St. Michael and All Angels Matthew 18:1-11 Rev. Andrew Eckert Pentecost 19, Proper 21, series C Our Savior Lutheran Church Stevensville, MT Sun, Sep 29, 2013 The Lord Christ declares today: “Do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Little ones are so important to the Father in heaven that they have an angel assigned to them, every one of them his own assigned angel. Somehow, these angels are at the same time both guarding the tender lambs of God’s flock, as well as gazing upon His holy face in the highest heaven. They see both things at once: the face of the little one in need, as well as the face of Mighty God. We do well to take heed this lesson, to see in a little one’s face the face of Christ the Lord of Hosts. For we serve Him when we serve the least of these His brethren. By the words “little ones” Jesus does not mean only children. No, He means those who become like children, and enter the Kingdom. To become like a child does not mean to become childish. It means to be someone to whom things are given. It means to be filled with a crying need that calls out to be cared for and tended. Such a little one you became when you were Baptized into Jesus. You only received, you had nothing to give. He did all the giving. Forgiveness and life He poured upon your head. He nurtured you with the blessings of His Cross and Passion. The great love of Calvary He gave to you when you were a helpless infant, who could do nothing to save yourself. So you received what He gave, and that is all you did. That is what you must be to enter the Kingdom. Receive only. Give nothing for salvation. Be a little child in the kingdom, whatever gray hairs and wrinkles you may have. Dr. Luther said, Do not think about becoming great, but about becoming small. We all should become little ones. Around you now are the little ones of Christ. His tender lambs are in this house today. The world might look down upon the weak and the small. But the Almighty God makes nothing so important to His heart as these little ones. His powerful angels are here to guard them. If the least harm comes to them, God will hear. So do not despise them. Do not offend them. Do not harm them in any way, so far as you are able. A little harm may come unintentionally, as when little lambs tussle and play in the pasture. A little bruise now and then cannot be helped. But do not become one who despises, and who leads them astray. Do not offend these little ones who are guarded by angels. The word “offend” continues to vex the flock of Christ. The world teaches us to think that our hearts are the throne of all truth and value. So to offend the heart is the greatest evil. To hurt someone’s feelings is a sin greater than any other, says the world. Christ does not speak that way, nor did He act that way. He knowingly and intentionally hurt the feelings of those who rejected His teachings. He knowingly and intentionally hurt the feelings of those whom He tried to help with His Word. As the sting of the Law must proceed the healing of the Gospel, so Christ also had to hurt those who needed to repent. Christ also must wound you with the sword of the Spirit before He heals you with the same sword, as a surgeon uses a scalpel to remove a tumor. It does not feel good to be hurt. You may feel like taking offense. Yet the pain is necessary. Christ uses His sword to cut out the tumor of sin, by the forgiveness of your sins. His sword is sharper than any other sword, and it comes from His mouth, for His sword is the Word. This sword cuts you by accusing you with the Law. Then the same sword heals you with the mighty Gospel. Many people become confused when their feelings are hurt by the Word of God. They think that the person speaking the Word is being offensive. But that is the offense of the Gospel, which is necessary, not the sinful offense against one of these little ones. Offense against Christ’s little ones, as He spoke of, meant to lay a temptation before someone. Offense as Christ spoke of meant to lead someone into sin, or to lead them into doubt and unbelief. When people teach the rules of men instead of the truth of Scripture, then they are causing offense against the little ones of God. When people teach a Gospel polluted by the poison of human works, then they are causing offense against the tender lambs of Christ. When they deny what Scripture clearly teaches, then they despise the little ones for whom Christ died. Out of evil hearts proceed sinful desires. So scandals and offenses are inevitable. They will always find their way into the midst of the Church of God. Every heretic claims for himself the support of Scriptures. As Luther said, “One should learn to know that scoundrel, the devil, who decorates and sells himself under the name of God. For all false teachers and heretics claim for themselves the name of God, as you see in the case of the pope, the sacrament-heretics, the Anabaptists, and all schismatics. But the Christians are not excused if they permit themselves to be led astray.” So there are two warnings here - do not lead little ones astray, and do not be led astray yourself. For all Christians are Christ’s little ones. Do not teach that any sin is permissible. Do not wink at trespasses. Think of the angels who must witness the great evil that may be done against a tender soul. To truly avoid offense, the Church speaks the greatest offense of all. The offense of sin and unbelief can only be avoided by the offense of the Cross. Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the world and our sinful flesh. Yet only Christ crucified is the medicine that heals your soul. Only the Lamb slain on Calvary is the sweet message of salvation. Only when the precious blood of God was shed did you become righteous in God’s eyes. So we preach Christ crucified. So you hear His Word about Himself. So your souls are fed by the great message of redemption by the suffering of the innocent Son of God. Your flesh may yearn for other things. Yet you know that only in this Christ of Calvary is life and forgiveness. Only through this Blood, shed for you, can you see heaven and resurrection. When you are hearing this beloved message of God’s love, then the angels rejoice that you are being fed for eternity. They look forward to the day when they will carry you to the Father’s presence, so that you, too, will gaze upon His glorious face. For you who were lost have been found. You who are weak are covered by the holiness of Christ. You who are little ones are the mighty saints of God through faith. Although you are completely unworthy of the Kingdom, you are already kings and priests ruling upon the earth with Christ, since the image of the King of kings is upon you, and the image of the High Priest Jesus Christ. He alone has won salvation for you. That is the very reason He took your flesh and lived your life and died your death. He alone could offer the one sacrifice to atone for your sins and make peace with God by satisfying His burning wrath against sin. So you shall never see that burning wrath, the everlasting hellfire. No, you shall see only the bliss of God’s presence, and the perfection of the new heaven and new earth. In the Name of this great God who has saved you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 00:25:04 +0000
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