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Romans 3:19-28

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. ²⁰ For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

²¹ But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

²⁷ Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸ For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

In Medieval Europe, there was a plant that people desperately craved. This plant originally came from China, and it was expensive – more expensive than cinnamon, saffron, and even more expensive than opium. In Luther’s day, this plant cost more than silk, rubies, and diamonds. The plant was rhubarb, and it was used to cure you if you were constipated (or, as one of my children once said, “constellated”). Rhubarb would help you purge and relieve your clogged up bowels.

From our text, “Whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law,” that means everyone, that means you. You are under the law. You are accountable to God’s law. You are a slave sin. None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Ro. 3:9-12). The Law speaks to those who are under the law so that every mouth may be stopped. Every mouth stopped.

“Well, I didn’t mean to do it.” “But it wasn’t my fault.” “I wouldn’t have done that unless he had done that first.” “I would have done better if I had a better upbringing.” Stop. STOP! When you hear the Law, stop your mouth. Quit speaking. Shut up. You have no excuse. You have no alibi. You have no defense.

The Law speaks to you and fills you up with sin. The Law plugs you up. The Law constipates you with the excrement of sin, and you cannot purge yourself. You cannot find relief. By works of the Law, no human flesh (lit.) will be justified in God’s sight, since through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Hear it again, through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Lex semper accusat, as the church said in Latin – and when there is a Latin phrase for something in the Church, you know it’s important. Lex semper accusat, or in English, “the Law always accuses.” The Law is relentless. The Law points out your sin, stops your mouth, and fills and impacts you with the scat of sin that cements itself into you. Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin and you are completely constipated.

But, as Luther says, “Do not despair, there is a Rhubarb that is by far the best, namely Christ, lay hold of Him and you will live.” The righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

In the past, I have mentioned unfortunate places where the Scriptures are divided by chapters and verses. Ro. 3:23-24 is one of them. Notice that v. 24 does not have a subject. You have to go back to v. 23 to find it. The universal declaration “all have sinned” is followed by another universal “all… are justified by God’s grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus died for all the sins of the whole world. No sin falls outside of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All sinners are redeemed by Jesus. Jesus died for every sin of every sinner. All are justified by Jesus’ death. Does that sound too universal? Probably. But Scripture says it, so it is true. Go ahead and call me a universalist. I will wear it as a badge of honor.

All are justified by Christ’s death and resurrection, but not all are saved. Sadly, people do reject Jesus’ justifying death and resurrection. They reject Jesus’ atonement. They reject His blood because they want to justify themselves. Their mouths are not stopped by God’s Law. They deny that they are constipated with their sin. They think that by doing good they can purge themselves of their sin. They would rather stand before God on their own merits and works of the Law. In the end however, they will be bitterly disappointed.

Jesus has come, but He has come only for sinners. Jesus is the Rhubarb that relieves and purges your constipation of sin. Take hold of Jesus by faith and you will live. Do not try to run. Do not try to hide. Let the Law do its work on you. Let it stop up your mouth. Let it accuse you because you have Jesus for you.

You have Jesus for you. He justifies and declares you to be innocent. He sets you free. Jesus redeems you. His blood washes over you and makes you holy.

When you see that your salvation has been done completely by Jesus, you are free. You have been a slave to sin, but no longer. You have been set free by Jesus. Whoever Jesus sets free is free indeed (Jn. 8:36). Fight against your sin. Put your old, sinful nature to death every day. That is a life of faith. Faith is an active thing. Faith kills the old, sinful Adam and makes you a different person in heart, spirit, and mind (Luther).

Today, is Reformation Sunday. Be reformed by faith. Be transformed by the Gospel. Be changed by Jesus, your Rhubarb. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Listen here.

Mark 10:23-31

²³ And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ 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.” ²⁶ And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Imagine you are watching a TV Drama: “Previously, from this pulpit.” A man, he was referred to as Mark last week, runs up to Jesus, kneels before Him, and asks, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Good? Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 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 replied, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth. What is still missing?” Jesus, looking at Mark loved him, and 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’s face clouded over and he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The things Mark owned, owned him. Mark wasn’t willing to give up his stuff in exchange for eternal life – even though he would lose it all once he died. Mark walks away, and Jesus doesn’t call out to him. Jesus doesn’t pursue him. Jesus simply lets him go.

Mark should have stuck around because Jesus continues to answer Mark’s question in today’s text. But Mark isn’t there, so Jesus turns around to His disciples and says, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples are amazed. Their jaws drop and they gasp. In their minds, wealth and riches and stuff were all signs that God was pleased with you and blessing you. In the conventional wisdom of the day, a rich, moral person such as Mark was thought to be especially favored by God. If Mark couldn’t enter the kingdom of God… than who could?

But Jesus piles an even more amazing statement on top of this: “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.” This blows the disciples minds – they are exceedingly astonished. The disciples respond, “Then who can be saved?”

How difficult is salvation? Jesus tells us, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Mark should have stuck around to hear Jesus say this. Mark should have believed Jesus when Jesus said that the one thing Mark lacked was to get rid of all the things that owned him and follow Jesus. But Mark went back to his house, back to his stuff, back to his “trophy wife.” I wonder what was going through Mark’s mind when he was again surrounded by the things he valued more than Jesus’ words of eternal life.

Did Solomon’s words from our Old Testament text (Ecc. 5:10-20) ring in Mark’s ears? “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.” And, “As a man come from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil.”

I wonder if Mark got home, looked at all his things, and realized this. He came into the world with nothing and he would leave with nothing. Now, there is a tradition (we don’t know from Scripture, mind you) that this rich, young ruler was Mark, the author of this Gospel. The four Gospels are different. But Matthew, Mark, and Luke are very similar, and John was written later and different than the other three Gospels. But Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have their own version of this rich, young ruler coming to Jesus. That is a clue that this text was important to the early Church. It is possible the first Christians knew the identity of that this rich, young ruler.

There is another passage in Mark (Mk. 14:51-52) where Jesus is being arrested. Mark tells of a young man who followed Jesus to His arrest with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. After they arrested Jesus, the soldiers seized the young man, but he left and ran away naked. To record this detail during the pivotal moments of Jesus’ arrest is odd. Some early church fathers identified this fleeing, naked man as Mark, the author of this Gospel. And some have suggested that the rich, young ruler was also Mark. The tradition goes something like this: Mark left Jesus because he wasn’t willing to get rid of his stuff. But Jesus’ statement, “Go. Sell all you have. Give it to the poor. And come follow Me,” stayed with Mark. And Mark did what Jesus commanded. All he had left in the world was this linen cloth, and that was stripped off of him as he did follow Jesus.

If that is true, that is a much nicer ending to the story. But the most important part of all of this is to see Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question, “Than who can be saved?”

Jesus says, “With man salvation is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” This is pure Gospel. Your salvation does not rely upon anything you have done. Your salvation rests upon God’s doing. God doesn’t leave anything incomplete. Jesus does the impossible – your salvation. Jesus goes to the cross, Jesus takes your sin, Jesus suffers God’s wrath, Jesus dies, and Jesus rises again – for you and for your salvation. And He does it perfectly.

Now, there’s the little matter of Peter’s observation: “See we have left everything and followed You.” Hold the horses, there, Peter. You still have a house (Mt. 8:14). You still have a boat (Jn. 21:1-3). But Jesus doesn’t correct Peter. Instead, Jesus does say that Peter and all Christians will be blessed – in this time. Jesus wasn’t speaking figuratively here. You have a hundredfold now, in this time. This does still take the eyes of faith.

Believer, if you only have one dollar, you have more than a billionaire who does not have faith. A billionaire who does not have Christ thinks everything he has is something he has earned, but they also think that they have to keep it because that is all they have. But not you. You know that everything you have is God’s good gift to you, and knowing that, you can truly enjoy it. The things you own, you really own. They are given to you by God, and you can delight in them as just a small portion of the blessings that God gives you now, and in the age to come.

So look around. See your blessings. See here your brothers and sisters in Christ. Look at your possessions and delight in them because you know that they are God’s good gift to you. And if God should so choose, you do not have to worry if God decides to take those things away from you because you know that your eternal life is something that God delights to give to you. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Listen here.

