prepared to preach the Gospel. The question for this rich young man is: did he ever hear the Gospel? To that we’ll never know. He may have. He could have repented of his love of money and followed Jesus, or he could have held closer to his false god of money. So, we leave with a cliffhanger.

 

As this rich young man “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22), Jesus turns to the disciples to expound on what just happened.

 

Jesus gazes around at his disciples before He speaks. Then He said, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23b).

 

Money makes us feel secure. For many people, maybe even yourselves, this security puffs them up. Why would I need to thank and praise God? Life is going well! Why would I need to attend the Divine Service? Life is going well! I’m not struggling, so why would I need God? Life is going well!

 

As our Old Testament lesson from Ecclesiastes 5 says: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11a). So, for those who love money will never have enough. And in times of inflation, such as now, those with great wealth brings greater anxiety. For the more one has, the more one covets.

 

But for the disciples, they don’t see money that way. So, they look at Jesus in amazement, since they understood that if a person has much money, they were considered pious, generous, and worthy of God’s favor. Just because of their wealth, they must have special access before God.

 

To their amazement, Jesus says, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! For 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 10:24b-25).

 

Here, Jesus is talking about a real camel and a real eye of a needle. Jesus is utilizing extremes. The camel was the largest land animal in the region and the eye of a needle was the smallest opening. So, how could a camel go through the eye of a needle? It can’t. It’s impossible!

 

So, if a rich person cannot be saved, who can?

 

Jesus then gazes at His disciples again and says, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).

 

You see, on your own, entering the kingdom of God is impossible. Not just for the rich, but for all people. So, anything we do, through our merit and various activities, they gain nothing toward our salvation. You may be the most cheerful giver to the church and to various charities, the world may call you good for your sacrificial giving, but if you do not have faith in Christ and cling to Him, that giving – as great as it may be seen by the world – is worthless to salvation.

 

And it’s not just riches that can be a barrier to salvation. Another major barrier is the love of self – pride. Or the sexually immoral. Or those who cause division and strife. Really, anything that leads you to think you are doing well on your own without God.

 

So, is our case hopeless? No! Again, Jesus says, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).

 

Through the Holy Spirit, God can move even an idolatrous rich man to set aside his riches and set his fear, love, and trust in God. Now, that is the power of the Gospel! So, what is impossible for people is possible for God to grant to us in Christ. 

 

On our own, we can contribute nothing to our salvation. But by faith in Christ, He contributes everything for your salvation! Through the waters of Holy Baptism, Christ takes all of our sin upon Himself and wraps us up around His robe of righteousness. There, we are joined to His death and resurrection. There, Christ’s righteousness is given to us. And as we return to our Baptism in Confession and Absolution, the old Adam in us continually dies and is no longer our identity. Our new identity is in the new Man, Jesus Christ.

 

Also, when we kneel at the communion rail, we receive Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins, which strengthens our identity in Christ.

 

Through His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments – God directs us to His Word, and not our word. He directs us to His promise of forgiveness in Christ the crucified.

 

But sometimes, even when we are nourished by Christ’s Word and Sacraments, our old Adam, that old sinful nature, still tries to take the credit for your salvation. And that was the case for Peter, who said, “See, we have left everything and followed you” (Mark 10:28).

 

Here, Peter speaks how he and his fellow disciples have sacrificed everything to follow Jesus. Peter is presuming that his sacrifice will give him merit with God. But the truth is that Peter and his fellow disciples will receive the Lord’s blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation. However, not through their own merit, but only through the sacrifice of Jesus.

 

But Peter is partly right. They have indeed left everything to follow Jesus. What he is correct about is our sanctification. He is right about our Christian life in Christ. And he and his fellow disciples, including you and me, are growing day by day in sanctification.

 

Through being nourished by Christ’s Means of Grace, we change. We change in our relationship with God and with our neighbor. Instead of being self-centered, we grow into sacrificial people. We begin to live out God’s will for us. We grow in putting ourselves last, so that we may help and support, and to improve and protect, our neighbor.

 

Jesus’ words today are words of comfort for us. In our lives, we may be spurned and ridiculed, and we may be persecuted for our faith, but Jesus assures us that His grace is limitless. By His limitless grace, which we receive through faith in Him alone, salvation is the gift of God. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Come, Follow Me" (Mark 10:17-22)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: 

“And Jesus, looking at [the rich young man], loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, see all that you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me’” (Mark 10:21).

 

You may not consider yourself to be rich. But if you have a refrigerator and a car and you can afford to go out to eat ever so often, you are considered “rich” by worldly standards. 

 

You see, an American family at the official poverty line has an income that puts them in the top three percent of the world’s people. If your income is the average household income that would mean that you are not merely a one-percenter compared to the world; an average American household income puts you in the top of the one-quarter of one percent in the world.[1]

 

So, no matter where you are: as a cashier, a factory worker, a banker, a farmer – you are rich. But that is okay. There is no sin in having money. And Jesus loves rich people, including you and me. Rich people need the love of Jesus.

