Pentecost 19c Luke 17:1-10 Teach Your Children Well
Habakkuk 1:1-14; 2:1-4 2 Timothy 1:1-14
In the last few weeks Jesus has been speaking harshly to the Pharisees. He condemns their love of money, their lack of compassion on those less fortunate and their refusal to forgive. The Pharisees take offense at Him because rather than punishment and vengeance, Jesus comes offering mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Up to this point, the disciples have been rooting him on. We too have been saying, “You go Jesus.”
But in today’s Gospel, Jesus turns to His disciples; His congregation of followers and warns them to be careful. He says to them, Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!” A more literal translation would be, ‘It is impossible for stumbling blocks not to come, nevertheless woe through whom they come.’
We all know about temptation. We, like Eve are curious about those forbidden fruits. Furthermore, because of our sinful nature we find sin appealing. Let’s face it many times when we are engaged in sinful acts, they just feel ‘so good.’ Sometimes we even look back fondly at our past sins remembering the pleasure we had. The rich man who found himself in Hell is a good example of one who enjoyed His sinful pleasures without regard to the consequences.
But there is something worse than finding oneself in Hell for the sins you have committed. Jesus strongly warns you not to be the one who is to blame for causing others to sin. He says, “Woe to the one through whom they come.” “It would be better if a millstone were hung around His neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.” Now in those days the sea was considered to be a place where evil beasts and monsters dwelled. Jesus was saying it was better to die and enter into hell right now than to cause little ones to sin.
And who are these little ones? They are those who are new in their faith but are not little in their salvation. Those attending adult instruction, Daniel and Makayla who have been baptized are among the ‘little ones’ just starting out in their faith; still learning, still growing but very vulnerable to temptation.
God their Father in heaven values them dearly, just as you place a special value on your children as they are growing up. Woe to those who lead God’s little ones astray.
Woe to those who convince mother’s and Father’s of God’s unborn children to have them aborted. Woe to those who convince others that what God calls sin in not sin. Woe to those who do not bring God’s children into the love of Christ through baptism, teaching and worship. Woe to those who love to sin and sin to love. Woe to those who lead people astray by teaching what they would like rather than what scripture teaches. Woe to those who, because of their refusal to forgive, have driven people not fully mature in their faith away from the church.
Why worry about woe? Imagine you find yourself in the eternal torments of Hell surrounded by those who listened to your opinions and your false teachings. Consider having your own children suffering beside you because you failed to bring them up knowing the love of Jesus Christ. Reflect on being surrounded by those mothers and fathers’ whom you convinced to murder their own children. Think of the constant hateful stares and the accusing fingers pointing at you. See in your mind's eye the blame and the shame from those people you led astray. Now picture this going on for all eternity with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide and no forgiveness available and you begin to understand the kind of woe that Jesus is talking about.
That’s pretty scary stuff that Jesus is preaching to his congregation! And yet He commands them, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times, saying ‘I repent’ you must forgive him.”
Jesus is telling His church that those under their care will certainly fall into sin, and that they must do everything they can to restore them back to the congregation of saints.
They are to do this by rebuking their sins, seeking repentance from those who have fallen short, and forgiving the members when they confess their sin. While at the same time they are to do this gently and lovingly so as not to drive them away. Woe to those who cause someone not well grounded in their faith to be lost!
The disciples have heard His hard words and realize that they are not up to the task. Even as we are His disciples, who are bound to sin, we are bound to make mistakes as fallible human beings, and therefore fall short of carrying out Christ’s commands. Some may think it is better not to do anything rather than risk making a mistake. But not doing anything is not following the Lord’s commands either. If we live by the Law alone we are in a damned if you do and a damned if you don’t situation.
There is also a very real danger in believing that those things forbidden by God are not really sins at all. This type of reasoning is simply a way of self justifying our sinful desires and denying Christ. In the same way there is danger in not doing the work that God has set before you to do. Sins of omission and commission are both equally sinful. Woe to those who do not take God’s word seriously.
In our Gospel, the Apostles, those closest to Him who have been hand picked by Jesus to be the leaders are worried—and afraid. They cry out, “Increase our faith!” They recognize that they are unable to do what Jesus has asked because they lack the necessary faith. The problem lies in the fact that when we look within ourselves for faith, we find that we are not strong enough to do the things required by God. We soon discover that we are too weak to put faith in our own faith or in our own ability to resist sin. The kind of faith we need has to come from outside our sinful selves. It is a lesson even those called to be Apostles needed to learn.
Such faith cannot exist until you see God not as someone who desires your punishment but as your loving Father. It comes through baptism and the Word of God by the Holy Spirit opening up your heart to believe in Jesus as your Savior.
That faith allows you to see Jesus Christ as the Suffering Servant who for the joy set before him willingly endured the cross, scorning its shame for your sake. Saint Paul talks about that sacrificial love as he encourages us to share in suffering for the gospel.
That suffering includes refraining from all sin, even though we may see no harm in them; even those sins that we enjoy and especially those sins which cause others to stumble in their faith. We give up those things which God commands us not to do and we do the things He has commanded us to do out of our love for what Christ has already done for us. Saint Peter tells you, “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:17)
Your faith is strengthened as you grow in the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection of Jesus Christ which He promises to all of His faithful servants. Even though we are unworthy servants, Christ takes away our unworthiness through His saving grace. Such selfless love that Christ showed upon the cross allows us to grow in His love always thinking about the salvation of others as we live out our lives as Christians. And knowing that we are forgiven frees us from the paralysis of inaction.
That kind of faith that trusts in Jesus Christ gives us the ability to do His will. Whenever we are tempted, we can pray to God to give us His strength so that we do not give in to temptation and He will give us the strength for stand firm. Whenever we cause someone else to sin, we can ask for forgiveness both from them and from God and God will forgive us. Whenever others sin against us, we can forgive them as we ourselves are forgiven by God.
Nevertheless just as we can only do what is right through Christ, we can only resist sin with His help. It is only when we take our eyes off of the cross, only when we turn our backs on Jesus that we give in to sin. Likewise it is only when we acknowledge our sins and turn around to face Jesus that we see Him standing there with open arms ready to forgive us.
And just as important, we can pray to God to give us strength and guidance as we study and grow in His word so we can teach His Word to the little ones.
His kingdom is revealed in preaching, in teaching, in healing, and in forgiving. It comes hidden in simple means and word that the world does not understand, but is seen by His children. It comes by unseen faith in Christ through the washing away of sins at Baptism and at His Supper. Even though you may feel as if you do not have enough faith, like a tiny mustard seed, the smallness of your faith in Christ conceals His great power and through you Jesus will produce great wonders for the kingdom, all at His appointed time.
Habakkuk tells you, “it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” So have faith in Jesus Christ. When trails and temptations come into your life resist the temptation to sin. Be patient, trust in Jesus and He will deliver you.
In Jesus Name, Amen.