Mark 10:17-22

¹⁷ And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹ 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.’” ²⁰ And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” ²¹ And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and 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.” ²² Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

As Jesus is setting out on on His journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him. We’re going to call this young man Mark. Mark was famous. Everything Mark did was successful. Mark was a straight A student. He was the quarterback and captain of the state champion football team. He was the homecoming king. He landed the best, high-paying job and had the nicest house on the block. Mark married a trophy wife. He went to all the dinner parties of the elite. And best of all, Mark never let any of this go to his head. He Is the kind of neighbor who would mow your lawn and let you borrow his boat to go fishing.

Mark runs up to Jesus, kneels before him, and asks, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” But already there is a problem. Sure, Jesus teaches, but His teaching is not an outline of a life plan, or a series of actions, or a five-step-program for eternal life. Jesus is not a teacher of what to do to earn salvation. Jesus does not teach you how you can attain salvation; He does your salvation. Jesus is not a teacher of what you must do to inherit eternal life; Jesus gives eternal life.

Jesus will not allow any of this nonsense of being called good teacher if Mark thinks that there are other good teachers who can offer whatever variety of other ways, other deeds, other paths, or other commands that he can do to earn eternal life. Jesus says, “Good? Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. By calling me ‘good’ are you calling Me ‘decent fellow’? Or are you calling Me ‘good’ in the sense that God is good? Mark, think about what you are saying. I am good as God is good. But no one besides Me can be Good as God is good. God has already said what you must do if you want to earn eternal life: 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.’”

Jesus is calling Mark to take a close look at his life full of success after success and to really consider what God thinks of his life, to consider if he had really kept those commands. Mark should have taken a moment to ponder all those times he had failed in doing the Commandments. If he had done so, Mark would have realized his failure, and he wouldn’t have been asking Jesus for just another command to fail keeping.

But instead, Mark flat out rejects Jesus’ answer. By asking what he still lacked, Mark reveals that he doesn’t really think that Jesus is a good teacher because he already knew all of that Commandment stuff. Mark had asked a straight question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus gave him a straight answer, “Keep the Commandments.” But Mark is still as unsatisfied as before. He says, “Hold on there Jesus. There must be something more that I have to do. I already know those simple Commandments, and I’ve kept them my whole life. That’s stuff for preschoolers. There must be something more I have to do. Give me a grownup assignment.”

Jesus looks at Mark, and Jesus loves him. Jesus sees that Mark inwardly knows there is still something lacking, and Jesus sees that Mark has no clue as to what it is. Mark’s problem is that everything is lacking. Mark’s problem is that he isn’t willing to do what it takes to earn eternal life. Mark will not do what God requires. So Jesus turns up the heat of the Law and responds, “Mark, you poor, likeable sap. You’re not getting it. You say you want to do something to be saved, but you aren’t willing to do it. And I’ll prove it to you. Go. Sell all your possessions, and give it all to the poor. Then, come, follow Me.”

The hammer of the Law falls, and it falls hard. By demanding this, Jesus peels back all the layers of sin that were holding Mark captive. Jesus goes beneath all Mark’s politeness, his personal piety, and his moral accomplishments. All of that is stripped away by Jesus’ command. Jesus sweeps away the covering of all Mark’s accomplishments and there stands Mark’s idol completely naked for everyone to see – his stuff. And Mark’s face clouds over and becomes gloomier and drearier than a London fog. Mark sees for himself what Jesus saw – Mark was completely unwilling to do what Jesus, the Good Teacher, says is necessary to earn salvation. Mark was too much of a winner.

Four weeks ago, we heard about the father whose son was possessed with a demon (Mk. 9:14-29). After he told Jesus his sad story, he begged, “If you can do anything, have mercy on and help us.” And Jesus responded, “’If you can,’ all things are possible for the one who believes.” And the father cried out, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” That should have been Mark’s prayer. “Jesus I am weak. I’m not willing to do what you say is necessary for me to earn salvation. I love my stuff too much. Help my unbelief.” But he doesn’t. Instead, Mark leaves Jesus and walks away. And Jesus, who truly is the Good Teacher, lets him go. Jesus lets Mark go away because the Law needed to do its work in Mark.

Jesus is doing for Mark what God’s Word does for each and every one of us. God’s Word, His Law, cuts and slices through everything that we would do to earn our salvation because nothing we can do will be good enough to earn eternal life. In fact, as we will see as this story continues to unfold next week, Jesus says salvation is impossible for us.

