The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Numbers 11
The Spirit Rested on Them
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
27 September 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
“…Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" Moses’ prayer for the rebellious people of the Exodus from Egypt says more than we see at a first look—more than we comprehend in a first hearing of this text. In Old Testament times, even in the years following Jesus’ birth until the Day of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit was not poured out on all believers. It just wasn’t. In the Lord’s perfect wisdom and perfect timing, for a long while He reserved the gift of His Spirit to prophets and other faithful people as He had use of them.
Often, the challenge we face in comprehending difficult sections of the Holy Scripture is because we hear words out of context, we don’t understand the linguistic or cultural idioms, we are intimidated by unfamiliar multiple-syllable names, or we just don’t understand the context.
Numbers chapter 9 records the Israelites celebrating the Passover in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. Two years. The golden calf incident is behind them. They have heard the Ten Commandments from the second set that the Lord inscribed Himself. The report of the spies to Canaan is yet to come, as well as the Lord’s judgment upon them for being intimidated by those whom the Lord would have given into their hands. Their time in the wilderness would be much longer than 2 years—forty. The old generation would die here. Their children would see the promised land.
Chapter 11 helps us to better understand God’s wrath upon these people. Their unfaith at hearing about the strong and fortified peoples guarding Canaan’s land of milk and honey will make more sense to us, because such grumbling and worrying is part of their pattern.
And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. So the name of that place was called [burning, or] Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
This isn’t just an example of a powerful deity zapping people for no reason. The Lord’s plan, power, and authority were being questioned. These people second-guessed the loving-care of the creator and guardian of the universe, and for their unbelief, they got burned.
Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
The burning judgment at Taberah was intended as a memorable object lesson. We must be careful not to judge them too harshly for their short memories. We have them too!
Their new complaint centered around food. Mmmm…Meat! Mmmm…fish! Mmmm…cucumbers, melons, leeks, garlic! Apart from meat, which was relatively expensive for them, all of the rest of the items on their menu were plentiful, readily available, and most importantly for slaves, cheap! Yet, in the wilderness, not one of these things on their list could be found. Their rumbling tummies gave witness to their lack of trust in the Lord, and in Moses, and gave voice to their greed.
It appears they didn’t care for Manna. Even after the many months the Lord had provided it to them, they still didn’t know what it was. The Hebrew word “Manna” literally means, “What is it?” It looked like a gum resin related to myrrh.
Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it and ground it in hand-mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to give their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, 'Give us meat, that we may eat.' I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness."
The Hebrew idiom sounds odd in our ears. The Lord’s nose burned with anger. And Moses was displeased. He’s overwhelmed. He groans words that every prophet, evangelist, apostle, and pastor have at least thought at one time or another, during a period of stress, frustration, or difficulty. “I can’t do this by myself. The burden is too heavy. Take me home to You now. I’ve had my fill.”
But the Lord does Him one better. The burden is not to be on Moses’ shoulders alone.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. And say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, "Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt." Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, "Why did we come out of Egypt?" ' “ But Moses said, "The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!' Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?" And the LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not."
The people had been punished earlier for doubting the Lord. Moses was just dancing on that line. But he hasn’t crossed it. The people would get their meat—and a plague for their greed. A large group of quail was miraculously blown to their camp, about 3 feet thick on the ground. Those who gathered least had at least 6 bushels’ worth. As a result of their sin, the Lord sent a plague. And that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, which means graves of craving. All that was to come. For now, Moses was to speak to the people.
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, "My lord Moses, stop them." But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
The Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed speaks about the work of the Holy Spirit, Sanctification.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.
The Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to His church. They teach that in apostolic times the Holy Spirit also gave some Christians the gift to perform miraculous signs and wonders (for example, healings, speaking in unlearned languages, and raising the dead). The Scriptures do not teach, however, that God will necessarily give all Christians in every time and place special miraculous gifts. The Holy Spirit bestows His blessings according to His good pleasure. However, both the Old and New Testaments teach that the Holy Spirit through the Word and sacraments freely gives to all Christians the most precious gifts: faith in Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.
