LutheranLectionary.org

Series B – Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, September 20, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	the holy Gospel According to Saint Mark
0:31	chapter 9 verses 30 through 37.
0:35	they left that place and they passed
0:37	through Galilee
0:39	and Jesus did not want anyone to know
0:41	where they were because he was teaching
0:43	his disciples he said to them the son of
0:47	man is going to be betrayed into the
0:49	hands of men they will kill him
0:51	and after three days he will rise
0:54	but they did not understand what he
0:56	meant and were afraid to ask him about
0:58	it
0:59	they came to Capernaum when he was in
1:01	the house he asked them
1:03	what were you arguing about on the road
1:05	but they kept quiet because on the way
1:08	they had argued about who was the
1:10	greatest
1:12	sitting down and Jesus called the twelve
1:14	and said if anyone wants to be first he
1:17	must be the very last and the servant of
1:19	all
1:20	he took a little child and had him stand
1:22	among them taking him in his arms he
1:25	said to them whoever welcomes one of
1:27	these little children in my name
1:28	welcomes me and whoever welcomes me does
1:31	not welcome me but the one who sent me
1:33	in the name of Jesus
1:37	all right this is an embarrassing text
1:39	and the reason why it’s so embarrassing
1:41	is because I think each and every one of
1:43	us are guilty of things just like this
1:45	our text begins where it left off last
1:48	week if you remember last week the
1:51	disciples didn’t exactly have their
1:54	greatest successes Jesus went up on the
1:57	mountain of transfiguration he took with
1:59	him Peter James and John they got to see
2:01	his glory hear the voice of the father
2:03	declared that this is my beloved Son in
2:05	whom I am well pleased listened to him
2:08	they come down from the mountain
2:11	and the other nine who didn’t go up the
2:14	mountain were in an argument with the
2:16	Pharisees and the scribes what was the
2:18	argument about well
2:19	some poor man whose child was
2:22	demon-possessed had come to get help
2:25	from the disciples and the disciples
2:27	tried to cast it out and nothing
2:30	happened
2:31	absolutely nothing happened this isn’t
2:35	one of those things that’s going to show
2:36	up on the Highlight Reel you know what
2:38	I’m saying this is more like the
2:40	disciples greatest bloopers
2:42	what it should be reading
2:44	so Jesus interceded he ended up casting
2:48	out the demon and the disciples asked
2:50	the question why couldn’t we do this he
2:52	says well this kind only comes out
2:54	through prayer
2:55	that’s the verse immediately before this
2:58	kind only comes out through prayer so
3:01	the disciples just had another thing to
3:03	add to their blooper reel
3:05	and then we hear this
3:07	they left that place they’re heading
3:09	back now to Galilee back to Israel and
3:11	Jesus didn’t want anyone to know where
3:13	they were they ended up taking some back
3:15	roads if you would and the reason for
3:16	this is because he was teaching his
3:18	disciples remember when Moses and Elijah
3:21	met with Jesus they were discussing his
3:22	Exodus which means his departure to
3:25	Israel to go to the Cross to suffer and
3:27	to die for our sins and then rise again
3:29	on the third day from the grave so Jesus
3:32	begins to tell his disciples this quite
3:34	plainly okay these words are not
3:36	difficult to get here are Jesus’s words
3:38	boys the son of man is going to be
3:41	betrayed into the hands of men they will
3:43	kill him and on the after three days he
3:46	will rise
3:49	seems pretty straightforward doesn’t it
3:50	nothing confusing about that
3:53	well the text says this they didn’t
3:55	understand what he meant
3:57	so they were afraid to ask him
3:59	this is dying and Rising thing what what
4:02	do you mean Jesus preaches to them all
4:05	about what he’s going to accomplish for
4:08	them on The Old Rugged Cross
4:11	how he’s going to go to Jerusalem
4:13	and how the father is going to place on
4:15	him the sin of us all and how he is
4:18	going to propitiate the wrath of God how
4:21	he’s going to suffer bleed die drink to
4:24	the dregs
4:26	the full wrath of God so that we don’t
4:28	have to
4:30	atone for our sins
4:33	and they go
4:35	what’s he talking about
4:37	but they were afraid to ask him about
4:39	him
4:39	so no sooner does I don’t know what
4:41	Jesus is talking about no Sinners does
4:44	Jesus get these words out and they don’t