 

One day as Jesus was setting out on His journey, a rich man, like you and me, ran up to Jesus and knelt before Him and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)

 

It appears that this man has figured out the answer to his own question, but he wants Jesus’ approval. You see, this man assumes that he has the necessary ability to easily reach eternal life.

 

So, Jesus responds to the question saying, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). Now, Jesus is not arguing with the man or trying to one-up the man. Jesus is getting to the heart of the issue. It was certainly rare in Jewish circles to address a man as “good,” since “good” was reserved for God. 

So, does this indicate that this man believes that Jesus is divine? Or could this be ironic? Or simply flattery? We don’t know. But Jesus continues getting to the heart of the issue.

 

He says, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother’” (Mark 10:19).

 

So, why did Jesus choose these commandments? Well, it’s likely that these commandments were the ones that the rich young man was most sure that he has kept. We all have our favorite commandments that we believe we have never broken. We say those things all the time: “I’ve never murdered anybody.” “I’m a faithful husband.” “I’m a faithful wife.” “I pay my bills.” “I have never cheated anyone.” “I don’t gossip.” “I take care of my mom and dad.”

 

Our sinful nature gives us the thought that we can keep God’s Ten Commandments without too much trouble. Our sinful nature believes we are quite sure that we have a good moral record.

 

So, the rich young man says what you might say to Jesus, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth” (Mark 10:20).

 

Without a blinking of an eye, this rich young man says he has fulfilled each of those commandments. He says He has fulfilled the Second Table of the Law. He claims that He has loved his neighbor as himself since his youth. He claims he is perfect. He claims he has not sinned.

 

For this rich young man, God’s Law did not terrify him, since, according to him, he has kept the Law.

 

Then Jesus lovingly looked at the rich young man and said, “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” (Mark 10:21).

 

Like this rich young man, our possessions can weigh us down so that we pay too much attention to the wrong things. Like him, our possessions can get in the way of following Jesus. So often, your possessions, your riches, are standing in the way of embracing Jesus’ friendly, kindly, gracious invitation: “Follow Me.”

 

Now, money and possessions are not evil in themselves. Jesus is not saying that we must give away all that we have to the poor in order to inherit eternal life. That would not be wise, since we need material goods for survival. But Jesus is using this to get to the heart of the issue.

 

Jesus, here, is answering this rich young man’s question by zeroing in on his one great fault: he loved his wealth more than he loved God. He has made his wealth his idol – his false god. He feared, loved, and trusted in his material wealth above all things.

 

So, to inherit eternal life, this rich young man needed to rid himself of his idol – his false god. And after he rid himself of his idol, he was to go and follow Jesus. This rich young man desires eternal life, but in order to have it, he must put God first in his life by following Jesus.

 

So, what are you willing to give up?

 

The triune God is a jealous God as He wants you all to Himself. So, just as Jesus looked up at the rich young man and loved him, He also looks up at you and loves you. 

 

By bringing up the commandments, Jesus is not playing gotcha. He brings up the commandments as a reminder that we fail in keeping them, even if we think we can. But as soon as we put anything as more important than the one true God, the dominoes fall as we break each commandment one by one. So, whoever fears and loves anything else in heaven and upon the earth will not keep any of the commandments. The triune God takes no pleasure in those who have other gods. 

 

You see, everything flows from the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods” (Exodus 20:3). Flowing from the First Commandment, we do our neighbor no harm, injury or violence, nor in any way oppress our neighbor regarding his body, wife, property, honor, or rights. We honor father and mother, masters, and all in authority, and are subject and obedient to them, not for their own sake, but for God’s sake.

 

God is angry and punishes those who despise Him and His commandments. On the other hand, God abundantly rewards those who love Him and keep His commandments. So, what do we do? We respond to Jesus’ invitation: “Come, follow Me.”

 

So, don’t let anything get in your way, or derail you, or distract you, or point you in another direction. Jesus says this isn’t about what you have or don’t have. It isn’t about what you ought to do or should have done. What matters is following Jesus.

 

You see, Jesus loves you so much that for yours and my sake, though He was rich, He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

The Son of God had all the riches of heaven, but He lowered Himself by becoming man, taking upon Himself human flesh, so that He could give you your undeserved inheritance: eternal life.

 

Jesus is with us today in His Means of Grace as He forgives yours and my sins and strengthens our faith through His Word and Sacrament.

 

Jesus fulfilled the Law, suffered and died our punishment for not obeying God’s Law upon the cross for you and me. He rose, so that we would also rise from the dead.

 

So, how much would following Jesus cost you? Jesus says: “A person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever does not take His cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds His life will lose it, and whoever loses His life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:36-39).

 

So, following Jesus means to go His way. And His way may not be easy, according to our sinful nature. For He says, “Enter by the narrow Gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the Gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

For us rich people, to follow Jesus is to find eternal life by losing everything – but receiving more! How do you think you are following Jesus if you are paying more attention to something else all the time?

 

But Jesus, who loves you, calls you, and invites you saying: “Come, follow Me!” Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

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[1] https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines