Trinity 15 + Sermon

Text: Matthew 6:24-34

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today’s Gospel is a familiar passage, and we can all remember someone or even ourselves saying in times of stress and anxiousness over the needs of life, “Don’t worry.” But if you are like me, all I do is worry more when I hear these words; it's all so counterproductive!

The words of Jesus are also very poignant as they reveal there is no middle ground when it comes to the Christian faith, no swaying from one side to another, from one master to another, but rather Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

And yet, it seems like our lives are nothing but a back and forth between the life we live as Christians and the world enticing us away from our heavenly Father. 

But still, Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Or think of these words another way, think of this in terms of the Small Catechism, “You shall have no other gods.” 

These words are exclusive. These words divide. They separate the Christian from the unbelieving world, a world that has not been given nor received this teaching because the heathen world won’t accept it. However, these words are for you, the Christian, to keep you from falling away from the faith and into unbelief. 

And this is a challenge, we are bombarded by the items of everyday life, and in the simplest of ways, the gifts of creation can lead us away from the Christian faith. 

It’s really not magical; it's mammon. 

Now, mammon isn’t just money, even though there was an ancient Syrian god named Mammon, who was a fierce, ugly god, demonic even, and known for the horrible character of coveting and greed. Mammon is more… it’s wealth and property, it’s your devotion to your investment and retirement portfolios (and don’t look at those right now!), your desire for power, positions, and the identity of your titles, it’s actually everything you become attached to throughout this life. 

That is why Jesus’ words sting a little, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” It’s either God or worldly attachments. And the problem with attachments is we worry about them as a child looks frantically for their blanky or favorite stuffed animal at bedtime. We fear that we’ll become detached, that we will lose the object of our desire and trust, and that’s what is at the heart of anxiety.

So what are you attached to? What hampers your faith? Remember, attachments often come in the simplest of ways, they aren’t magical, but they slowly lead you away from God. 

Take the smartphone, for instance; it's a gift. It can help you if you’re in a car accident, it can even connect you with family worldwide, and the phone can track your health and send emergency help in case of a fall. But, it also can lead you into attachment and dependence. You send a family or friend a message, and you can see they’ve read it (through those pesky “read receipts”), and yet no reply. This drives a person crazy, doesn’t it? Or maybe you’ve posted on social media or a blog, and you just can't help to look back, waiting to see who has liked your status or post (Who are your true friends?). We all desire affirmation, don't we? And in the meantime, you lackadaisically pan through the news, hoping you don’t miss anything.

But what happens when you grow so connected you cannot separate from the things that control you? Studies reveal the brutal truth regarding the smartphone, you become anxious, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually. An article I read in Psychology Today calls our attachment issues to technology and the smartphone "FOMO—Fear of Missing Out—or nomophobia—Fear of being out of mobile phone contact or FOBO—Fear of Being Offline.”[1] It’s an unholy trinity of sorts. 

Maybe you’re a Luddite and have no use for technology or the connected world. Good for you (Seriously). But think and ask yourselves, what have you become so attached to that the thought of being detached brings your heart into a state of chaos and worry? Maybe you still worry about the country's direction, inflation, the medical test results you are awaiting, or the move you and your family must make. 

The reality is there is much to consume us, and when we stop thinking about God’s Word and His kingdom, we often become more concerned about the mammon of life found within our hands.

The words of St. Paul are of use for us today, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, NKJV)

These words refocus us on God our Father, the true object, desire, and trust of our heart. Therefore, we are to go to Him in supplications of want and need and prayers of thanksgiving. 

Similarly, Jesus says near the end of the Gospel, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

How comforting that we aren't left to our own vices, but Jesus instructs and provides us with a rule of faith, seek His Father and His wisdom, and He will provide for you as the meaning of the First article of the creed states, 

“He will richly and daily provide you with all you need to support this body and life…He will defend you against all danger and will guard and protect you from all evil…He does this out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. For all this it is your duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.”

Aren’t these comforting words? While the world brings us unease and stress, we are called to seek the kingdom of God – a realm of grace and mercy. 

And this is how the Divine Service is laid out for us. First, we come in prayer and repentance, seeking the kingdom of God, His mercy, and forgiveness. And then the pastor not only announces this grace but at the rail Christ Jesus is present for you with His righteousness, His forgiveness, and salvation. What a blessing and joy!

In reality, worry and anxiousness are unavoidable throughout this life, but when you look to Jesus’ cross, rejoice, for He has carried your burdens and now gives you His eternal peace. +INJ+

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Associate Pastor, Immanuel Evangelical-Lutheran Church
Alexandria, VA

[1] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201501/iphone-separation-anxiety#:~:text=iPhone%20Separation%20Anxiety%20is%20real,Hinders%20Cognitive%20Abilities%2C%20Says%20Study