Series "A"
Proper 18
(6 September 2020)
Series A
Ezekiel 33:7–9
Romans 13:1–10
Matthew 18:1–20
Living as Humble Little Children of the Father
True greatness is not self-sufficient strength, but humility like that of a little child. The greatness of child-like faith receives all good things as gracious gifts from our Father in heaven. Apart from such faith, “you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” but whoever is humbled like a little child will be “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4). Though in our sin we deserve to be “drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6), we have instead been drowned (“buried”) with Christ in Baptism and then raised to the new, humble life of a child of God. The Lord sends His watchman to warn us with a word from His mouth, in order that we may not die in our iniquity, but be turned from our pride and selfishness to live (Ezekiel 33:7–9). Thus we live in humility and faith before God as well as in love for our neighbor, which “is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). In the reverent fear of God, we do no harm to our neighbor, but we “pay to all what is owed to them” (Romans 13:7) and we “owe no one anything, except to love each other” (Romans 13:8).
Proper 18 -
The Greatest Shall Be As Children
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
Rev. Dr, Daniel J. Brege
When the disciples questioned Jesus about greatness in the kingdom of heaven, the Greek wording indicates they were not asking who is the greatest but who is the greater. When posed this way we begin to realize the Apostles already considered themselves great, but they were wondering, as they did on other occasions, what is the rank of greatness among the Apostles; who are the greater and who are the lesser Apostles? Perhaps their question was generated by the fact that Jesus would Himself set apart particularly three Apostles (Peter, James, John) for certain tasks (e.g. Mat 17:1). Jesus now must teach them, as He would on other occasions, that in God’s kingdom their question is completely wrong-headed.
So Jesus calls a child to himself and places this little one in front of these “noble” Apostles. Then Jesus makes the astounding and absolute statement, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (18:3).
Though all are conceived and born in sin, yet little children have a blessed emptiness when it comes to relationships. They have no life-experience to get in the way of their faith. The littlest ones cannot even yet think in terms of words. They have not yet had building blocks such as pride, envy, vying actions, jealousy, anger and hatred laid upon the foundation of their sinful flesh. It is apparent the Apostles had some of these diabolical building blocks. A child thus is not concerned about how great he is, for he has not yet begun to compare himself with others. In this respect, in comparison with adults, children are “empty”. That which is empty can have something put in it; the container which is full can have nothing added to it. Because we yet have the sinful flesh, adults are “naturally” full of themselves. How appropriate it is to baptize babies, for though they have sin, yet they do not have apparent sins associated with relationships! Upon baptism their guardian angels, unlike the guardian angels of conniving adults, are not embarrassed to face the heavenly Father (v 10).
Appropriately Jesus describes a key characteristic pertaining to being like a child in God’s kingdom: humility. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (v 4). We must “turn and become like children,” Jesus said, and to be like children is to be humble. Jesus informs us that we must “turn”. Turn to what? We must turn to Jesus, the truly humble One.
Sadly no one, not even children, are able to thus turn to Jesus. For Jesus avows, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (Jn 6:44,65). Thankfully through the Word the omnipotent Holy Spirit turns us to faith in Jesus, and when we are thus turned, in Christ we become as the humble child, forgiven of all our sinful, proud desires, made empty containers readied to be filled.
Turned to trust in Jesus we realize that He was God’s holy child who humbled and emptied himself to the point of death on the cross (Phil 2:5ff), rising then for our justification. As we realize the emptiness of all our efforts in relation to God, the Spirit not only endows us with faith in Christ and His purging blood, but the Spirit pours His gifts into our emptied hearts; gifts such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Indeed the Holy Spirit makes us not merely like children, in Christ He makes us to be born-anew babies in the kingdom of God.
Romans 13:1-10
Grant, merciful Lord, to Your people pardon and peace that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve You with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns...
In the Lessons for this week we encounter sinners. What shall we do with our fellow sinners and how shall we deal with them?
In the Gospel lesson (Matthew 18:15-20) Jesus teaches what we should do to be reconciled to those who sin against us.
