Matthew 5:21-37; The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 29, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:21–37, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus is preaching. He has a lot to say. And what we hear him say is not always easy to hear. We'd rather Jesus be "Jesus meek and mild" rather than Jesus confronting our sin. Here we have it, Jesus speaking clearly and straightforward about what we are to do and not do. It comes as a part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are you. Jesus is describing the life of faith. Those who have a relationship to God through faith in Jesus Christ are indeed blessed. That compels us to live in a certain way. And that's what he's talking about here. He's pointing to the part of the commandments that describe our relationship to each other. He saying "since you have a relationship with God through the forgiveness of sins, the First Commandment is set in place, so live out your life keeping the others." Sometimes we Lutherans get the idea that God doesn't care if we keep the Commandments are not. Jesus is very clear. Because of all that he has done for us, his life, death, and resurrection, we are to keep the Commandments. And more than that, it's not a matter of keeping them on the outside, for the sake of those who see us, but we are to keep the commandments in the heart.

According to Jesus, murder is more than just causing the death of another person. It is murder to insult someone. The commandment is broken in the heart, long before blood is actually shed. You are to have a relationship with other people that does not cause them pain. If you live your life respecting other people, as the commandment calls for, your relationships will be so much better. The idea of not letting the sun go down on your anger is not only good advice, but it's living according to the commandment. Your sins have been forgiven. That forgiveness should flow out to the people around you. Do not hurt or harm your neighbor in his body but help and support him in every physical need. That's Luther's description of what Jesus is saying here. You are a blood bought child of God. You have a responsibility to live according to God's commandments. That responsibility means to live in a way that is respectful to your neighbor and doesn't cause him harm. So important are your relationships with other people, that when they are broken, when you are in conflict with other people, your relationship with God is affected. Don't pretend that your relationship with God is not affected, if your relationship with your brother isn't set straight. Make every attempt to reconcile yourself to your brothers and sisters.

It is also important, according to Jesus, that we keep our relationships between men and women in proper perspective. Breaking the commandment on adultery is also done long before physical contact. Jesus said that the sin that begins in the heart is acted out in the eye and hand. The danger is there long before. In fact, it is not your eye or your hand that causes you to sin, but your heart. Plucking out your eye or removing your hand won't prevent sin. If you could remove sin that easily it would be best to walk around without a hand or an eye and avoid sin. But you are to be that serious about sexual sin. You are a blood bought child of God. You have a responsibility to live according to God's commandments. That responsibility means to live in a way that doesn't turn other people into objects of lustful desire.

Marriage between a man and a woman is entirely sacred, according to God. It is a holy estate. From the very beginning God made man and woman to be joined together for a lifetime. The purpose is companionship and the extending of God's kingdom through children. Husband and wife are to bring their children up in the way of the Lord. They are to teach their children the Commandments. And encourage them to follow. Divorce is nothing other than the breaking apart what God intended to be permanent. A man and woman locked together for a lifetime. A man locked together with a woman watching out for her best interest with everything he has. A woman locked together with a man watching out for his best interest with everything she has. A man and a woman raising children, watching out for their children's best interest with everything they have. There is nothing in divorce that promotes a man's best interest or woman's or a child's. Divorce is always against God's will for people. You are a blood bought child of God. You have a responsibility to live according to God's commandments. That means supporting families in such a way that divorce is unthinkable. So says Jesus.

These are things we would rather not hear Jesus say. We like our sin. We like our flexible morality. Maybe you have heard your hearts say things like this: God forgives me so I can diss my neighbor. My neighbor is such a jerk God doesn't mean I have to reconcile myself to him, surely. That guy doesn't care about anyone but himself, he doesn't deserve forgiveness. God forgives me so my roving eye is just an appreciation of the female form. Besides if men wouldn't dress that way, women wouldn't look at them that way. No one is really hurt by those pictures in the magazine. The models are willing. They make a good living. God wants me to be happy. And I can't be happy unless I get my divorce. These are all lies from the chief liar. Sin begins in the heart. It's in my heart. It's in your heart. It makes it impossible to live the way that God requires. And Jesus makes no bones about it. It is sin in the heart that is deserving of hell.

And so just as Jesus instructs us on what to do, the law accuses us. Whenever we hear the law we see how woefully short we fall. Whenever we hear the law we see God's demand for perfection. When we seek God's demand for perfection we see only the punishment that we deserve. You and I deserve eternal punishment in hell for our sin. It is a breaking of the Commandments. Not just any one particular commandment, but all of them. Commandments 2 through 10 are seated in the 1st. We do not treat our neighbors as Jesus would have us do because we do not love the Lord our God with all our heart or soul or mind.