4:46	understand it that they then commence in
4:48	having an argument
4:50	oh this is a great one this is a great
4:52	argument which of them is the greatest
4:56	what kind of bone-headed argument is
4:58	this to have
4:59	nine of them just couldn’t cast out a
5:02	demon the blooper reel is getting longer
5:04	and you guys are going to have an
5:06	argument about who’s the greatest
5:09	let’s rewind the tape a little bit here
5:12	they’ve witnessed Jesus walking on the
5:15	water Healing The Sick giving sight to
5:18	the blind giving the ability to hear to
5:20	the deaf giving speech to the mute
5:22	feeding multitudes with only Loaves and
5:25	Fishes and they’re going to ask the
5:27	question and have an argument about who
5:29	is the greatest
5:32	are you guys brain dead
5:34	are you on drugs
5:37	what on Earth are you thinking
5:40	there is the greatest right there among
5:43	you and you’re squabbling about who’s
5:45	the greatest
5:47	you couldn’t cast out a demon Jesus
5:50	could and you’re having an argument
5:51	about who’s the greatest the greatest is
5:54	Jesus
5:56	don’t you get it
5:58	and by the way the fact that this little
5:59	story is in the gospel of Mark
6:02	as embarrassing as it is actually lends
6:06	credibility that this is eyewitness
6:07	testimony
6:09	because if this were written centuries
6:11	later
6:13	by people who are trying to write a
6:15	mythology they wouldn’t include details
6:17	like this generally I don’t know if
6:19	you’ve noticed this when people write
6:21	things they have a tendency to a
6:23	grandize you know to make themselves
6:25	look good the disciples over and again
6:27	honestly tell the story and honestly
6:30	telling the story requires them to say
6:32	yeah listen
6:34	Jesus was speaking we were hearing words
6:36	it might as well have been Charlie
6:38	Brown’s teacher why
6:42	he was preaching the most beautiful
6:43	words the most amazing gospel announcing
6:47	something that was beyond our
6:48	comprehension and then rather than ask
6:50	him to explain it to us we were afraid
6:53	to do so and no sooner did Jesus tell us
6:56	about going to the Cross where it was
6:58	quickly out of our mind and we were
7:00	having a squabble about who is the
7:02	greatest
7:04	now like I said at the beginning of the
7:05	sermon the reason why this is
7:07	embarrassing is because I’ve done this
7:09	same stupid thing too
7:13	and if you’re honest so have you
7:17	how many of us are obsessed in our
7:20	thinking about making sure that
7:23	everybody knows how great we are
7:26	I want everybody to know how wealthy I
7:28	am so I’m going to go and I’m going to
7:30	buy the most expensive car possible I
7:32	want everybody to know how much money I
7:33	have so I’m going to buy the most
7:34	expensive clothes and get one of those
7:36	bags that has like one of those Italian
7:38	names on it so that everybody knows how
7:40	great I am
7:43	I’m gonna wear one of those shirts with
7:44	one of those logos and that logo lets
7:47	everybody know I’ve I’ve arrived right
7:53	just think of all of the different ways
7:55	in which we try to Telegraph to
7:58	everybody how great we are
8:02	and you know what that is
8:05	that is idolatry
8:08	that’s idolatry not only is it idolatry
8:11	it’s satanic idolatry
8:16	because we read in Isaiah 14 about the
8:19	devil where the devil says I will Ascend
8:22	to the highest Heaven I will everyone
8:25	will bow to me and we read in the Book
8:27	of Revelation that when the Antichrist
8:29	appears he will exalt himself above
8:32	everything that is called God so that
8:34	the whole world worships him
8:37	but each and every one of us are just
8:39	like the devil and we really want
8:42	everybody to tell us how great we are
8:48	in little ways we really relish the
8:51	thought of somebody saying you know you
8:54	are just so great
8:58	that’s what we want
9:01	and it’s satanic
9:03	it’s wicked to the Core
9:05	and it’s evil
9:07	it is self-identry it is making yourself
9:10	God
9:12	there are people burning in hell right
9:14	now because of this sin
9:16	is this not the Temptation Of The Devil
9:19	in the Garden of Eden
9:22	eat of this fruit because you will be
9:24	like God
9:27	and all the different kinds of ways we
9:31	desire to be like God and we want our
9:35	religion to in a way glorify us rather
9:38	than Jesus we don’t have
9:41	our minds to comprehend a dying and
9:44	Risen Savior we’re like the disciples we
9:47	hear those words yeah yeah whatever
9:49	let’s get on to the important stuff
9:51	let’s talk about how great I am