Ezekiel in the Old Testament lesson (33:7-9) reports that God expects us to warn the sinner, who, if he repents, will live. Paul in the Epistle lesson urges obedience to the officials and law of government and teaches that love is the way to obey the law.
The Hymn of the Day - LSB #373, "By Grace I’m Saved, Grace Free and Boundless" speaks of the power we as Christians possess to carry out this task. It is found in the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who has called and saved us according to His grace and favor. We place our confidence in God and enjoy His blessings, even in times of trouble.
Civil governments have been given their authority by God. Thus, the Christian submits himself to that rule which God has established, and exhorts others to do the same. St. Paul also tells us how we are to live with our fellow man: letting love for the neighbor guide all our actions and dealings. This love is not of ourselves, but flows from Christ, who first loved us.
v. 1. every person, no matter their status, is to be subject to the governing authorities. to be "subordinated" does not mean inferior. W/in the creation...recognize your position in God's order.
v. 2. "resists" - "to set ones' self in opposition." appointed - ordinance which God appointed - an office - the embodiment of the person serving in the office.
The government is God's arm...to receive punishment from the state is to receive God's punishment.
v. 3. good or bad conduct is by God's definition. Government is not the definer of good or evil. We know the law by nature. To be foolish is to flee from it
v. 4. God's servant - deacon - official service - a religious cast - Incurring wrath is a badge of the office. God's wrath however is final and ultimate.
v.5 notice first "fear of wrath" and second "conscience" uses of the law.
v.6 - 7 Paying of taxes is our obligation. Death and taxes are certain.Taxes are part of God's positive work. Death is God's "opus alienum" His alien work.
v.8 - love is our only "debt" thus we pray "forgive us our debts"
v. 9 - all commandments come to a head , "love your neighbor as yourself" this is how it is done...all this falls under the #4 commandment This love is God's love from a divine perspective. Only was we can love is in Christ.
v. 10 - love does no wrong. Every law, including that which would have us submit to government authorities, is fulfilled in love.
The thesis of Paul’s argument is in verse 1a, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities.”
Reasons why the Roman Christians are to submit to the authorities.
First, no authority exists except from God, and all authorities that exist have been instituted by God (13:1b).
Second, rulers are not a terror to good conduct but rather to bad (13:3a).
Third, the authority/ruler is God’s servant in three ways:
1. for the Romans’ good,
2. to execute wrath on the wrongdoer,
3. by being busy with “this very thing,” that is, collecting taxes (13:4a, 4c, 6b).
Paul intersperses his reasons with examples and consequences, such as at 13:2 where he notes the results of resisting authority. He also makes a noticeable shift from making statements of fact (indicative mood) to a command “pay to all what is due them” (imperative mood) at 13:7, - thus connecting submission to the authorities with a duty to pay taxes and offer revenue.
The reasons (facts) for submission to the governing authorities are fundamental to Paul’s command that the Roman Christians fulfill their civic obligations.
In summary, Paul is arguing that because the authorities were instituted by God, and continue to serve both God and the Christian, believers must submit to their rule. The rulers of Rome are to be respected and obeyed for reasons of conscience and their possible wrath. (13:5)
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I. Christians submit to the authorities because civil authority is God's institution and, as such, will punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. (13:1-5)
A. Christians submit to civil authority because God has appointed that authority. (1-2a)
B. Christians submit to civil authority because the civil authorities will punish those who resist them (2b-3a) and will praise and do good to them that obey. (2b-4)
C. Christians submit to civil authority because of the punitive action of the state (i.e. wrath) and also because of conscience. (5)
II. Christians submit to civil authorities (who give themselves to collecting taxes )by giving back to them whatever is owed, whether taxes, dues, respect or honor. (13: 6, 7)
A. Christians pay taxes because God has appointed the state to receive taxes and ithey persist in collecting them. (6)
B. Christians demonstrate submission to civil authorities by giving back to each authority what is owed, whether taxes, revenue, respect or honor. (7)
