19th Sunday after Pentecost October
4, 2015
Mark 10:2-16 Kingdom
Crutches
Dear fellow redeemed:
Its something you were very grateful to have but also very
grateful get rid of.
I refer to that pair of crutches.
* You may have
broken your leg or sprained your ankle.
Or perhaps you
had surgery, and could not put any wait on that one foot.
* But the day
finally arrived and you tossed those crutches in the closet.
What a joy! No longer did you require help getting in and
out of the car, or having people
open the door for you.
You didnt need three hands as you tried to carry something into
the house. Them
days were over!
Well, this morning lets talk about some different crutches.
* We need some
special support not because weve been injured physically, but because
weve been crippled spiritually. To get from point
A to point B; from this life to the next,
we rely on various props.
* We may call them Kingdom
Crutches. Theyre Gods servants who
brace us and sustain us
in our Christian
faith and Christian living.
They teach what
we need to know and they serve as an example to us so that we dont
take a wrong turn
or wander off in the wrong direction.
* In any case, were
unable to stand and walk on our own without these crutches.
Were absolutely
dependent upon them for learning, for encouragement and support.
* It has to do with
having been born and conceived in sin, which is to say we wont
overcome our spiritual need for help no matter how long we
live.
* The difference
with our Kingdom Crutches is we never get to bid them farewell.
We never set them
aside, thinking Ive really appreciated your help and all, but Ill
manage from
here!
* At every phase of
our life there will be one or more believers upon whom we lean for
support.
And thats a good thing.
* Recall what God
said when he created us.
It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a
helper fit for him.
* It was the Lords
plan from the very start; even before human beings became crippled
spiritually. So that husband and wife might truly serve
one another he created them in
such a way that theyd make a perfect fit. The two would
not simply love each other but
also complement each other.
Its how were meant to be. Having that special support
in our life is a good thing.
* And so is it as
children of Gods Kingdom. The mothers
in todays text understood this
which is why they were
bringing children to (Jesus) that he might touch them.
* The only way these
children would receive the same blessing from Christs Word as the
grownups did, is
if they the grownups intervened and brought their children to
the
Lord.
* Apparently these
mothers were aware of two things. One,
these children were sinners
just like their parents; and two, they too could
believe in Christ as their Savior.
* No matter what
vocation God places us into, its always for the same purpose.
We rely on one
anothers support to obtain Gods blessings.
* Were in need of Kingdom
Crutches, and the Lord supplies them, making them an
integral part of our lives: our mom and dad, our husband
or wife, our pastor, fellow
parishioner, friend.
Unfortunately, no matter what calling God places people into,
people object to being dependent.
People would rather stand on their own two feet and depend on no
one under any circumstances.
* Its the reason
for the alarming divorce rate in our country today.
The marriage may
start out seemingly well. Youve got
your life.
Ive got my
life. Oh, yes. And then theres the life we share.
* And because the
life they share is not a life where the two depend on each other, they
grow apart. They come to realize that their marriage is
nothing more than spending a
designated portion of time with each other.
* That was the problem
Jesus was addressing in our reading.
Moses wasnt in
favor of divorce.
He allowed it
because many had lost sight of what marriage really was.
* People did not see
it as a mutual depending upon one another.
It was a one-sided a
arrangement where
the woman simply fulfilled her obligation to her man.
* Not unlike
marriage in certain Muslim nations today, if in the husbands opinion the wife
had become a
burden and hes become bored, he could simply cast her aside like
an
outdated pair of crutches.
* So, in the end, a
divorce certificate was a concession of mercy in order to protect the
wife. Without it, a
husband might be inclined to dismiss his wife without so much as
leaving a note that the two were no longer married.
Couples today, of course, have attacked the divine institution of
marriage, not only by seeking to
get out of marriage, but by redefining marriage.
* At first it was
just a few outspoken homosexuals. But it didnt take long for them to
influence not simply popular opinion but the highest court
in our country.
* You know what
makes the Supreme Courts decision on gay marriage so disgraceful to
the church?
Its not simply
that people have ignored what Gods Word actually says. Its not simply that
Americas been
forced to respect the so-called rights of a so-called minority group.
* This decision is a
clear and direct attack on our Lords divine plan for men and women.
As Jesus says: But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and
female.
* Apparently the thinking
is: if we can get rid of the distinctions between husband and
wife, we can get rid of the twos dependence upon one
another.
* As a result,
marriage is no longer God working through husband and wife so they may
meet each others
needs. Its all about me enjoying a
specific right of mine.
Well, should we imagine theres one calling untouched by todays
thinking, the role of a child,
were mistaken.
* Educational
institutions teach children they can be self-sufficient without Mom and Dad.
Its as simple as
discovering who you are as an individual; what gives you standing in the
world along with
a sense of purpose and self-importance.
* Lets be
honest. Secular America teaches the
young nothing about vocation; God using
you to serve your neighbor. Its about neighbors who use
one another in order to be
noticed and
admired.
* The parents motto
is no longer to teach a child in the way he should go.
Its teach him to go as hes so inclined.
People would rather not be known as requiring someone elses
service; having someone serve as
their crutch. And the same
is true regarding Kingdom Crutches.
* We pick up on this
when people question whether we should baptize children.
Jesus instructs
his church, saying: Let the children come to me;
do not hinder them, for to
such belongs the kingdom of God.
