Untitled Sermon (9)

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Introduction

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

And it was pride that a lot of the great Christian saints that we look up to like Augustine, Luther or even C.S. Lewis called “the root of all sin.” And it is pride that is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool against us. For it is through pride that sin entered into the world and it is through pride that it continues on today. For as soon as pride has entered into our hearts we no longer think about God or about others, no we think about ourselves and our desires. And the devil latches on and tempts us to act on those desires. Which is what we see in our Gospel lesson for today.

Introduction

Context

“You shall have no other God’s.” What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust in God above all things. (PAUSE and look up) You know, there’s 9 more of these. But, I’m not going to read you all 9. Not because they aren’t important, but because we don’t need to go any further than the 1st commandment to realize that we fail to keep the commandments. How? Well, you see, there’s a popular phrase that you’ve all probably heard: “Pride comes before the fall.” But how many of us actually understand that phrase and know what it means? You see pride is a funny, yet very serious thing. For pride is the grandfather of all sins. In fact, if you were to make a top 10 list of sins, the number 1 sin on that list would be pride. Why? Because pride is the exact opposite of the first commandment. Pride isn’t fearing, loving or trusting in God, no pride is self-centered and self-exalting. It puts us 1st and makes us ask questions like: What about me? What about my needs? Aren’t I important? That’s pride.

Introduction

“You shall have no other God’s.” What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust in God above all things. (PAUSE and look up) You know, there’s 9 more of these. But, I’m not going to read you all 9. Not because they aren’t important, but because we don’t need to go any further than the 1st commandment to realize that we fail to keep the commandments. How? Well, you see, there’s a popular phrase that you’ve all probably heard: “Pride comes before the fall.” But how many of us actually understand that phrase and know what it means? You see pride is a funny, yet very serious thing. For pride is the grandfather of all sins. In fact, if you were to make a top 10 list of sins, the number 1 sin on that list would be pride. Why? Because pride is the exact opposite of the first commandment. Pride isn’t fearing, loving or trusting in God, no pride is self-centered and self-exalting. It puts us 1st and makes us ask questions like: What about me? What about my needs? Aren’t I important? That’s pride.

And it was pride that a lot of the great Christian saints that we look up to like Augustine, Luther or even C.S. Lewis called “the root of all sin.” And it is pride that is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool against us. For it is through pride that sin entered into the world and it is through pride that it continues on today. For as soon as pride has entered into our hearts we no longer think about God or about others, no we think about ourselves and our desires. And the devil latches on and tempts us to act on those desires. Which is what we see in our Gospel lesson for today.

Now, I know it has been a few weeks since we last visited the book of Mark, so let me give you a quick recap of where we are. Jesus and the disciples have entered into Jerusalem. Jesus has cleansed the temple and now we see him in the temple again for the final time. Only this time surrounded by people, he is approached and questioned by the chief priests, scribes and elders. And after answering many questions, to the point where they no longer wanted to ask him any more questions, ever. We get two final parallel and contrasting teachings by Jesus before He leaves the temple.

And it was pride that a lot of the great Christian saints that we look up to like Augustine, Luther or even C.S. Lewis called “the root of all sin.” And it is pride that is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool against us. For it is through pride that sin entered into the world and it is through pride that it continues on today. For as soon as pride has entered into our hearts we no longer think about God or about others, no we think about ourselves and our desires. And the devil latches on and tempts us to act on those desires. Which is what we see in our Gospel lesson for today.

Context

And it was pride that a lot of the great Christian saints that we look up to like Augustine, Luther or even C.S. Lewis called “the root of all sin.” And it is pride that is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool against us. For it is through pride that sin entered into the world and it is through pride that it continues on today. For as soon as pride has entered into our hearts we no longer think about God or about others, no we think about ourselves and our desires. And the devil latches on and tempts us to act on those desires. Which is what we see in our Gospel lesson for today.

Context

First Teaching By Jesus

Context

We start with a warning and judgement. Similar to what you would hear from the prophets in the Old Testament.

Now, I know it has been a few weeks since we last visited the book of Mark, so let me give you a quick recap of where we are. Jesus and the disciples have entered into Jerusalem. Jesus has cleansed the temple and now we see him in the temple again for the final time. Only this time surrounded by people, he is approached and questioned by the chief priests, scribes and elders. And after answering many questions, to the point where they no longer wanted to ask him any more questions, ever. We get two final parallel, but contrasting teachings by Jesus before He leaves the temple.