9:55	is that not how we are
9:58	do we despise the hearing of the Gospel
10:00	do we not understand the way of the
10:03	cross
10:05	who here is not saying out inside of
10:08	their conscience
10:12	I know I am saying that
10:14	because I’m guilty of this like you
10:15	wouldn’t believe
10:19	so Jesus
10:21	asked them
10:23	when they got to Capernaum what are you
10:25	arguing about
10:27	it says they kept silent
10:30	why
10:32	utterly embarrassed
10:35	it’s another one of those fig Leaf
10:36	moments
10:39	remember in the garden Adam and Eve
10:41	sinned where are you
10:43	hiding
10:45	this time they’re hiding with silence
10:49	they kept quiet because on the way
10:50	they’d argue about who was the greatest
10:52	just in hearing Jesus ask a question
10:55	what were you arguing about they
10:56	realized oh my goodness what have we
10:59	done
11:03	it’s important to note here that Jesus
11:06	is kind
11:07	and he’s merciful
11:09	he doesn’t scold them
11:11	he doesn’t say all right that’s it
11:14	I gotta you guys are gone you know let’s
11:16	go look and find 12 other guys that can
11:19	do this you guys clearly aren’t getting
11:20	it
11:23	he didn’t do a Donald Trump on them
11:24	you’re fired
11:27	right
11:29	instead Jesus understands
11:32	that it’s through patient instruction
11:34	and the work of the holy spirit that we
11:37	come to understand the glory of the
11:40	cross
11:41	the thing that everybody despises
11:44	the shame of that thing
11:49	you think about what the cross really
11:51	represented to those who were alive when
11:53	crucifixion was still an in thing
11:57	I mean we have jewelry now people wear
11:59	crosses they look beautiful I mean I
12:02	always love the 24 karat gold ones you
12:04	know that are very elaborate and stuff
12:06	like that we everybody’s got a cross I
12:08	mean movie stars have crosses even if
12:10	they don’t believe in Jesus I mean it’s
12:11	the in Vogue piece of jewelry to have
12:14	but for a people living at the time of
12:16	Jesus they would never have thought to
12:18	put a cross on a gold chain and wear it
12:21	as a piece of jewelry and yo the reason
12:24	for that is
12:25	the reason for that simple is because
12:27	they’d seen what happens to people who
12:30	were killed that way
12:32	it was designed to be the most gruesome
12:35	horrifying spectacularly awful thing to
12:38	look at and experience
12:42	we have words that are derivative of the
12:46	word crucify the word excruciating comes
12:50	from that
12:53	when we describe something painfully as
12:56	excruciating it comes from crucifixion
12:59	these are people who the Roman Empire
13:01	basically said you are going to be made
13:03	an example of we’re going to let
13:04	everybody know what happens to people
13:06	who oppose our laws break our laws or go
13:09	against our Authority
13:10	we’re going to nail you on a cross Stark
13:12	naked after flogging you
13:15	and then you’re going to die and it’s
13:17	not going to happen quickly it’s going
13:19	to happen really slowly
13:21	and it was the lowest of the low who
13:23	were crucified and everyone who was
13:25	crucified according to the Mosaic
13:27	Covenant was considered cursed because
13:29	God’s law says cursed is everyone who’s
13:32	hung on a tree
13:38	so Jesus tells them of the cross
13:44	and none of it registers with them
13:48	does it register with you
13:52	you want to know
13:54	the consequences of sin in their full
13:57	magnitude
13:58	you look at Jesus bleeding and dying on
14:00	the cross
14:03	you want to know what it cost
14:05	to save you
14:07	from your selfish idolatry and worship
14:10	of yourself you look at the cross
14:13	and on the cross you see the exact
14:15	opposite
14:17	of you glorifying yourself you see the
14:20	one who is God by Nature
14:24	humbling himself and becoming obedient
14:26	and having all of your idolatry your
14:30	self-love your wretched sinfulness
14:33	placed on himself and him serving you in
14:38	the process and serving the whole world
14:41	Jesus didn’t exalt himself on the cross
14:45	that is the place of Jesus’s ultimate
14:47	humiliation
14:50	the ultimate emptying of himself
14:53	emptying of himself even to the point of
14:55	losing his own life willfully because of
14:58	his great love for you
15:01	and that’s what Jesus is preaching about
15:02	and it just goes over their heads
15:07	beloved I have great news
15:10	that though the disciples didn’t
15:12	understand it
15:13	Jesus kept his word what he said was
15:16	TRUE
