"Scandalous Behavior, Heroic Actions"

"Scandalous Behavior, Godly Heroic Actions"

Text: Luke 17:1-10

"May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." Amen.

Dear Fellow Christians:

Read the first part of the title of this sermon ("Scandalous Behavior") and what immediately comes to mind? Hollywood actresses and decadent rock starts? Probably. Are such folks often guilty of scandalous behavior? Certainly, but more to the point this morning is the fact that we habitually focus on the extravagant and flamboyant behavior of others, while we are much less concerned with the habitual, mundane, and yet nonetheless evil actions of which we ourselves are routinely guilty. In other words, we are much more likely to think of others when we hear mention of "scandalous behavior," and are much more likely to see ourselves on the other side of those carrying out such things. For us it is most disturbing to think that things could, in fact, be otherwise.

Our text for today shines the bright light of God's Word into this dark corner of our sinful human nature. We will find that the scandalous behavior is quite often our own, and the godly heroic actions are those things we only wish we had carried out. In fact we really don't even stop to think what a godly heroic action is in the sight of our God. Our text reminds us, once again, that in this world of sin and sorrow we have only one real, true, deserving hero – our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind. The text that will so guide and direct our hearts is found in Luke's Gospel, the Seventeenth Chapter:

Luke 17:1-10 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! ² "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. ³ "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." ⁵ ¶ And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." ⁶ So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. ⁷ ¶ "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? ⁸ "But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? ⁹ "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.' "

These are the words of our God. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for blessing us with your pure and inspired words. Through these words we pray that you would "sanctify us through Your truth, O Lord. Your word is truth!" Amen.

Dear Fellow Bondservants of the Lord Jesus, our text is from the Gospel of Luke. We begin this morning with a quick review of the words with which this Book was introduced. In Luke 1:3 we read, "…it seemed good to me also, having had a perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account…" This then is what we have been promised – "an orderly account" based on "a perfect understanding." Now, had this been the promise of a human being only, we might well take such a promise with a grain of salt. Yet these are not the vain promises of a man; they are inspired words from a perfect God. We can therefore fully expect that what we have received from the Holy Spirit through the pen of Luke will indeed not only be true and right, it will also be well ordered and insightful.

Why is this important? It is important because the Gospel of Luke will at times even forego chronological order in an effort to connect the dots of Christ's life in "a well-ordered manner." It is therefore good and right for us to examine not only what a given text in Luke teaches us, but also to explore the connection and flow of the context. Our text, for example, is sandwiched between the Parable of the Rich Man and Poor Lazarus and the Healing of the Ten Lepers. Since Luke does not depend on chronology to arrange his account, it is reasonable and right for us to search out the ties that bind our text to the context.

Having just finished relating the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke summed up the basic truth that Jesus was teaching in that parable in the last verse before our text: "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead." Our text follows immediately. What is the connection? Our text begins by talking about offenses. Offenses are, literally, spiritual death traps. After condemning the proud, work-righteous Pharisees in Chapter 16, Luke acknowledges that these spiritual death traps will always be present. The child of God will never be rid of temptation and the lure of sin; at least not on this side of the grave. We will always have Pharisees of one kind or another among us – and within us. However, as Jesus here pointed out, that fact in no way justifies those who set these traps for God's "little ones." In other words, in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus teaches us that some will reject the Word and be lost. In our text he goes on to remind us just how scandalous it is in his sight when the words or actions of one human being cause another to lose their faith. Souls will be lost, but woe to those who make it so.

This brings us back to where we began - our tendency to bring others to mind when we think of poor characteristics, and to somehow picture our own faces upon the heads of virtue and godliness. So also when we speak of Scandalous Behavior we think of the tawdry and sleazy – those who know so little shame that they no longer care what message their actions speak of their character.

We are much less comfortable referring to anything we do as inappropriate, let alone scandalous. Perhaps we need to step back and see just how God sees the things that we do – even the ordinary, day-to-day actions. This sort of an exercise in self-evaluation can end up being rather vague unless we learn to pinpoint our examination. Rather than try to take the whole of our complex existence, we will reduce and direct our examination this morning according to the direction of our text. Remember in the text we read, "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." We will therefore reduce our focus to the last six words in this verse: "…offend one of these little ones."

It is indeed presumptuous of man to try to define exactly what God had in mind when he carried out or allowed what he did in history. It is also arrogant of man to imagine that he can fathom the divine thoughts of his Creator. Yet it is not wrong to pass along what God has already told us about himself, specifically this morning what he thinks about little children. God loves little children, period. Jesus demonstrated a special affection for "the little ones" on many different occasions. It is therefore not out of line for us to affirm that one thing that should come to mind when we speak of scandalous behavior is when someone offends one of God's little ones. Remember what "offend" means when it is used in the Bible. It means, as we said, to lay a spiritual death trap. What exactly does that mean – "a spiritual death trap"? Here's an example. In the early history of this part of our country folks didn't always have the means to secure the food that they needed to survive, so they improvised. Meat was often in short supply, so the pioneers learned to set death traps that would kill quickly and efficiently. They would, for example, prop up a crushing weight (such as a large rock or log) with a simple arrangement of sticks, baited with a bit of food. The unfortunate animal that tried to make off with the bait would trip the supporting sticks and be crushed.

A spiritual death trap is similar, only its intent is to crush the soul – to deliver over a human being, body and soul, to the banquet table of Satan himself. Just here is where the truly disturbing part comes in – the realization that not only is setting of such traps scandalous, reprehensible behavior in the eyes of our God, we ourselves have been guilty of this very conduct. A few more words of explanation are certainly in order.

First a word to parents (and those of you who have not yet been so blessed would do well to heed these words before the fact.) When God made us parents us he gave us, together with that precious little gift, an awesome responsibility. Those children are not ours, they are his. He gave his children to us to care for them – to raise them in the fear and love of God and in the hope for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. To say that God takes a dim view of our failures in this area is a colossal understatement. Refer to our text for evidence. Since history does not list the hanging of a millstone around someone's neck as a punishment for any crime, Jesus is very likely telling us that wounding or destroying the faith of one of God's little ones is scandalous behavior in a class all by itself.

How have we failed as parents? How have we failed as adult examples representing our God? Maybe it would be easier to list how we have not failed. Have you, for example, used bad language within earshot of God's little ones? Have they ever heard you lie? Have you taught them, by example, to be hypocritical, manipulative, abusive, vulgar, or crude? Have you allowed them to pollute their own souls by what enters their little eyes and ears through the television set? Have you taught them to skip church whenever convenient, break the rules to advance your own cause, or steal when it will not be detected? Have they heard you talk down a friend, neighbor, or church member at the kitchen table and thereby damage their opinion and regard for God's 8^th Commandment? Have you taught them to seek first not the kingdom of God, but those things that will one day be destroyed in the fires of Judgment Day? All of this, in the eyes of a holy God, is thoroughly scandalous. To all of this we can only hang our heads and confess: "Guilty."

That, we can now see, is the "scandalous behavior" mentioned in the theme for this sermon, but what about the "heroic godly actions." While the evil is always traceable to our own human hearts, the good never is. So also apart from Jesus Christ there simply are no truly godly actions that address our scandalous behavior. He alone did all things well. He is the one who paid for the whole load of our scandalous behavior on the cross of Calvary. When he said, "It is finished!" he knew that he had offered to his Father the full and complete payment for all sins. He had lived the perfect life, and had offered that life as payment in full of every one of our sins. No sin was left out. We diminish that great gift every time we attempt to justify ourselves, or make light of our own sinful perversion.

Yet while we know that through faith in Jesus the war is won and salvation is ours, there are countless battles still to be fought. There are temptations to be avoided and there are actions that are most pleasing to our God when they are done out of faithful thanksgiving according to the new man in us. The world will never recognize such as even good, let alone heroic. The world, remember, dwells on the extravagant, flamboyant, and shocking. They have little time for the day to day mundane workings of a quiet, Godly life. But to our God such things are vitally important. With faithful service our God is well pleased. Well pleased when mom and dad heroically shelter their children from the filth and perversion of Hollywood and the Internet. Well pleased when a Christian heroically "rebukes his brother if he sins against him" and then announces God's forgiveness to him when he repents. Well pleased when his children heroically struggle day in and day out to carry out his will, but then freely admit that they are no more than "unprofitable servants."