He also indicates
that believers enter Gods kingdom through Baptism, saying in John,
unless one is born of water
and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).
* But some are of the
opinion that young children dont have to worry about forgiveness
until theyre old enough to understand something about sin
and be tempted by it.
And thats when
parents need to teach them about the faith . . .
* So, its all right
to depend on Mom and Dad for a Christian education, but apparently its
not okay to depend up God to wash your sins away in
Holy Baptism. Why?
Because teaching
requires understanding for children but baptism does not.
* Really? When Jesus took children into his arms and
blessed them, they didnt have to
understand what Jesus was saying. Nevertheless they received his blessing.
Despite their
sin, they could believe in Jesus and receive his forgiveness.
* Its why the
mothers brought them to Jesus.
And its why we
bring them to Jesus today having them baptized.
As they depend on God,
so do they depend
on us, Gods servants, to receive Christs blessing.
* They need Kingdom
Crutches and we serve as those crutches.
But maybe the word crutch as far as youre concerned has very
negative connotation.
You remember the controversy when our former governor referred to
religion as a crutch.
* People objected to
the comment because it gave religion a bad wrap.
We should infer
that the only people who need church are the weak-willed.
* But maybe a part
of us could identify. I dont like
feeling needy.
Id like to
believe I can manage my life without all sorts of help from other people.
* Particularly when
it comes to our greatest needs, those having to do with faith in Christ,
we dont want to acknowledge that God is fulfilling some
need of mine through this
individual whos got less going for him than I do.
* Im an
adult! I dont depend on others; not
when it comes to my faith!
Not when it comes
to entering Gods Kingdom!
So why are you here today attending the divine service? Tell me the main reason.
* Do you have
something to give God; your example; your offering; your remarkably sincere
praises?
Or does God have something to give you, something which
youre absolutely dependent
on him to give?
* In one sense
perhaps the governor was right; religion is a crutch, not because we dont
need religion and can manage fine all on our own.
Rather, the right
religion is definitely our crutch because it keeps us from falling. It
transports us from this life to the next telling us about
our Savior who gave his life for us.
* Thats right. Youre here today because youre a
sinner.
You and I
realize, no less than St. Paul did, that: nothing
good dwells in me, that is, in my
flesh. Also, as we read in
Genesis, Every inclination of mans
heart is evil from childhood.
From childhood, from the moment were first conceived, our heart
has nothing good in it but is
filled with sin. And
therefore from childhood were dependent upon help from the outside.
* But its also from
childhood that we can believe in Jesus Christ.
Truly, I say to you
Jesus informs us, Whoever
does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not
enter it.
* Like a child!
Not only is this is a clear indication that babies can believe.
Its an
indication that the right kind of faith is a child-like faith, a faith thats
extremely
impressionable,
simply taking the Lord at his Word.
* Think of it this
way, if a baby can believe understanding very little about his sin, so can
you and I believe understanding more than we care to about
our sin.
1
Although you understand
that all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God you
can believe that all are justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that came by
Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:23).
2
Although you understand
that There is no one righteous,
not even one you can believe
that the righteous live by
faith; faith in Jesus Christ
whos made us righteous by his blood.
3 Although you understand how you were conceived in sin and
theres nothing good in
your flesh whatsoever, you may believe that our citizenship is in heaven and from it we
await a Savior . . . who will change our lowly body to be
like his glorious body (Phil.
3:20-21).
The world, naturally, will also tell us we can believe.
* We can believe not
in true religion, not in our Savior, not in the callings into which our
Lord has placed
us. No.
We can believe in ourselves.
We can believe
despite how different or how oppressed we are.
* And if theyre
trying to be fair-minded they may even say you can believe in yourself
should you choose
to be that stay-at-home mom.
* But how about when
your roles are reversed, and its your children caring for you, or the
staff at that care facility?
* In the first case,
your little ones are enjoying their childhood and it brings a smile to those
watching. In the second case, youve reverted to your own
childhood and it brings tears
to those
watching.
* We may find it
interesting. Your two lives are so
similar. The world sees you as feeble,
awkward, and
naive as you struggle to walk and talk and interact with the people you love.
* In both cases you
virtually have no influence on the world, but are dependent on others.
And yet in the first case it brings joy to those observing
and in the second case it brings sadness.
* Its why were so
thrilled when we see a few extra children in church these days.
Children have a
way helping us forget our age.
* They bring us joy
both by being who they are, feeble, awkward and naive, and by
reminding us that we may be just like them, feeble,
awkward and naive and relying on
Kingdom
Crutches.
Thats right. We dont need to take any cues from the world on how
to believe.
* Well take our cue
from Gods children whom we have all around us this day.
And this is what
we learn from them.
* We can believe
despite our sin and our weakness and our need for crutches.
1 Even if were incapable of living what many would consider
to be a meaningful life;
2 Even if were talking utter nonsense and cannot be
understood by our closest family;
3 Even if we have to be put into a special pen or ward to keep
us from wandering off and
getting hurt;
4 Even if we become an involute and are dependent on others on
every observable level . . .
We may believe
the Lord will receive us into his arms and bless us.
* We dont need to
get rid of our crutches, for our Savior has gotten rid of our sin.
Therefore we may
remain Gods children, for to such belongs the
kingdom of God. Amen.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
