Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Luke 18:15-30

¹⁵ Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. ¹⁶ But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁷ Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

¹⁸ Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

²² So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

²³ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

²⁴ And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For 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 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

²⁸ Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

²⁹ So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

In the first part of today’s reading Jesus teaches us that it is those who ultimately have a child-like faith who are part of His kingdom and reign – not that you have to be or become a child, but simply to believe by faith in Christ’s work of atonement on the cross for you and all mankind.

The certain young ruler did not have child-like faith. He asked the wrong question of Jesus: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He did not understand what it meant to inherit something. An heir is someone who, only by virtue of someone else’s favor or family connection, receives what the other person wishes to give. The inheritance doesn’t depend on anything the heir does; it depends strictly on the giver.

The rich young ruler trusted in his many possessions and his good behavior. He boasted that he had kept the commandments from his youth.  But when Jesus challenged him to give up his possessions in which he had trusted, he “became very sorrowful.” He was unable to let go of his idols of good works and self-sufficiency. Sadly, he couldn’t understand his own desperate need for what Christ offered.

The devil, the world, and our own sinful nature always try to get us to focus on ourselves. These things turn us inward, and then we become navel-gazers: “Look at me!  Look what I can do!  I have life all figured out!”

But Christ bids us to look away from ourselves and onto Him and His work which has paid for our sins. We must never hold up our good works or our possessions as our ticket to heaven and eternal life.  By God-given faith we look to Christ who has done the work of suffering, dying, and rising – all for us and in our place. By His grace alone we are received into His family and have full rights as heirs of His kingdom.

Let us pray: O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now  and forever. Amen.

Revelation 21:6-8

⁶ And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

St. John describes heaven as the New Jerusalem where all tears will be wiped away and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Those in this life who believe by God-given faith in Christ’s atoning work of paying for their sins will inherit heaven. There our bodies, according to St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15), will be incorruptible, honorable, glorified, and spiritual; our bodies will no longer be ravaged and affected by or with sin. As John writes in Rev 21:4, the “former things” (the sinful nature and existence) “will pass away.” What a glorious existence to look forward to!  We will be forever with Christ in all His glory never again be affected by sin. We will be in the eternal presence not only of our Triune God, but also all those who have gone before us in the one true faith. Prior to this, our human and sinful bodies must die and will be changed by God into acceptable bodies in order to inhabit heaven.

On the contrary, this is what is in store for all those who do not believe in Christ’s work for them: the “unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”  What an utterly horrible eternal verdict! Lord, have mercy on all those who choose to deny Christ’s offer of full forgiveness and pardon.

Dear Christian, by faith in Christ and His promises to you, you need not fear that second and eternal death, for Christ has put his name on you in Holy Baptism and enters into you with His very body and blood in His Supper to give you forgiveness of sins and strengthen your faith.  These things will bolster and uphold you throughout this earthly life until He calls you to that glorious and sinless life of the world to come.

Let us pray: O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now  and forever. Amen.

Luke 18:1-8

18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, ² saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. ³ Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ ⁴ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ⁵ yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. ⁷ And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? ⁸ I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Jesus uses the parable of the judge and the widow as an example of God’s faithfulness to His people. He proclaims: “…shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” We can be assured that God will answer the prayers of His people, in His time and in His way.

In 2 Peter 3:8ff Peter interprets these verses for us. He says, “beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises…, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

This then prompts the question: “If He is not willing that any should perish, what is the will of God?” Well, in Luther’s explanation to the 3rd Petition of the Lord’s Prayer he has us confess: “The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also…. God’s will is done when he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.”

We will never weary God, but He wills to weary us! He has us actually pray against ourselves, that He break and hinder us. As His crosses come and fix us on Christ’s cross, this is how He keeps us from perishing, by keeping us repentant. How appropriate during Lent. Thanks be to God’s faithful will!

Let us pray: O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Luke 17:1-10

17 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! ² It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. ³ Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

⁵ And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

⁶ So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ⁷ And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? ⁸ But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

The apostles must have thought Jesus had laid a great weight of responsibility on them as He sent them about their work. First, He warned them to be very careful to not bring offense to anyone, otherwise face the milestone around the neck. And second, He said to always forgive a repentant brother! Notice He didn’t say “always be forgiving.” But forgiveness is conditional upon repentance. How hard these commands must have seem! Is it any wonder the apostles said, “Increase our faith?”

Then Jesus goes on to tell them that they don’t need an increase of faith, because it isn’t the size of one’s faith, but what and who is the foundation (or object) of one’s faith. In the verse just before our text, Jesus said, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.”

All the faith that is necessary is given to us through the Word of God, which is meant to be heard. Today this Word still goes out through faithful pastors, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, it still works forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation to those brought to repentant faith. Just as with the apostles, today through the Word and Sacrament He still calls, gathers, and enlightens His Church to do His work in the world.

Lutheran theology is such an absolute joy as it stays true to God’s harsh word of Law and His beloved Gospel. The old man despises both because they bring him to die and prove that he will never be able to save himself. The New Man, however, rejoices in staying fixed upon Christ crucified, which brings about good works. And to God alone goes the glory!

Let us pray: O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.