Jesus is the one who does our salvation. Jesus is going on His journey to do exactly what Mark was unwilling to do. Jesus gave all His glory and heavenly treasure to become man. Jesus gave all He had to you poor, miserable, wretched sinners. He went to the cross where He shed His holy, precious, innocent blood – for you. Jesus hung on the tree to give His very life for you and suffer God’s wrath for you.

Salvation is not about giving everything over for God. Salvation is about God giving everything to you. And you, in simple God-given faith, trust that what He has done for you is sufficient. It is always best to have God doing the salvation verbs because that way, they are reliable. When you are doing the salvation verbs, they fall flat on their face and are not reliable.

Jesus has become Man – for you. He has bought and freed you from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil. He has done all of this with His holy and precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death. He has bought you for His own because He loves and cherishes you. And His grace will always precede you and will always follow you. So give up your trust in anything and everything else. In Jesus, and in Jesus alone, you will will find your heavenly treasure. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Listen here.

Mark 10:2-16

² And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” ⁵ And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³ And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

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

[Married couples, I want you to be touching each other during this sermon. Hold hands, have your arm around your spouse’s shoulder, or place a hand on their leg. I’ll trust you to keep it rated “G.” I know your kids might make it impossible to do this through the whole sermon, but do your best. Couples, I want you to digest this sermon together. If you get distracted by your kids through the sermon, listen to it again tonight. So you know, I will forgo my normal Sunday night routine and do this with my wife tonight. God bless you and your marriage. To you who are not married, listen as well. God has some important things to say to you as you consider marriage in the future.]

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

This Gospel text is not primarily about marriage. This text is about the Pharisees trying to dig up some mud that they can throw at Jesus based on what He will say about divorce. So, unless marriage is about divorce (and it’s not), this text is not primarily about marriage. However, that being said, Jesus does, in this text, give us God’s definitive word about marriage. With all the talk in our day and culture about marriage and the definition of marriage, this sermon will talk about God’s creation of marriage.

If you want to know what God has to say about marriage, you have to go where Jesus tells you to go. “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’” If you want to know what God’s intent for His creation of marriage is, you have to go back to the beginning of creation – back to before the Fall into sin.

This is marriage. God created Adam with a complete, self-sufficient cardiovascular system that could function on its own. Adam’s digestive system was created good and complete in itself to give Adam the nutrients and sustenance he needed. Adam’s skeletal and muscular systems were created good and complete in themselves to keep him upright and moving. But God’s good creation left Adam incomplete in one way – Adam could not reproduce by himself. God, in His great wisdom, intentionally left Adam unable to propagate on his own. God created Adam to need a helper. God brought all the animals to Adam so Adam could name them, but in all those beasts of the field, birds of the air, and fish of the sea, no suitable helper was fit.

So God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and God took one of Adam’s ribs from his side. God took that rib and used it to make a woman. God brings the woman to Adam, and she is like nothing else that Adam has seen. When Adam sees what God has done with his rib, he says, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” And she was, literally. Adam said, “This one shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.”

Pause here for a brief Hebrew lesson: The Hebrew word for ‘man’ is אִישׁ (ish), and the Hebrew word that Adam gives to this new creation of God is אִשָּׁה (isha). So the difference between man and woman is, as one Hebrew scholar puts it, “Ahh.” When Adam sees his wife that is the idea that is going through his mind. “Ahh. This is the one for me.” And Adam receives his אִשָּׁה as God’s good gift to him.

In our Old Testament text (Gen. 2:18-25), we hear Moses write that this is God’s intent, God’s design for marriage. Marriage is created by God and defined by God. Marriage is not a man and a woman falling in love and choosing to work, live, and make children together. Marriage is something God does. As God united Adam and Eve together before the Fall, God still unites a man and a woman together to be husband and wife and those two become one flesh. One + one = one. The “one flesh” union of husband and wife is not the sexual act, rather the natural fruit of the sexual act, children. That is why what our Supreme Court ruled is contrary to God’s created order. So-called “gay marriage” is not, cannot be, and never will be marriage. One man + one man or one woman + one woman = two men or two women, but never marriage. And that’s all I’m going to say about that because that is all Scripture has to say about it.

As Jesus quotes and explains from our Old Testament text, “’Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” The important thing in marriage is not what a husband vows and promises to do for his wife nor what a wife vows and promises to do for her husband. What is of lasting importance is what God promises to both the husband and the wife: God is acting; God is uniting; God is joining. What God joins, let not man separate.