But, believe it or not, there is good news in Jesus demands. When the law is set before our hearts and we see our sin, when we have nowhere else to turn, there's only Jesus left. When the burden of sin comes down on us we crawl to the cross holdout our hands and ask Jesus to take it from us. This is faith. This is repentance. Seeing sin and knowing where to take our sin. Seeing sin and clinging to Jesus on the cross for our forgiveness. Jesus describes the things that we should do. We see that he is the one who did them perfectly. On the cross Jesus gladly takes our sin. And from the cross we receive his perfect life. It is an exchange that is given to us by God's declaration of forgiveness. Our punishment is satisfied. And our good works come from the life of Jesus. So the things we should not have done are forgotten in the cross. And the things we should do are remembered in the life of Jesus.

And so the demands that Jesus makes in the law are our joy to accomplish. When we are angry with our neighbor, we remember God's anger over our sin was hung on Jesus on the cross. When we are reluctant to reconcile with our neighbor we remember God's reconciliation of us through Jesus on the cross. When our eyes see the things which turn our hearts away from God, we remember Jesus was forsaken by God for us on the cross. We turn our hearts back toward God because of Jesus. When the world tells us divorce is a good solution, we remember our relationship to God has been restored by Jesus on the cross. And we can faithfully and strongly proclaim God's plan for sexuality and marriage. The power to do these things does not come from our hearts. The power to do these things does not come from the proclamation of the law. Instead, it is the gospel, the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ, that drives us to do all that Jesus commands. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Mark 9:30-37; The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 22, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”” (Mark 9:30–37, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The disciples are acting like children. It happens all the time on my bus route. Two young kids pushing and shoving to be first on the bus. Being first, or greatest, is important to people. It is reflected in Children. The disciples were “arguing”. St. Paul, in his letter to Jude, uses the same word to describe the argument between Satan and Michael the archangel over the body of Moses. It wasn’t a simple argument, but contentious. The disciples were contending over the prospect of being greatest. They were pushing each other aside and down, trying to be first on the bus. They wanted to be greatest.

A few moments before, Jesus told them who was greatest. He is. Listen, anyone who predicts

The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise. (Mark 9:31, ESV)

… and then actually carries it out, is the greatest. It’s and apologetic argument to say to someone who doubts what Jesus says, to tell them, “Well, Jesus said he was going to rise from the dead, and then did it. If he did rise from the dead, he, at the very least, he deserves to be heard.”

But his disciples are afraid to ask about it because they don’t understand. They hear the words, but they can’t comprehend what they mean. Resurrection from the dead was the furthest thing from their minds. And especially that a person could rise by his own power. They were focused on who would be first when Jesus came to power.

In the text Mark gives us another interesting detail.

for he was teaching his disciples (Mark 9:31a, ESV)

The word he uses is διδάσκω. It means to teach. Mark puts it in the imperfect tense. For those of you who aren’t grammatically inclined that means “he had a habit of teaching them” or “he was teaching them, as was his habit” or “he regularly taught them”. It was one of many times he told them that he was going to be delivered, die and rise again after three days. The predictions appear three times in the Gospel of Mark (and three times in, Matthew and Luke also). But it is obvious he said it many more times. So, according to Mark, Jesus told them many times he was going to die and rise again. It just didn’t sink in. The closest they come is when Peter says to Jesus, “I won’t let that happen!” And Jesus calls him Satan. You can see why they might be reluctant to ask about it. The disciples just don’t get what Jesus is all about. They have their eyes on an earthly kingdom. Jesus comes to set people free from sin. It doesn’t really come home to them until after the resurrection. That’s when they see and understand what Jesus was saying. It isn’t because Jesus wasn’t speaking clearly. He tells them who he is when he refers to himself as “Son of Man”. That phrase refers to God himself in the book of Daniel.

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14, ESV)

The son of man here is very clearly God himself, looking like a human being. So, when Jesus calls himself the Son of Man he is talking about his divine nature, combined with his human nature. There is no way this should get past the disciples, but as I said, they missed it.

So, isn’t it funny that the disciples are arguing about who is the greatest, when the greatest is walking right there with them on the road?

Jesus is, in fact, the greatest among them. He says,

“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all.”

And he uses a child to make his point. To be first, you must even serve even children. To understand this point we must put ourselves in ancient times. Children were indeed precious, however, because of the mortality rate among children, it wasn’t considered profitable to invest much time in them until they were adults. They were only potential adults. But Jesus sets this notion on its head. You must receive the least of us, even children! Jesus does what he always does, turns everything around and sets it on its head. If we look at things from Jesus’ point of view infant baptism makes sense. They are full people for whom he died. They are not only potential people, they are people in need of salvation. Children are worth the investment. It isn’t surprising that he would provide a way for even the youngest of children to be saved.

This is what makes Jesus the greatest one. He values all people, even and especially children. He invested his time in them. Luther understood this also. Each section of The Small Catechism begins with the phrase,

As the Head of the Family Should Teach It in the Simplest Way to His Household .

Household included children. That is why Jesus has such a strong admonition to those who lead children into sin.

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6, ESV)

Those are strong words of judgment. God is serious about saving children.

Jesus’ attitude shows his greatness. Great people care about the least of people. Jesus cares about children. We get a glimpse of this in Matthew’s Gospel.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14, ESV)

He told that to his disciples when they rebuked people who wanted Jesus to lay their hands on their children. Jesus himself says they belong to him in his kingdom.

Jesus also not only predicts his death and resurrection, but he does also it, and he does it for everyone, even children.

When he hangs on the cross suffering, just as he said he would, he has all people, even children, everywhere in his mind. He has you and me, people of all nations, children everywhere, on his lips when he says, “It is finished.” That’s who he dies for, everyone, children included. And he rises from death for them. There is no question about who is greatest. It is the one who gives himself, even to death on a cross, for the sake of all children, and people. And then raises himself from death to prove it. Because of the greatest man that ever lived we, and our children have forgiveness of sin. There is no one who can top that.

When did the Church follow Jesus and hold children in high esteem? Well, it seems they began baptizing infant almost immediately. That’s God’s grace that he even puts faith in children, before they even understand what faith is. That’s God’s care for children.

So, when Jesus gives his example of his salvation being for children also, it is a good thing. The Disciples were acting like children. If we are honest, we too often act like children. We contend to be first on the bus. We hold a grudge when we are hurt. We give the silent treatment to people. We laugh at people who are different from us, under our breath. In other words, we act as if we don’t know better, when we do. We fall into childish sin.

Thank God he saves children, even those who act like children. We don’t deserve his forgiveness; he gives it freely. That what baptism is, a free gift of forgiveness even to those who don’t understand what’s happening. Jesus’ death and resurrection are that for us, beyond our understanding. When we see our childish actions, we know we don’t deserve forgiveness. But God forgives, that is his nature, that is the gift of Jesus.

As with children, we need to hear it again and again, so that it sinks in. Because we are like children, God makes sure we hear it again and again. That’s what church is about. That’s why we focus on forgiveness here. That’s why God has given us various was to hear it, including visuals.

So, thank God he saves children, because we so often act just like them. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Mark 9:14-29; The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 15, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”” (Mark 9:14–29, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This text begins with a failure. A man has brought his son to the disciples to have a demon cast out of his son. The disciples had done it before, but here they are unsuccessful. It causes a large argument among the crowds. Jesus and Peter, James, and John have just come down from the mountain where Jesus was transfigured. When the crowds see Jesus, they run up to him, the text says they are amazed. Jesus was there, now everything would be done properly. Jesus asks what they were arguing about. The man who brought his son speaks.

“Teacher, I brought my son here to you. He has a demon that makes him mute and throws him on the ground, with foaming at the mouth and grinds his teeth. When you weren’t here, I asked your disciples to cast it out. They couldn’t.”

I imagine the disciples all looking at the ground, very sheepishly. They undoubtedly expected to be able to do it because Jesus had given them authority to do it before.

Jesus scolds them.

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” (Mark 9:19, ESV)

“Not again.”, the disciples may have said to each other.

I’m sure they were thinking they had it right. It doesn’t tell us how they tried to cast out the demon, except they did it without faith. But more on that later.

“Bring him to me.” Jesus told the people. And the child convulsed and began foaming at the mouth.

“How long has this been happening?”

“From childhood. It tries to kill him!” His father added. “If you can do anything, have compassion and help us.”

“If you can!” Jesus said rather surprised. “All things are possible for the one who believes.”

“I believe! Please help my unbelief!” The father cried.

Jesus commanded the demon to leave the child, and it was gone.

Afterwards, the disciples asked why they couldn’t cast it out?

