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“FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD”

Luke 9:51-62



I had a conversation with a couple of our members this past week about those who have left our church in the past in order to join churches of differing denominations. The discussion left us scratching our heads to find a reason for such departures. It really doesn’t make any sense.

You see, back when each one of us was confirmed in the faith, we made a pledge to, quote, “continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than to fall away from it.” The reason why we could and should be able to make such an incredibly bold pledge was based upon something else that we affirmed at the same time; that, we hold all of the Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God and that the doctrine of our Church is drawn from these same Scriptures and, therefore, is faithful and true to the Word of God.

If this were simply a matter of personal preference or opinion, then it shouldn’t be an issue if someone seeks out a church that teaches something different—or if a person simply stops going to church altogether. But, to abandon the truth is incomprehensible. As our Lord says to us in the Gospel reading, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” When there is so very much at stake—namely, our honor of God and the saving faith that goes along with it, we cannot afford to turn back from the course which God Himself has set up on based upon His Holy Word.

But, if we were forced to try to come up with an explanation for such apostasy, it would probably stem from the fact that many simply don’t trust God’s Word to accomplish what God said that it would. Elijah, in our Old Testament reading, is a case in point.

Elijah had been called upon by God to proclaim His Word to the kingdom of Israel. Things, however, did not go quite as Elijah had planned. It seemed to the prophet that he was a complete and utter failure. In his own words from the text, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” In Elijah’s mind, the tools that God had given to him for the task just weren’t working.

And so, Elijah made a journey of some three hundred miles on foot in order to arrive at Mount Horeb—otherwise known as Mount Sinai, the place where, centuries before, God had presented the Ten Commandments to Moses. And you might remember that God commanded, at that time, that no one, not even an animal, was to approach that holy mountain under the threat of death. But that was precisely the direction that Elijah headed; and that was precisely his intent—to be struck dead by God. Elijah had given up.

But God wasn’t about to let the prophet off that easily. There was a lesson to be learned. And so God summoned Elijah out of the cave in the mountain where he was hiding in order to behold an awesome display of God’s almighty power.

First, there was a great and strong wind that tore the mountains—so powerful that it broke the rocks into pieces. But, the Lord was not in the wind. And, then, after the wind there was an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. And, then, after the earthquake a consuming fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And, finally, after the fire came the sound of a low whisper. “And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.”

The power of God’s presence wasn’t in those dramatic signs of the wind, the fire, and the earthquake. It was in His Word—and in a whispered Word at that! And God reassured the prophet that things were unfolding just as God had planned. There were still faithful people to be found—people who relied upon the truth of what God Himself had said. And, yes, God would sustain them. His holy mission would not fail.

And the application is the same for today.

God is still whispering. He speaks through the written words of Holy Scriptures. He talks tenderly to us in the blessing of Holy Baptism. He reassures us in the bread and wine of Holy Communion that this truly is His body and blood given for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. He speaks kindly to us, pardoning us of our transgressions, in the words of Holy Absolution.

Granted, to the naked eye, everything seems so insufficient for the task. “Powerful miracles would do a better job,” we say to ourselves. “The Word of God is OK, but it needs a little help.” Or, it’s a case where we judge the efficacy of God’s Word based upon what we sense it does to our own heart and emotions. If it makes us feel good, then it must be real.

But look at the evidence of faith which God Himself puts forward for our consideration. His proof positive is based upon something else entirely. He asks, “Are you patient, kind, good, gentle, exhibiting self control? Do you love those who mistreat you? Is there joy over the fact that you are saved, even in the midst of difficult circumstances? Do you know my peace—which is not simply an inner sense of calm—but, rather, is the peace that comes from the fact that I have forgiven your sins and My wrath against you has been cancelled out because of my Son’s death upon the cross for you?”

These, dearly beloved, are the fruits of His own Spirit. This is the evidence that God’s Word is doing its powerful work in your life. And as long as God’s Word is preached and taught in its truth and purity, you will never have to worry that something is missing from your spiritual life, to cause you to look for more elsewhere or even to abandon the faith once delivered to all saints of all time. God assures us, “My word that goes out from my mouth shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it,” (Is. 55:11).

The falling away by some certainly is troubling. And we hope and pray that God’s Spirit may convict their hearts of the truth and lead them to repentance and back to the Means of Grace where God has promised to bless them. But the departure by some doesn’t mean that tools that God has given to us to bring people in and keep them in the kingdom are inadequate. God has decided to grow His Kingdom by His own design. Even a gentle whisper of His Word is more effective than any spectacular demonstration of power and will always be more reliable than any human conviction or feeling.

Therefore, we pray that in all that we do and say, in all that is preached and proclaimed here at Good Shepherd, that everything would be done in reverent submission to God’s Holy Word. That we would never doubt its power nor stray from its perfect truth, which alone makes us fit for the kingdom of God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.



1 Kings 19:9b–21

9bBehold, the word of the Lord came to [Elijah], and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 19So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.



Galatians 5:1, 13–25

1For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. . . . 13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.



Luke 9:51–62

51When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55But he turned and rebuked them. 56And they went on to another village. 57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”