At times the Lord’s prophets used symbolism. At other times, they delivered messages through direct proclamation. Often their prophetic ministry involved foretelling, or predicting, what God would do in Christ. It is important to note that prophecy was not just about telling the future. The work of prophets then, and the Lord’s people today has another important component: forth-telling. We all are given to tell others who God is and what His work was among the people. Not only is the Holy Spirit poured out on God’s sons and daughters, male and female servants, but we are given the privilege to tell the Good News about Jesus.
You don’t have to go door to door. You don’t have to go overseas. You don’t have to prepare and bear an elaborate personal Christian testimony. Simply tell the Good News About Jesus. Speak of sin and forgiveness in Christ. Confess the Biblical truths of the Creed. And, when you need help and support, that’s what your congregation and pastor are here for! The Wyoming District is preparing to help you to share Christ with hurting people. Plan now to attend the District Tell the Good News About Jesus Convocation in Casper next January.
“…Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" Moses prayer for the rebellious people of the Exodus from Egypt says more than we see at a first look—more than we comprehend in a first hearing of this text. In Old Testament times, even in the years following Jesus birth until the Day of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit was not poured out on all believers. In the Lord’s perfect wisdom and perfect timing, for a long while He reserved the gift of His Spirit to prophets and other faithful people as He had use of them.
But now, in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son. He has given you the gift of forgiveness, the gift of faith, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that you, too, can prophesy, i.e. tell forth what God has already done in Christ, what He has already revealed in His Word. Today, the Holy Spirit rests on you. Go tell the good news about Jesus. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sermon for 20 September 2009, Proper 20B
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
St. Mark 9:30-37
True Greatness
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper [20] B
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Sheridan, Wyoming
20 September 2009
In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Horville Sash had a humble job for a large corporation. He worked in the basement as a gofer doing whatever others wanted him to do to help them—mostly what other people didn’t want to do.
He often thought about the people on the floors above him and the nice jobs they had. One day as he worked in the mailroom he saw a bug scurry across the floor. He raised his foot to smash it, but then heard the bug say, “Spare me.” Horville did, and as a reward the bug offered him a wish.
“I wish to be promoted to a higher floor,” he said. The very next day he was moved to the second floor, and he marched up like MacArthur and Patton rolled into one. As he worked on the second floor he listened to footsteps on the floor above him and wished to move up. So he called his bug for a wish. He received higher wages and more power when he moved to the third floor as sales coordinator. But he wasn’t satisfied because there were other floors above him.
He wished and wished and gradually moved up to the 20th floor, to the 50th floor, to the 70th floor. He was on the very top floor, sitting by the indoor pool, when he discovered a stairway leading still higher. He scrambled up and found himself on the roof. Now he felt he was as high as anyone could go.
Just as he turned to go back to his plush office, he noticed an office boy off to the side with his eyes closed. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Praying.” “To whom?” The boy pointed to the sky and said, “To the Lord in Heaven.” Horville panicked. There was a floor above him. He could see only clouds and could hear no shuffling of feet. So he summoned his bug and said, “Give me a position God would want if he were on earth.” The next day Horville began work as a gofer in the basement.
What exactly is true greatness in the kingdom of God? The Gospel is our focus.
[The First & Greatest]
In Mark Chapter 8, Jesus predicted His death and Resurrection for the first time and called on His disciples to take up their crosses and follow Him. Next, Mark records the Transfiguration and then shows Jesus healing a boy with an evil spirit. They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
Jesus again predicts His Passion, death, and Resurrection. This is the second time in the Markan account. But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. Apparently, the disciples went on to discussing other matters, things more important to them.
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
Amazing. [T]hey had argued about who was the greatest. Earlier in this same chapter, Mark 9, Jesus had been transfigured up on the mountain and appeared to Peter, James and John with Moses and Elijah, and they, the disciples, were arguing about who among them was the greatest. Jesus had just cast out a demon and they were arguing about which of them was the greatest!