“This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”



Now, I ask, where was the prayer? Jesus didn’t pray over the child. The father didn’t pray over the child. The disciples didn’t pray over the child. Yet, only Jesus was successful.

Well, the truth is, Jesus isn’t talking about prayer over the child. He is speaking about the prayer of the father to him.

“I believe! Please help my unbelief!”

It is almost a throwaway line in the text, but it is the most important. All those, except Jesus failed because they tried to do it without faith. Not faith in what they could do, but faith in what God, in Jesus, could do. The man’s desperation for help and his actual faith is drawn out of him when Jesus responds, “If you can!” pointing out the issue. “If” speaks of doubt. But when he says, “Help my unbelief!” he is praying for faith. Jesus grants faith and heals the son.



So, what is this text about? Is it a manual for casting out demons? That is, saying, the tough ones require you to pray to get them out. Not in the least. The prayer in the text isn’t about the demon, it’s a plea to Jesus for faith. It is a definition of faith. So, exactly what is faith? Depending on Jesus. That’s why Jesus accuses the disciples of lack of faith. That why Jesus says, “If you can!” It all displays a lack of faith. The disciples still don’t understand, they ask why they couldn’t do it. Jesus points them to the prayer of the father.

You see, our faith isn’t ours at all. That’s how we often see it. My faith, we say. If my faith were stronger, I wouldn’t fail. All these ways of looking at faith push faith as something we do. There is nothing in you that makes your faith strong or weak. Faith is nothing you do. Faith is something you have. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift is dependance. Dependance on Jesus. “I believe, help our unbelief.” You don’t have faith in Jesus because you have faith. You have faith in Jesus because he is faithful. You can’t have faith in someone who isn’t faithful. It is all in Jesus. He shows himself to be faithful. When the father says, help my unbelief, Jesus shows himself to be faithful by healing his son.

Jesus is faithful. He is God. God is faithful. He shows his faithfulness in scripture, in all he does to save us from our sin. It is the most important thing God is faithful in. He goes to great lengths to provide what he promises. From his declaration that he would send a savior to Adam and Eve, to his promises to Abraham, to his faithfulness to King David. He fulfills all his promises in Mary the mother of our Lord. Jesus, our Savior, was born. He is the very same one who cast out the demon from the child. He preaches God’s promises to the crowds who clung to every word. He told the disciples of his death on the cross. They didn’t understand and had to see him after the resurrection to believe. What it meant for them, and us, is that Jesus’ promises are true.

His suffering on the cross wasn’t just the suffering of an ordinary person. His suffering was yours and mine. He His death was not just his death, but also yours and mine. He proves that with his resurrection.

Faith in Jesus is trust that what he did in his whole life, and his whole death and his whole resurrection is for you. Faith is the for you of the promise. It isn’t only a promise of resurrection but a promise of forgiveness. There is no one else that proves to be as faithful as Jesus does. When you have faith in Jesus you have faith that you are forgiven. There is no greater way to praise God than to seek Jesus for forgiveness. There is no greater faith than to plead Jesus for forgiveness. There is no forgiveness without Jesus.

This text is about faith. The key in this text is the prayer.

“I believe; help my unbelief!”

It is much more profound than you may realize, more even that the father in this text understood. Do you think your faith isn’t troubled by unbelief? The father shows in this text that he understood that. How many times do you turn to God, in faith, only after everything you have done has failed? You know how difficult it is to take all our burdens to Jesus. We think handling the little ones shows we have great faith. When the opposite is the truth. In your struggle with sin, do you think of all you can do to stop, instead of turning to Jesus for forgiveness? I have all these struggles and so do you. You can’t help it. It is unbelief crouching on your faith. It is your sinful nature pushing against you, against the saint that God has declared is alive in you. It is what it means to be a Christian human being in a sinful and broken world.

Remember, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

It is a prayer that Jesus loves to answer. It is exactly why he has sent the Holy Spirit. He uses things that are readily available to do just that. How simple it is to sit here and hear God speak his word of promise to you? How simple is it to have his word of promise poured over your head? How simple it is to come to the altar and have Jesus’ forgiveness given directly to you?

Jesus answers the prayer “help my unbelief” with real concrete answers. Christianity is quite simple. Forgiveness flows from faith; Faith flows from forgiveness. God attaches forgiveness to very simple things, very simple people, water, wine, bread, a man, and he gives it to you in a way that shows how simple it is. We simply receive what is graciously given.