15:17	he did go to Jerusalem
15:19	he was betrayed he was handed over to
15:23	men they did kill him
15:25	and he did rise again
15:27	and all of this he did out of his great
15:29	love for you
15:31	because God demonstrates his love for us
15:33	and that while we were yet sinners
15:35	Christ died for our sins
15:41	so while the disciples were arguing
15:43	about who’s the greatest
15:45	the greatest goes to the cross and
15:48	bleeds and dies for them and now Jesus
15:50	gives him a little bit of an object
15:51	lesson boys come over here sitting down
15:54	Jesus called the disciples to himself
15:56	and said
15:57	if anyone would be first
15:59	he must be the very last
16:01	and the servant of all
16:04	in that sentence Jesus is describing
16:06	himself
16:08	who is the one who was the servant of
16:12	all
16:13	who humbled himself and served the whole
16:16	world
16:17	it was only Jesus and he did it for you
16:20	and he did it for me and then he took a
16:23	little child
16:24	had him stand among them
16:26	taking him in his arms he said whoever
16:28	welcomes one of these little children
16:29	and here’s the important part in my name
16:34	in the name of Jesus
16:36	welcomes me whoever welcomes me does not
16:39	welcome me but the one who sent me
16:41	you got to keep in mind back then
16:43	children didn’t represent Glory they
16:46	represented a lot of work
16:48	they didn’t participate in the gross
16:50	national product
16:52	right
16:54	they’re humble
16:55	and they can only be given to
16:58	I don’t know if you’ve noticed this
16:59	about children especially small children
17:01	they don’t have a tendency to wake up in
17:03	the morning and sing the Praises of
17:05	their parents
17:08	instead they wake up in the morning and
17:10	say I’m hungry I gotta go potty I don’t
17:13	feel well
17:14	I’m bored play with me
17:17	right
17:20	and see that’s the way of the cross the
17:22	way of the Cross is loving and serving
17:24	your neighbor humbly for the sake of
17:26	Christ because you’ve been set free in
17:28	him
17:30	right
17:31	so keep this in mind today we witnessed
17:34	God bringing into his church
17:37	two new members
17:40	Kinsley and Mason a miracle took place
17:42	although it looked only like water was
17:46	poured on their head
17:47	Mason didn’t enjoy the experience
17:49	clearly
17:51	right and see those are the last gasps
17:54	of his sinful nature
17:56	so now drowned in the waters of his
17:59	baptism
18:00	but we welcome them in our congregation
18:03	this morning welcome them as members
18:05	because a miracle took place you
18:07	couldn’t see what was happening
18:09	spiritually all you saw was what
18:10	happened physically with your eyes but
18:12	what you saw with your eyes was water
18:15	and that’s the sign to you from God the
18:18	sign to you from God that God was at
18:21	work there this morning washing away
18:24	sins
18:25	circumcising their hearts making them
18:28	clean and white as snow and applying the
18:30	death and resurrection of Jesus to them
18:33	individually and raising them from the
18:35	grave
18:36	that’s what scripture says happens in
18:37	our baptisms and all of you who’ve made
18:40	this trip to the font you too have been
18:43	washed your sins have been blotted out
18:46	you have been made new in Christ Jesus
18:49	and as a result of the powerful working
18:51	of Christ and him applying what he did
18:54	on the cross to you as an individual you
18:57	have confidence that you have a right
18:59	standing before God
19:02	and now having been set free from sin
19:05	death in the devil
19:07	we’re able to say to our sinful nature
19:09	who wants to be glorified
19:12	not today sinful nature
19:14	today we’re going to deny ourselves
19:18	we’re going to take up our crosses
19:21	and follow Christ
19:23	today
19:25	we will love God
19:27	and we will humbly serve our neighbors
19:29	in need not for my glory
19:32	but for his
19:35	not for my exaltation so that people can
19:38	see Christ at work in me
19:41	this is what our gospel text teaches us
19:44	and what an amazing gift that God has
19:46	given us that he has set us free washed
19:48	away our sins forgiven us and hasn’t
19:50	scolded us and hasn’t said to us to hell
19:52	with you like we deserve
19:54	instead he mercifully forgives teaches
19:58	and Comforts us with the assurance that
20:01	he is the greatest who has humbled
20:03	himself and served us all by going to
20:06	the cross in the name of Jesus
20:08	amen

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