How much like us are these disciples? We sit here on Sunday, hear the message that The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise. Then, many times we leave this place and go out into the world and argue about who is the greatest. How much time have you wasted, turning an honorable pursuit like sports in to an obsession, and argue about who has the best baseball or football team? Or taking your work too seriously just to get the promotion up the corporate ladder? Or delving into discussions about what teen heartthrob is the coolest. We easily get distracted from that which is truly great, truly First.
What does Jesus say about being the greatest? About being First?
[The Last & Servant of All]
(35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,) “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Jesus turns contemporary logic about success on its head. In the kingdom of God, one’s resume does not include the prestigious things, but what our society considers menial: service, humility, taking a low profile, even caring for children.
The greatest service, purest humility, the ultimate low profile for One who was the Son of God, and one who cares for children is seen in Jesus. He is the ideal, the greatest, the first, even the Alpha and Omega, First and Last we hear about in the book of Revelation. But His greatness comes in this: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
For our Lord is not just our example of how to serve. In His service to us, we have been freed from bondage. We are no longer in bondage to our own egos, to the lies about success we hear from the evil one, we are freed from endless discussions about worldly greatness. We are freed to be the very last and the servant of all.
“I serve,” is the proud motto of the Prince of Wales. We read and ponder and are startled. How these words clash with the attitude that people commonly take toward life! Out in the world we see how people make every effort to thrust themselves into positions where they are able to command and force others to serve them. They are willing to serve, but only themselves. Selfishness is the plague sin of our age. What a contrast is, “I serve.” The person whose heart speaks these words rises to heights of true nobility, true greatness.
In Christ, each Christian is a free lord and master, subject to none. (Luther) Forgiven, we are freed from living under the law. Yet, at the same time, the Christian is a slave and a servant of all. As you live out your vocations, your roles in life as father, mother, child, student, supervisor, worker, neighbor, friend, we serve God as we serve those around us. We are freed so that we can serve our neighbor and help and befriend him in every bodily need.
Here then is true greatness: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” Christ served us, became the very last, the servant of all by being killed and by rising from the dead. And by being last, the servant of all, freeing us all from sin, so that we may serve.
Jesus embodies true Greatness. He who made Himself last, has been made First. He is what the book of Revelation calls the first and last, beginning and end, Alpha and Omega, Jesus.
Rejoice with me that our sins have been forgiven for Jesus sake! And even though we may be looked down upon in the eyes of the world and considered as last, as our Lord has said, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. He who has begun this good work in you will bring it to completion in the Day our Lord Jesus Comes. He will make us truly great with Him. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
St. Mark 9:30-37
True Greatness
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper [20] B
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Sheridan, Wyoming
20 September 2009
In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Horville Sash had a humble job for a large corporation. He worked in the basement as a gofer doing whatever others wanted him to do to help them—mostly what other people didn’t want to do.
He often thought about the people on the floors above him and the nice jobs they had. One day as he worked in the mailroom he saw a bug scurry across the floor. He raised his foot to smash it, but then heard the bug say, “Spare me.” Horville did, and as a reward the bug offered him a wish.
“I wish to be promoted to a higher floor,” he said. The very next day he was moved to the second floor, and he marched up like MacArthur and Patton rolled into one. As he worked on the second floor he listened to footsteps on the floor above him and wished to move up. So he called his bug for a wish. He received higher wages and more power when he moved to the third floor as sales coordinator. But he wasn’t satisfied because there were other floors above him.
He wished and wished and gradually moved up to the 20th floor, to the 50th floor, to the 70th floor. He was on the very top floor, sitting by the indoor pool, when he discovered a stairway leading still higher. He scrambled up and found himself on the roof. Now he felt he was as high as anyone could go.
Just as he turned to go back to his plush office, he noticed an office boy off to the side with his eyes closed. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Praying.” “To whom?” The boy pointed to the sky and said, “To the Lord in Heaven.” Horville panicked. There was a floor above him. He could see only clouds and could hear no shuffling of feet. So he summoned his bug and said, “Give me a position God would want if he were on earth.” The next day Horville began work as a gofer in the basement.