To be sure, God graciously gives us many opportunities, to practice our faith. He gives us our vocations to serve our neighbors, friends and family. I have seen such great acts of faith carried out by God’s people here. But, in our sinful and broken world, in our sinful and broken heart we will always fail. We act self-centered, we are not as eager to forgive as we ought (It is one of our greatest failings!). When we do fail, we return, in faith, to the one who promises to forgive, to the one who is faithful. We return here, and we pray, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And Jesus does exactly what he promises, he forgives, renews and strengthens our faith. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

James 2:1-10, 14-18; The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 8, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marias, MN;

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:1–10, ESV) What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:14–18, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

How’s your heart? By saying that, I mean, how is your faith? James here gives us a big warning. He says, in effect, make sure you have a heart faith, not a head faith. He strengthens the warning in the verse following our text.

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19, ESV)

Satan and all his demons have that kind of faith. Knowledge of God and all that he has done. Faith that exists only in the knowledge of God, in the head. Head faith vs. heart faith. To make it very clear James gives us a test.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14, ESV)

To see if your faith is in the heart, you only need to look at what you do, what kind of good works you have. He gives two specific examples.

For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:2–4, ESV)

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:15–17, ESV) In other words, dead faith is head faith.

This should give us pause. James is very clear. If you have head faith, it isn’t faith in Jesus to save you, therefore you have no faith at all. You are not a Christian. You are hell bound. In other words, he says, “This is not how Christians act.”

So, let’s get specific about ourselves.

Do you hold a grudge against someone who has done you wrong, instead of being forgiving?

“This is not how Christians act.”

Are you so focused on our new building that everything else is pushed aside?

“This is not how Christians act.”

When you give, do you hope that you get credit for all you do to help people in need?

“This is not how Christians act.”

Are you afraid to speak up when you see sin in your family because you don’t what to make waves?

“This is not how Christians act.”

Have you had a petty argument with your spouse, and not begged forgiveness in Jesus, or offered it?

“This is not how Christians act.”

Rest assured that if I haven’t hit you between the eyes with this list, I could go on. Eventually, I’d say something to you that the answer would be,

“This is not how Christians act.”



Is James telling us that we are not Christians? Well, let’s look at the text. “Brothers” he says. In fact, he uses that word to describe his readers 15 times in the book. The answer is “no”. He is simply pointing out the attitude that certain actions and attitudes among us need a warning. We are not immune to falling away from faith. As faithful Christians, we are all tempted to “Head faith” instead of “Heart faith”. We are all sinners who sin. Everything we do is covered with sin. That’s the law doing its work within you. If it doesn’t hit you square in the heart, James makes sure you understand.

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:10, ESV)

You can’t keep the law perfectly without breaking a single little point. Does this make you doubt your salvation? Do you look at your life and think it is hopeless?

Is the answer to preach more law, to force us into good works? Absolutely not! Preaching the law only doesn’t make better Christians. Only the Gospel does that. Listen to “Salvation unto us has come” (LSB 555)

Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone And rests in Him unceasing; And by its fruit true faith is known, With love and hope increasing. For faith alone can justify; Works serve our neighbor and supply The proof that faith is living.

Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone! What increases faith is hearing about Jesus and all that he has done for you. All the sin that covers everything you do is taken by Jesus to the cross. You have forgiveness for all your failings. It isn’t good works that strengthens your faith. It isn’t even lack of good works that damns you. Lack of good works points you back to the cross for forgiveness.

It is the Holy Spirit alone who creates and strengthens faith (Heart faith!). He does it through the Gospel. He assures you that God forgives you personally. What Christians need is a solid connection to Jesus.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1–2, ESV)

In Jesus, the fruit of the cross is good works. You can count on it when you focus on all that he has done for you.

Not enough? With God there is always more. You have a rock-solid connection to Jesus. He is present here in his Word and Sacraments. It begins with God’s work in you in Holy Baptism. It is strengthened even more as you hear God’s word preached to you with all the force of the law, that convicts you of your sin, and the Gospel that assures you of forgiveness. Worship here is defined by all that. It’s the touchpoint of your life.

Just look at the Lord’s Supper. Jesus connects to you through his very body and blood, what he sacrificed to the cross for you. And afterwards we pray

“Strengthen us through the same in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another.”

Faith filled with Christ himself can’t help but be active in love toward others.

Listen again to the collect for today and hear it clearly again.