The Pharisees want to test Jesus; they want people to turn against Him. They are trying to trip Jesus up by bringing up the controversial topic of divorce. The Pharisees had two schools of thought on divorce. One group of Pharisees taught that divorce was wrong except in cases of adultery, and the other group taught that divorce could take place for very menial reasons – like the wife burning her husband’s toast or the man simply finding a prettier woman. Jesus knows their motives and asks them, “What did Moses command you?”

The Pharisees point to Deut. 24:1-4 where Moses does indeed write about what is required when a man divorces his wife. Moses does indeed say that a man needs to do the appropriate paperwork in order to divorce his wife, but this was an act of mercy for the divorced woman. In Moses’ day, a man could divorce his wife and kick her out of his tent, but unlike today, a woman could not divorce her husband. In Moses’ day, if a woman was divorced, she didn’t have an opportunity to provide for herself and would starve. And she couldn’t get married again because everyone else would see her as someone else’s wife. So Moses instructed the hard-hearted people, “If you’re going to throw your wife out, if you are going to make a mess, don’t make a mess for your wife’s life. The lest you can do is give her a certificate of divorce so that she could possibly marry again.”

And Jesus picks up on exactly that. Divorce happens only because a sin and hardness of heart. Jesus tells the Pharisees, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses wrote this.” In other words, Jesus is saying, “Divorce is always contrary to God’s design for marriage. Moses only wrote that to clean up the messes that your sinfulness makes. Here is God’s intent: what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Jesus is very clear here. It doesn’t matter if the person you chose to marry was not a good choice. God joined you together. God made you and your spouse to be one flesh. So, husbands and wives, hear this: Your love for your spouse is not enough to sustain your marriage. Don’t look at your marriage as your choice. Rather, look at your marriage as something God has done. In your marriage, God joins you to your spouse to help you, to serve you, to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Husbands, God places you into the unique office of husband. Wives, God places you into the unique office of wife. Adam did not make Eve his wife – he couldn’t have because she didn’t exist. Instead, Adam received Eve as God’s unique gift to him. And married couples, your spouse is God’s gift to you; your marriage is God’s gift to you. Again, your love for your spouse is not enough to sustain your marriage, but in God’s mercy, your marriage can sustain your love for each other.

Again, God’s math for marriage is this: one man + one woman = one flesh, and that means babies.

Now, to those of you who are not married yet, remember all of this. If you find a person you think you might want to marry, that is a good thing. But once you are married, remember that God has united you. You have not joined yourself to your spouse – God has. So, if you have differences in worldview or doctrine, that is going to cause problems because you and your spouse are both hardhearted and sinful. The devil, the world, and your own sinful flesh will attack your marriage because it is a work of God. The devil, the world, and your sinful flesh hate the works of God. Do not let anything attack your marriage.

And everyone, married couples and single people, know this: Jesus is the only one who will create, maintain, and build this unity. Jesus literally became bone of your bones and flesh of your flesh. Jesus became man. He united Himself to you so that you could be His Bride, a believer, a member of His Church. He takes on your flesh so that He can stand between you and God. He stands there to receive God’s wrath against your sin. When God punishes Jesus, it is the same as punishing you. When Jesus is obedient to God’s commands and lives a righteous life, it is the same as you obeying all of God’s commands and living a perfect, holy, righteous life.

Jesus comes here again to confirm to you that He has become one flesh with you. He gives His body, His flesh and unites Himself to you in Communion. Jesus gives His holy and precious blood to you to forgive you of your sin, to remove your hardheartedness. Because of this meal, your sin, all of your sin, is forgiven. If you want to strengthen your marriage, come to communion together as husband and wife where together you are joined to your Husband, Jesus Christ. Come to this altar where your sinfulness is replaced with the righteousness and holiness of your true Husband, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Listen here.

Mark 9:38-50

³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” ³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ For the one who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. ⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Imagine being alone in a hot, dry desert – miles from any sense of civilization.

As you walk along, you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your ankle. You hear the telling sound of a rattle, and you spot the angry snake coiled and ready to strike again. You turn tail and run. You start to feel the searing venom move through your veins. Countless Western movies give you the idea to suck out the venom, but current medical opinion says that it is far too late. The venom moves too fast and is too lethal. The poison will continue to do its work of killing you.