Dear Christians, the scandalous, sinful behavior – in God's eyes – was all ours. Now it is all Christ's, for through faith in Jesus Christ and because of his heroic actions, "God has laid on him the iniquity of us all." We can not now earn our passage to heaven. Why would we try? The bill has been paid in full. We resolve instead to thank our God by carrying out the day to day, moment by moment "little things" of life. May our gracious God so bless us, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Scripture Readings and Sunday Bulletin for October 21, 2007

Habakkuk 1:1-3 2:1-4 The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. ² O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" And You will not save. ³ Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. ² Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. ³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. ⁴ " Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

2 Timothy 1:3-14 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴ greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, ⁵ when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. ⁶ Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ⁸ ¶ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹ who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, ¹⁰ but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. ¹² For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. ¹³ Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

Luke 17:1-10 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! ² "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. ³ "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." ⁵ ¶ And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." ⁶ So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. ⁷ ¶ "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? ⁸ "But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? ⁹ "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.' "

ST. PAUL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

2510 E. Divide Ave.

Bismarck, ND 58501 (701) 223-4885 Cell: (701) 226-8510

Website – www.bismarcklutheran.org

Mr. Mark Johnson, President (222-1855) Mrs. Eileen McEnroe, Organist

Michael Roehl, Pastor

21^st Sunday after Pentecost – October 21, 2007

The Opening Prayer by the Pastor

The Opening Hymn ‑761- (Brown Hymnal)

"In You Is Gladness"

The Order of Service – Supplement page 12ff. (Brown Hymnal)

The Scripture Lessons: (Printed on the back page of this bulletin)

The First Lesson: (Habakkuk 1:1-3, 2:1-4) We, like Habakkuk, ought to be appalled and disgusted by the sin we see all around us – and in ourselves. God grant us the grace to live lives worthy of our calling as ambassadors for Christ Jesus, understanding always that we are not saved by what we do, but by faith in Jesus. "The just shall live by his faith."

The Psalm of the Day- Psalm 118 (Supplement page 29)

The Second Lesson: (2 Timothy 1:3-14) Paul wrote 2 Timothy shortly before his execution in Rome. The tone of the Letter is that of a man who faces his own death, but can do so with confidence, knowing the One who has died to save him. May our hearts and minds be filled with such hope and confidence when our last hour is at hand, for our salvation is sure in Jesus Christ.

The Confession of Faith ‑

The Apostolic Creed – page 15. (Brown Hymnal)

The Pre-Sermon Hymn ‑#759- (Brown Hymnal)

"These Are the Facts"

The Sermon – Text: Luke 17: 1-10 (Printed on the back page)

"Scandalous Behavior, Heroic Actions"

The Offertory – (Supplement page 16 insert)

The Post-Sermon Hymn ‑#728- (Brown Hymnal)

"Christ Is Living"

The Offering Hymn ‑#788- (Verses 1 & 3) (Brown Hymnal)

"Lord You Love the Cheerful Giver"

The Offering

The Prayer followed by the Lord's Prayer

The Benediction

The Closing Hymn ‑783- (Brown Hymnal)

"Jesus Shepherd of the Sheep"

Silent Prayer

Attendance ‑ Last Sunday (46) 2007 Average (55)

This Week at St. Paul:

Today -10:00 a.m. – Worship Service

-11:00 a.m. – Fellowship Hour

Wednesday -6:00 p.m. – Confirmation & Bible History

-7:00 p.m. – Midweek Bible Study

Next Sunday -8:45 a.m. – Sunday School and Bible Class

-10:00 a.m. – Worship Service w/ Holy Communion

-11:15 a.m. – Fellowship Hour

CLC News – Having accepted the call to serve as a second CLC missionary in India, plans now call for Pastor Matthew Ude to be commissioned at Messiah Lutheran Church in Eau Claire on December 30 at a 3:00 p.m. service.

Individual Member Data – In an attempt to update and complete our membership records, please fill out an information sheet (located on the entry table) and return the completed sheet to the Pastor's mailbox. You will note also that the sheet includes a place for you to list your preferences for your funeral service. Recording your wishes now will make planning much easier when the Lord decides that your time of grace is at an end. You are, of course, free to omit any information you are not comfortable including in the official (and confidential) church records. Please use a separate sheet for very family member.