O God, without whose blessing we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and govern our hearts; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. . . . Amen

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9; Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 1, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6–9, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Okay, this text says, "O Israel, listen to the statutes and rules that I'm teaching you." So, what in the world does this have to do with us? In fact, why should we spend any time at all listening to the moldy rules that God set up for the people of Israel? Hey, if you spend very much time arguing about the question of homosexuality you get this very question. They always want to compare the Old Testament laws about foods and other things with God's requirement for marriage to be between a man and woman. The question you always hear is: "If laws for bidding homosexual behavior are still binding, then so is every obscure Old Testament law (stoning of adulterers, not mixing seed in the field, etc.)" It seems like a very logical question. But it flatly ignores the biblical distinction between ceremonial, civil, and moral laws in the Old Testament. Ceremonial laws were binding on Israel as part of God's covenant with them. The civil laws only applied to the nation of Israel at the time. Only the moral laws including those about homosexual behavior carry over into the new covenant era. This is because God's moral nature never changes. His requirements for human behavior in the moral sphere are permanent. I usually like to point it out this way. Can you give me a list of 10 things that describe God's requirements for human behavior in a way that's easy to understand? Of course this is the 10 Commandments. This is the very reason we study these first in confirmation classes. If you asked the question "Does Jesus want us to keep the 10 Commandments" the only valid answer is yes. Jesus and St. Paul uphold God's moral requirement for people. For example, St. Paul referring to Jesus' words:

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:9–10, ESV)

And the example of that is the Gospel reading for today is about what defiles people not being what they eat but what's in the heart.

God is deadly serious about his moral requirements for human beings. His requirements are for all people for all time. Sometimes we Christians fall into the trap of thinking that God does not require us to be morally pure. But if you look over the 10 Commandments and especially Martin Luther's explanations you can't come away with the idea that God expects anything less than perfect obedience. Anytime Christians say in relation to the 10 Commandments something like "I do the best I can, and let God worry about the rest" we are making light of God's moral requirements for human beings. God clearly requires perfection when it comes to moral behavior. If you think any different you only must listen to a few interchanges between God and his people regarding his moral requirements. Listen to Deuteronomy 4:

Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:23–24, ESV)

Or just look at what you memorized for confirmation class, used as part of Dr. Martin Luther's explanation of all the commandments:

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5–6, ESV)

And will God make these threats of his wrath very clear, his people know that God is always ready to forgive.

‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’” (Numbers 14:18, ESV)

God goes to great lengths to remind his people in the Old Testament that he is indeed their God. From our text today, "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?" Repeatedly he speaks of his love for them, his nearness to them. He is their God, and they are his people. He is the one who brought them out of Egypt and save them from Pharaoh's bondage. He is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. He continues to love them, and he is always near them.

God is near to his people for their benefit. He heals broken hearts. He forgives sins and gives comfort. He protects from those who are their enemies. And… He promises to save them by coming himself as their Messiah, called Immanuel, which means "God with us". The ultimate coming "near" of God.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14, ESV)

This promise is fulfilled in Jesus. He is God and man together in human flesh. The ultimate expression of God with us, God "near" us. This is God very "near". Through trust in him we have salvation, that is reconciliation with God. Punishment we deserve, for our imperfect obedience, is laid on Jesus on the cross. He is our great deliverer and Savior. Those who have "met" Jesus through faith, love him. Listen to the apostle John:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:15-16, 19, ESV)

This is God near not only to his Old Testament people but to you and me. In Galatians 3 St. Paul makes the connection between us, God's children through faith, and the children of Abraham.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” (Galatians 3:7–9, ESV)

So, in the face of our inability to keep God's commandments perfectly, as he demands, we have God's promises to his people. The promises given to Israel for deliverance from sin and God's love and nearness. God near his people is a reality for us.

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,” (2 Corinthians 6:16–17, ESV)

This is God's nearness to us. Here in this place. He comes in his Word and Sacraments. He comes to us in the gathered "body of Christ". Those of faith who are gathered all around us. In Holy Baptism he gives us access to this family through his adoption as sons (and daughters). In the Lord's supper we are near to God as he comes to us in his body and blood, "with Angels archangels and all the company of heaven". And he comes near to forgive. All of this is our connection to Immanuel, "God with us", who comes to save. Jesus Christ our Savior whose life death and resurrection reconciles us to God.

How does this "nearness of God" play out in our lives. Through the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness that Jesus gives, his nearness to us means that we can joyfully bear the fruit of obedience: The Apostle John:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:5–11, ESV)

This is "good news" that we must share. God commanded his people, Israel, to make known his nearness to their children and their children's children. And this is also ours to give to our children and our children's children. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.