The truth is, this isn’t just a hypothetical. You have already been bitten. You have venom coursing through your veins, and this venom will destroy you. The poison will effect this life and the next. The venom of sin will cause you to suffer not only in the present, but for eternity. Your corruption festers in you and is infectious to everyone you contact.

You have been bitten by the ancient, venomous serpent, the Devil. You can’t suck the poison of sin out of your wounds, but you still need to be cured. So let’s hear what the Great Physician has to say. Listen to what Dr. Jesus offers as a treatment plan for your sin. You walk into Dr. Jesus’ treatment room, and He asks, “What seems to be the problem?”

“Well, Dr. Jesus, I have been bitten by the serpent, the devil, and ever since, I seem to have a problem with my hand. It seems to have a mind of its own. I keep taking things that aren’t mine, and my hand keeps hurting my neighbor.”

“Yes, I see.” Dr. Jesus responds. “Well, there is only one treatment option. I recommend we cut off your hand.” And Dr. Jesus reaches for His saw.

“Just a minute,” you interrupt. “It’s more than just my hand. Ever since I was bitten by the devil, my foot also causes me problems. My foot takes me to all sorts of places I shouldn’t go.”

“Well, then,” Dr. Jesus continues. “This is often the case with individuals who have been bitten. The foot will also have to come off. I’ll remove them both.”

“No, Dr. Jesus. I don’t think you understand. The problem isn’t just my hand or my foot. Since I was bitten by the serpent, I also have a problem with my eye. It keeps looking at things that I know I shouldn’t look at. And every time I look at what my neighbor has I covet it. I can’t seem to keep my eyes under control. I think there has to be another treatment.”

“The best thing to do is to remove the hand, the foot, and tear out that eye. If these infected areas are not removed, you will end up in the eternal fire where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”

“Dr. Jesus, I know you are the One with the expertise, that’s why I came to You. But Isn’t there another treatment option? The poison of sin has spread so far. I think that even if You removed my hand, foot, and eye other parts of me would still be infected.”

Dr. Jesus lowers His eyes and sighs, “Yes, that is always the case.”

You see, dear saints, your problem is deeper than you will ever know. You wouldn’t treat cancer with a Band-Aid, and you can’t treat sin by simply chopping off your sinning parts. Even if you cut off the parts of you that cause you to sin, that is as far as Jesus’ remedy in this text would go. You would still be unholy and unrighteous. It is not enough to remove the sinful parts. The guilt of your sin must also be removed. Your hands, feet, and eyes are only symptoms of the greater disease of original sin you and I have. No matter how many limbs you cut off, no matter how many eyes you pluck out, you are not going to be able to get rid of your sin and guilt.

The problem is not your hand or foot or eye that causes you to sin. You are the source of your own sin. You are completely infected with the venom of Satan. The bite of the devil makes you your own worst enemy. And Jesus makes it grotesquely clear here that we must not allow anything to stand between us and the kingdom. Anything that we would value so highly that it would allow us to lose our eternal salvation is not worth keeping. Cut it off. Pluck it out. Throw it all away.

Satan’s venom has caused you, not just your parts, to be the problem. But, thanks be to God, that Jesus has already sucked all Satan’s venom out of you. Jesus has already removed all the parts of you that cause you to sin. Jesus Himself was cut off from the land of the living (Is. 53:8) for you. Jesus has already removed all of your guilt. He suffered God’s eternal wrath that you deserve. Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”

And Jesus has replaced all your sinful, guilty parts with His pure and holy righteousness. He has given you His body and His blood. Jesus has given you His righteousness, holiness, and obedience. In your baptism, Jesus has brought you through the fire of God’s judgment against your sin all the way to the resurrection. In your baptism, you were united with Jesus’ death. Because of your baptism, you are united with Jesus’ death so that you could be united with Jesus’ resurrection. In your baptism, you died and rose just as Jesus died and rose. The death Jesus died, He died to sin, once for all – for you. The life Jesus now lives, He lives to God.

So baptized brothers and sisters, you too must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Because of your baptism, you are in Christ and are a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. And, as our closing hymn says, we pray, “Finish, then, Thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be. Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee. Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.