Now, I know it has been a few weeks since we last visited the book of Mark, so let me give you a quick recap of where we are. Jesus and the disciples have entered into Jerusalem. Jesus has cleansed the temple and now we see him in the temple again for the final time. Only this time surrounded by people, he is approached and questioned by the chief priests, scribes and elders. And after answering many questions, to the point where they no longer wanted to ask him any more questions, ever. We get two final parallel and contrasting teachings by Jesus before He leaves the temple.

Now, I know it has been a few weeks since we last visited the book of Mark, so let me give you a quick recap of where we are. Jesus and the disciples have entered into Jerusalem. Jesus has cleansed the temple and now we see him in the temple again for the final time. Only this time surrounded by people, he is approached and questioned by the chief priests, scribes and elders. And after answering many questions, to the point where they no longer wanted to ask him any more questions, ever. We get two final parallel, but contrasting teachings by Jesus before He leaves the temple.

Teachings By Jesus

First Teaching By Jesus

Teachings By Jesus

We start with a warning and judgement. Similar to what you would hear from the prophets in the Old Testament. And it’s a warning about pride. You see Jesus was warning the people about being too much like the scribes. Why? Because the scribes weren’t using their position of authority in the way they were supposed to. Instead, they walked around showing off their status by wearing long robes, expected and liked to be greeted by people in the marketplaces, expected, wanted and took the best seats in the synagogues and feast, putting themselves front and center, but to make it worse, they also took from the widows and covered it up by making long prayers in attempt to make themselves look holy.

We start with a warning and judgement. Similar to what you would hear from the prophets in the Old Testament. We have Jesus warning the people about being too much like the scribes. Why? Because the scribes weren’t using their position of authority in the way they were supposed to. Instead, they walked around showing off their status by wearing long robes, they expected and liked to be greeted by people in the marketplaces, they expected, wanted and took the best seats in the synagogues and feast, putting themselves front and center, and finally to make it worse, they also took from the widows and covered it up by making long prayers in attempt to make themselves look holy. And it’s because of all this that Jesus says they will receive the greater condemnation.

Then we get another teaching, one that comes more in the form of a pronouncement by Jesus. Still in the temple, Jesus sits down and watches as people give their monetary offerings in the temple. Noticing first that many of the wealthy put in large amounts money. However, we then are told about a poor widow who put in two small copper coins. Which come to find out is all that she had. So Jesus, says to his disciples, that this poor widow who only put in two copper coins put more in the offering box than all those who had contributed already. Why? Because they contributed from their wealth and still had money leftover, while the poor widow gave everything she had to live on.

We start with a warning and judgement. Similar to what you would hear from the prophets in the Old Testament. We have Jesus warning the people about being too much like the scribes. Why? Because the scribes weren’t using their position of authority in the way they were supposed to. Instead, they walked around showing off their status by wearing long robes, they expected and liked to be greeted by people in the marketplaces, they expected, wanted and took the best seats in the synagogues and feast, putting themselves front and center, and finally to make it worse, they also took from the widows and covered it up by making long prayers in attempt to make themselves look holy. And it’s because of all this that Jesus says they will receive the greater condemnation.

You see the scribes weren’t evil people, in fact they were the spiritual leaders of the day, they were supposed to take care of the people and be an example of what it means to follow God. Much like Pastor’s today. But the problem was that the scribes let their selfish pride take control and used their position of authority, not for good and godly things, but instead to prop themselves up and fulfill their own selfish desires. And it’s because of the selfishness and abuse of power by the scribes that Jesus warns against being like them and says that they will receive the greater condemnation.

Connection to OT

Then we get another teaching, one that comes more in the form of a pronouncement by Jesus. Still in the temple, Jesus sits down and watches as people give their monetary offerings in the temple. Noticing first that many of the wealthy put in large amounts money. However, we then are told about a poor widow who put in two small copper coins. Which come to find out is all that she had. So Jesus, says to his disciples, that this poor widow who only put in two copper coins put more in the offering box than all those who had contributed already. Why? Because they contributed from their wealth and still had money leftover, while the poor widow gave everything she had to live on.

