Worship Helps for Pentecost 19

Worship Theme: Sinners sin. We all sin. But we cannot excuse our sin because we act like others. Sin requires radical surgery. Jesus says: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off” (Mark 9:43). The good news is that Jesus was “cut off” from his own Father through his death on the cross, in order to reunite us with God and with one another. As his servants we are the “salt” of the earth, standing out as we show allegiance to Jesus and the gospel.

Old Testament: Numbers 11:16, 24-29  

¹⁶So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather seventy men from the elders of Israel for me, men whom you know to be elders and officers for the people. Take them to the Tent of Meeting and make them stand there with you.”

²⁴Moses went out and told the people the Lord’s words. He gathered seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand all around the tent. ²⁵The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took from the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do it again.

²⁶Two men, however, remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other was Medad. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the tent. The Spirit rested on them, and they prophesied back in the camp. ²⁷A young man ran and reported this to Moses. He said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

²⁸Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide from his youth, answered, “My lord Moses, stop them!”

²⁹Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all of the Lord’s people were prophets so that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

1. When Moses, exasperated, turned to God because the Israelites were complaining about having to eat manna all the time, how did God first respond? (See 11:16)

2. Why did a young man run and tell Moses about Eldad and Medad, who were still in the camp?

3. Why didn’t Moses want Eldad and Medad to stop?

Epistle: Philippians 1:12–18a  

¹²I want you to know, brothers, that the things which happened to me actually took place to advance the gospel. ¹³And so it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to all the rest, that I am in chains because of Christ. ¹⁴And, through my chains, the majority of the brothers in the Lord have become much more confident about daring to speak the word of God fearlessly. ¹⁵Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, and others out of good will. ¹⁶The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, but thinking they can cause trouble for me while I am in chains. ¹⁸What does it matter? Only this, that in every way, whether for outward appearance or for the truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.

4. What had happened to Paul, which turned out, surprisingly, to advance the gospel’s spread?

5. How did Paul react when others preached Christ out of envy and rivalry?

Gospel: Mark 9:38–50  

³⁸John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”

³⁹But Jesus said, “Do not try to stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil about me. ⁴⁰Whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹Amen I tell you: Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, will certainly not lose his reward.

⁴²“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall into sin, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around his neck. ⁴³If your hand causes you to fall into sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed, than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, ⁴⁴‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁵If your foot causes you to fall into sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁶‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁷If your eye causes you to fall into sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁹For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰Salt is good. But if the salt loses its flavor, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

6. What prompted John to tattle to Jesus about a miracle worker that was not one of the twelve?

7. Summarize the obligations of disciples for one another according to Mark 9:42-50.

  

Answers:

1. Moses receives mercy in the leadership department: Now 70 men will help him lead the nation. But the people get their wish for meat, and a plague with it for grumbling against the LORD.

2. A young man ran and told Moses about Eldad and Medad because they were prophesying in the camp, instead of around the tent, like the other elders. Joshua told Moses to have them stop.

3. Moses didn’t want them to stop because he wished that all God’s people were prophets with the Spirit on them.

4. Paul was under house arrest in Rome for a long time.

5. Paul said, “The important thing is that in every way Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

6. Perhaps John was jealous. John said the disciples stopped the man because he “was not one of us.” Do we look down on one other Christians who are not part of our church body? Jesus said, “Do not stop him…whoever is not against us is for us.” Likewise we confess in the Nicene Creed that we believe in one, holy Christian apostolic church.

7. A disciple will do everything possible to save the life of the soul. Participation in Christ’s Kingdom is worth any sacrifice. The hand will not grasp what God forbids. The foot will not go where God’s “No Trespassing” sign stands. The eye will not gaze on that which God hates. Keep your “saltiness” by living for the Gospel and Christ Jesus.

Putting your faith into action

When the Israelites grumbled, Moses felt the weight of it as if he were carrying the burden all alone. The Lord showed him in this Old Testament reading that he could place his Spirit upon many leaders, and even upon the “unauthorized.” Surprisingly effective service can be given by some from whom you least expect it. For not one of us has all of God’s gifts, but each of us should look for his God-given opportunities to serve while giving thanks for the gifts and services of others.

A reading from the Book of Concord for the 19^th Sunday after Pentecost

It is forbidden to bring any disgrace upon our neighbor regarding his wife.  The sixth commandment takes aim at adultery, because among the Jewish people it was ordained and commanded that everyone must be married.  The young were engaged to be married early, and the virgin state was held in small esteem.  Yet neither were public prostitution and lewdness tolerated.  Therefore, adultery was the most common form of unchastity among them. 

But among us there is such a shameful mess and the very dregs of all vice and lewdness.  Therefore, this commandment is directed against all kinds of unchastity, whatever it may be called.  Not only is the outward act of adultery forbidden, but also every kind of cause, motive, and means of adultery.  Then the heart, the lips, and the whole body may be chaste and offer no opportunity, help, or persuasion toward inchastity. We must also resist temptation, offer protection, and rescue honor wherever there is danger and need.  We must give help and counsel, so as to maintain our neighbor’s honor.  For whenever you abandon this effort when you could resist unchastity, or whenever you overlook it as if it did not concern you, you are as truly guilty of adultery as the one doing the deed.  Everyone must live chastely himself and help his neighbor do the same.  By this commandment God wishes to protect every spouse so that no one trespasses against him or her. – Large Catechism, Ten Commandments, paragraphs 200-205