What exactly is true greatness in the kingdom of God? The Gospel is our focus.
[The First & Greatest]
In Mark Chapter 8, Jesus predicted His death and Resurrection for the first time and called on His disciples to take up their crosses and follow Him. Next, Mark records the Transfiguration and then shows Jesus healing a boy with an evil spirit. They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
Jesus again predicts His Passion, death, and Resurrection. This is the second time in the Markan account. But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. Apparently, the disciples went on to discussing other matters, things more important to them.
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
Amazing. [T]hey had argued about who was the greatest. Earlier in this same chapter, Mark 9, Jesus had been transfigured up on the mountain and appeared to Peter, James and John with Moses and Elijah, and they, the disciples, were arguing about who among them was the greatest. Jesus had just cast out a demon and they were arguing about which of them was the greatest!
How much like us are these disciples? We sit here on Sunday, hear the message that The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise. Then, many times we leave this place and go out into the world and argue about who is the greatest. How much time have you wasted, turning an honorable pursuit like sports in to an obsession, and argue about who has the best baseball or football team? Or taking your work too seriously just to get the promotion up the corporate ladder? Or delving into discussions about what teen heartthrob is the coolest. We easily get distracted from that which is truly great, truly First.
What does Jesus say about being the greatest? About being First?
[The Last & Servant of All]
(35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,) “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Jesus turns contemporary logic about success on its head. In the kingdom of God, one’s resume does not include the prestigious things, but what our society considers menial: service, humility, taking a low profile, even caring for children.
The greatest service, purest humility, the ultimate low profile for One who was the Son of God, and one who cares for children is seen in Jesus. He is the ideal, the greatest, the first, even the Alpha and Omega, First and Last we hear about in the book of Revelation. But His greatness comes in this: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
For our Lord is not just our example of how to serve. In His service to us, we have been freed from bondage. We are no longer in bondage to our own egos, to the lies about success we hear from the evil one, we are freed from endless discussions about worldly greatness. We are freed to be the very last and the servant of all.
“I serve,” is the proud motto of the Prince of Wales. We read and ponder and are startled. How these words clash with the attitude that people commonly take toward life! Out in the world we see how people make every effort to thrust themselves into positions where they are able to command and force others to serve them. They are willing to serve, but only themselves. Selfishness is the plague sin of our age. What a contrast is, “I serve.” The person whose heart speaks these words rises to heights of true nobility, true greatness.
In Christ, each Christian is a free lord and master, subject to none. (Luther) Forgiven, we are freed from living under the law. Yet, at the same time, the Christian is a slave and a servant of all. As you live out your vocations, your roles in life as father, mother, child, student, supervisor, worker, neighbor, friend, we serve God as we serve those around us. We are freed so that we can serve our neighbor and help and befriend him in every bodily need.
Here then is true greatness: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” Christ served us, became the very last, the servant of all by being killed and by rising from the dead. And by being last, the servant of all, freeing us all from sin, so that we may serve.
Jesus embodies true Greatness. He who made Himself last, has been made First. He is what the book of Revelation calls the first and last, beginning and end, Alpha and Omega, Jesus.
Rejoice with me that our sins have been forgiven for Jesus sake! And even though we may be looked down upon in the eyes of the world and considered as last, as our Lord has said, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. He who has begun this good work in you will bring it to completion in the Day our Lord Jesus Comes. He will make us truly great with Him. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Sermon for 13 September 2009, Proper 19B
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Mark 9:14–29
I Believe—Help My Unbelief!
Proper [19] B
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
13 September 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We all have those moments when our faith is put to the test. You remember those kind of times well. Something happened at work or school, and your jaw dropped in amazement. You lay awake at night, wondering why the day went the way it did. Bad news from around the world is a distraction—especially if loved ones are in harm’s way.
