I am going to preach two short sermons this morning. The reason is because there are two ways to understand the words of Jesus when he said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” The question is: who are the “little ones who believe in Jesus?” Are they babies and small children or are they young believers in Jesus of any age whose faith is still young and tender? First let’s consider these words when the little ones are children, then later when the little ones who are older believers.

Just a few verses earlier Jesus said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And then he took a child and put him in the midst of the disciples, and taking him in his arms he said to the disciples, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” Then in today’s reading Jesus says, ⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

If the little ones are children, then we must protect children and not lead them into sin. There is a lot of talk these days about child abuse. It usually means beating a child, not taking care of a child, bullying, and pervert behavior toward a child. Since children are the weakest members of our society, is important to protect them. There should be anger toward those who harm children. Jesus says the proper punishment for offenders is that they will be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ Jesus wants to protect the children. One way to protect them is to remove the offender far away from the children. Perhaps the farthest place away from children would be at the bottom of the sea. And a huge millstone would weigh the person down so that they could not harm a child again. But Jesus does not want anyone to go to hell. People who are tempted to harm children must take drastic measures to protect children and to save themselves, too. Rather than enter hell, it is better to cut off your hand, cut off your foot, or pluck out your eye. Then you cannot raise your hand to hit a child, you cannot kick a child, you cannot give creepy stares at kids.

There are many kinds of child abuse. Some wounds will heal in time. Some scars will always remain. Some nightmares last for years. Some things take years of therapy. But the greatest abuse is that abuse that is eternal. The greatest abuse is to send a child to hell. Jesus said, ⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin.” Sometimes people cause children to sin by giving them drugs or leading them into crime or prostitution and the like. That is bad because it leads the child away from God and away from salvation. But the worst child abuse of all, I think, is when a parent does not bring their child to God. When a parent refuses to teach a child about Jesus, it leaves the child in sin. Even children need salvation. As a pastor in the Lutheran church, I think it is child abuse when a child is not baptized. And then after being baptized, the child needs to be taught to pray and needs to learn about Jesus and Christmas and Easter. The child needs to be brought to Sunday school. Now there are some protestant groups that do not baptize children. I think they are wrong, but I am not going to criticize them today because of what I am going to say in Part Two of this sermon. But if a child is not baptized until they can personally confess Jesus as their Savior, then it is the necessary that the parents teach their child about Jesus and Christmas and Easter and how to pray.

I think the greatest child abuse is not to bring a child to know Jesus. Jesus took a child in his arms and blessed him. Parents brought their children to Jesus to bless them. Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus was born a child at Christmas. Jesus died on the cross to forgive and to save all people, including the “little ones.”

The question was: who are the “little ones who believe in Jesus?” Let’s now consider these words when the “little ones” are older believers in Jesus of any age whose faith is still young and tender. A few verses earlier the disciples had been arguing with one another about who among them was the greatest. The disciples felt a lot of self-importance. They thought that they were the best and anyone outside their group of twelve disciples was inferior. And so we read in today’s Gospel reading, ³⁸John said to [Jesus], “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” ³⁹But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ For the one who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. ⁴² Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

I think that here the “little ones” are those believers who work in the Name of Jesus but who are outside the circle of the disciples. Maybe they are “little” because they have not yet been taught everything like the disciples. Maybe they are “little” because they have a child-like faith. But in that child-like faith they are doing the work of Jesus. They are proclaiming the Gospel of deliverance.

Jesus wants the Gospel to be proclaimed. “Do not stop him,” he said. Jesus had enemies. They were jealous of him. They spoke badly about him. Many Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes and Priests wanted to stop Jesus. So Jesus was very happy that someone was healing and casting out demons in his Name. To do something in the Name of Jesus is to do the work that Jesus would also do: healing, teaching, forgiving, and loving and helping and acts of charity. To stop one of these people who were fresh and still little in their faith could destroy their faith. It is not just that their feelings might be hurt. They might start doubting the Gospel of salvation. They can no longer preach the Gospel they enjoyed teaching and living. When they see the envy and pride of the disciples, they might wonder about the love of God or the fairness and justice of God, and also have doubts about the Church and those who say they are Christians. Jesus is concerned about their faith. “Do not stop him,” he said. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” In other words, leave him alone. He is doing a good work in my name. He is doing a good work for me.

I think that this Bible reading is important for us. There are many people preaching and teaching about Jesus and doing wonderful works of love in his name. And most of those people are not “following us.” There are thousands of Christian groups or denominations. There are Christian believers who are not members of any local congregation or denomination, yet they live the life of a believer and support the mission of Christ. Perhaps they are some of those whom Jesus blesses when he says, ⁴¹ “For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.”

I am a minister of the Lutheran church. In my ordination vows I said that I believed that the Lutheran understanding of Scripture and the Gospel was correct, and I promised to teach accordingly. It was an easy vow to make, because I believed it then and now. The question today is how about Christian believers in other denominations? Should we be like the disciples who would want to stop them? Jesus said, “Do not stop him.” Doesn’t that mean we should allow and encourage Christians who are not in our Lutheran group to teach and do acts of charity in the Name of Jesus? Of course we do not want to support or encourage any false doctrine or heresy or deceptive practices of those who use Christianity for selfish gain. We would be happy if these “little ones” would become mature in the Lutheran understanding of the Gospel. J

Sometimes we use the word “ecumenical.” It does not mean that we agree 100% with other Christian groups, but it means we can have fellowship with other Christians because we recognize that other Christians do know the core teaching of the Gospel: They know about John 3:16; the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus; and the hope of eternal life. A child can understand that. That is saving faith.

Theologians love to debate doctrine: it is as fun as arguing politics in an election year! But we must have humility and love. We have to learn the trick of building up the faith of others, even if we do not agree in everything. Jesus said, “Do not stop him.” Give them a drink of water. Greet them in peace.

Today’s Gospel reading ends with these fitting words. ⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” When we Christians get together, there is a lot of salt and pepper and spices and sugar in our conversation. There is enough to make our fellowship into a delicious stew or casserole. That combination, that salt, that patience and love is what brings us peace.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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