Connection to OT

Now before I move on, I would like to comment on the fact that this episode and pronouncement by Jesus is very similar to the episode and pronouncement we see in the Old Testament reading for today from 1 Kings. Where we had a poor gentile widow take care of God’s prophet Elijah. Sharing all that she had and trusting that Elijah’s pronouncement about how the God of Israel would take care them would come true.

Transition to Gospel

Now before I move on, I would like to comment on the fact that this episode and pronouncement by Jesus is very similar to the episode and pronouncement we see in the Old Testament reading for today from 1 Kings. Where we had a poor gentile widow take care of God’s prophet Elijah. Sharing all that she had and trusting that Elijah’s pronouncement about how the God of Israel would take care them would come true.

Transition to Gospel

And just as Elijah’s pronouncement came true, so to is Jesus pronouncement about the scribes and the widow true.

So now I ask you, which one are you? Are you the scribes who acted out of selfish pride? Are you the rich, who while yes they gave an offering, they always made sure they still had plenty leftover for themselves? Or are you the widows? Who selflessly gave everything they had and trusting in God to take care of them?

And just as Elijah’s pronouncement came true, so to is Jesus pronouncement about the scribes and the widow true.

I know which one I want be. But I also know which one I am. Because we are all the scribes and the rich. We all let our selfish pride prevent us from either A. acting the way we should or B. giving the way we should and sometimes both. I mean how many of us think that by going to church once a week for an hour or by giving an offering we have fulfilled our requirements to God for the week? You see it doesn’t take having a lot of money or having a position of authority to let your pride get in the way of trusting in God. We are all prideful, we are all selfish and we all like to think about ourselves.

So now I ask you, which one are you? Are you the scribes who acted out of selfish pride? Are you the rich, who while yes they gave an offering, they always made sure they still had plenty leftover for themselves? Or are you the widows? Who selflessly gave everything they had and trusting in God to take care of them?

Gospel

I know which one I want be. But I also know which one I am. Because we are all the scribes and the rich. We all let our selfish pride prevent us from either A. acting the way we should or B. giving the way we should and sometimes both. I mean how many of us think that by going to church once a week for an hour or by giving an offering we have fulfilled our requirements to God for the week? You see it doesn’t take having a lot of money or having a position of authority to let your pride get in the way of trusting in God. We are all prideful, we are all selfish and we all like to think about ourselves.

Gospel

But there is one example from our readings that I have yet to talk about. It’s one that’s not quite as obvious. But it’s the most important. For you see while we are selfish and prideful. We have a Father that is not selfish, nor prideful. In fact we have a Father who is selfless and gave us His only Son. That’s right that example is Jesus. For while we may all fall victim to our selfish pride, we are not left to die in that pride. Because the same Jesus who is giving this warning, is the same Jesus who 2 chapters later will be tried and crucified not for sins that he committed, but for the sins of the rest of humanity. For our sins. There is no more selfless act in the history of this world and never will be than what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

But there is one example from our readings that I have yet to talk about. It’s one that’s not quite as obvious. But it’s the most important. For you see while we are selfish and prideful. We have a Father that is not selfish, nor prideful. In fact we have a Father who is selfless and gave us His only Son. That’s right that example is Jesus. For it was Jesus who selflessly gave up His throne in heaven and became man and lived the life that we never could. The life of perfect fear, love and trust in God. The life that perfectly kept all of God’s commands.

And it’s through this selfless act of our Lord and Savior and through your baptism into that selfless act that you have been granted the gift of eternal life in heaven with Him.

And it’s because we have such a gracious God, that while we may all fall victim to our own selfish pride, we are not left to die in that pride. Because the same Jesus who gave us the warning about pride in our readings, is the same Jesus who 2 chapters later will be tried and crucified not for sins that he committed, but for the sins of the rest of humanity. For our sins. There is no more selfless act in the history of this world and never will be than what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

And it’s through this selfless act of our Lord and Savior and through your baptism into that selfless act that you have been granted the gift of eternal life in heaven with Him. And it’s because you have been granted this amazing gift that you should fear, love and trust in God above all things. For nothing else in this world, not even yourself, can give you a gift as amazing as the gift we have received from our heavenly Father. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Roman 6:23. You have been given this gift, go forth and serve the Lord. Amen.