Every day, your faith is put to the test. There are good days and bad days, and both come and go—neither kind lasts. Yet, on the worst days, the temptation is there to give in to the advice given to Job: Curse God and die. We pray that the Lord would keep us steadfast in the one, true faith until life everlasting, but the danger of unbelief is always around the corner.
A man in the Gospel according to St. Mark was having more than a bad hair day. His son was demon-possessed. He thought the disciples could help, because of the amazing, hopeful accounts he had heard about Jesus. That’s where we first hear the story:
14When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to [Jesus] and greeted him. 16And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
The man brings his son, possessed by a demon—a real demon—and the disciples could not exorcise it. This is not just a case of mental illness misunderstood in a first-century way. Demonic possession and mental illness can exist side by side or separately, even in the 21st Century.
Scribes and disciples are in the middle of an argument—possibly about whether the disciples have the authority to cast out demons. Meanwhile, the son of this man is still suffering under demonic influence.
And what does Jesus talk about? Authority? Who’s right in the argument? Does He give a medical or psychological diagnosis? No. Jesus diagnoses the spiritual problem: unbelief, lack of faith, trust, and hope in God above all things, and especially in His servant standing right there—Jesus. The man explains the situation, Jesus responds, and the argument is over.
“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” How long has this been happening? His whole life. Please do something if you can.
If. If? If! Jesus’ diagnosis was correct across the board. The disciples didn’t get the job done—a lack of faith. The scribes questioned the credentials of Jesus and the disciples, testing them, often trying to trip them up. Unfaith. They saw the signs before and still doubted who Jesus was. And here the man says, “if.”
Faith and miracles go hand in hand. Sometimes faith precedes the miracle. Sometimes God grants it during or after the miracle. A sign, a miracle all by itself is just entertainment. Without Jesus’ teaching, the feeding of the five thousand is just dinner and a show.
“If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The man heard and felt the stern rebuke of the law. What a wonderful response: “I believe; help my unbelief!” If only we could remember that prayer to Jesus in our day of trial.
And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
This is a different situation than what we overheard last week. We also encountered a mute and deaf person. There was a physical cause for that affliction. Here, with the son, there are additional symptoms, including “it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.” Even the father knew a demon was at work.
Jesus demonstrated His authority over creation as the creator when He used fingers, spit, and prayer to heal the man last week. This week, He demonstrates His divine authority over the devil and death. The demon left the boy and, at Jesus’ word, the boy arose.
The miracles of Jesus teach us that in the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the power of Resurrection Day is present. Jesus gives us more than just a description of what the Last Day, the day of Resurrection will be like—He shows us. The Word of Jesus, miracles, and faith go together!
Do you have a good and gracious God, or not? (pause) Don’t hesitate so long to answer. Don’t over-think the question. Don’t let your emotions distract you. What does Holy Scripture say?
Yes. Yes. A trillion times, Yes!
Are we tempted to doubt the goodness of God? Yes. That’s the devil’s work—and the influence of the world—and the weakness of your own human flesh, too.
Why do we hesitate? Why are we tempted to doubt? Why do some fall away from faith? It’s because we’re from Missouri. That’s right—and I don’t mean the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. I mean Missouri.
Wyoming is the Cowboy State and the Equality State. Nebraska used to be called the Beef State as well as the Cornhusker State. Missouri is the… “Show Me” State.
Our preferred way of living in the world, according to our human nature, is called “Living by sight.” Show me, we say. I won’t believe it until you show me the cold, hard facts. Show me the money! People fall away from Christ, and are tempted to doubt God’s goodness because we see bad things going on in the world. Bad things happen to good people. Wars and rumors of wars. Tragic accidents. Painful experiences. Dreadful diseases. Things like Nine-Eleven.
“Living by faith” is different. About as different as one could be. Faith trusts in what we do not see, but Who we know is there—a good and gracious God in Christ. We walk by faith and not by…sight. No one said it was easy. Jesus still calls you to faith.
Faith can die. The best evidence of this is our friend Peter. In order to avoid the appearance of “beating him up,” be reminded of the rest of his story. Sure enough, Peter didn’t want Jesus to go to the cross, and he denied Jesus three times, but Peter was forgiven by Jesus Himself and restored to his vocation of disciple, apostle, and pastor.
In Mark 8 and Matthew 16 Peter expresses faith, trust, and hope in God by declaring Jesus to be the Christ, the very Son of God. Jesus calls Him blessed. That means blessed—full of faith. Can one be a Christian and fall away? Yes. Can a fallen Christian be restored to faith and forgiveness? Yes. Peter teaches us a lot by counter-example. Faith is a gift from God, not something we generate in ourselves. As a gift, it can be resisted, as Stephen taught us in Acts 7.
Feeding your faith is important. Unfed, faith can die. Any parent would recoil at the idea of taking a newborn home and not feeding him. It’s barbaric, inhumane, uncivilized! So is Holy Baptism apart from teaching the baptized God’s Word in all of its articles.
How can we encourage the parents of all the baptized to bring them to church in their first years of life? The pastor has a microphone, so crying children aren’t a real problem. Not all crying is a joyful noise, but would you really want to discourage a parent bringing a fellow Christian to Church?
We still have needs in our Sunday School. More teachers are needed to prevent burnout in the ones we install this morning. We don’t want to lose them. Our biggest need, however, is children. What children, already part of our congregation are missing this morning? What children in this community could you bring next week? Children are more than the church of the future. In Holy Baptism, they are already joined to the body of Christ. They are an important part of the church now.
Are there others you know who should be added to the shut-in list? I get to visit our current shut-ins at home once or twice a month. Let me know how I can help.
Where are all the men? How can we encourage more men to see Jesus as He actually is? Our Lord Jesus is both loving and strong, merciful and powerful, the Lamb of God and a victorious warrior over sin, death, and Satan.
Bad things happen to good people. We don’t throw up our hands in despair. No, we fold them in prayer. Bad days don’t just bring us to our knees, for we willingly bend the knee in prayer. Remember Jesus’ last words in the text. They are mentioned last in the text and last in this sermon so that you remember them!
“Why could we not cast it out?” the disciples asked. Jesus answered, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Prayer. Conversation with God. Praise. Petition. Thanksgiving. Recalling His goodness and graciousness to His people throughout salvation history.
It has been said that the Christian prays as if everything depends upon God, and works as if everything depends upon them. Properly understood, this can be a good saying, but only if we take prayer seriously.
Moses got into trouble when he involved himself in God’s provision for His people. The people needed water. God told Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock and a spring would burst forth. Instead, Moses and Aaron drew attention to what they were doing, and Moses struck the rock twice. Same spring of water, but they put the focus on acting as if everything depended upon them.
Prayer is an action of trust. Faith asks God to work in the situation. Do you play the game of asking, “If?” When tense situations arise, do you worry about what you are going to do? I’m guessing that the disciples did too—especially when the demon remained and the scribes came criticizing.
We continue to pray. That is part of the beauty of Matins. As forgiven sinners, we pray for ourselves, for the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God and for the unity of all, saying, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” That’s a pretty good prayer to keep in mind for all those bad days.
Then we pray the prayer Jesus taught us—both a prayer and a model of how to pray.
The Collect of the Day collects the teachings of the Scriptures for the Day and the prayers of the people with a common “Amen.”
Additional collects or the Prayer of the Church follow. Again the “Kyrie” of faith: Let us pray to the Lord: Lord have mercy.
Finally, the collect for grace thanks the Lord for His protection through the night and asks for His defense and guidance in the new day.
Every day, your faith is put to the test. There are good days and bad days, and both come and go—neither kind lasts. When “If” and “Why” torture you on the worst days, and although the danger of unbelief is always around the corner, remember that your Lord is even closer. And remember to pray: “I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus, who dwells in highest heaven is in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is near enough to hear your prayer. He is good, loving, and powerful enough to take care of you. “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mark 9:14–29
I Believe—Help My Unbelief!
Proper [19] B
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
13 September 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We all have those moments when our faith is put to the test. You remember those kind of times well. Something happened at work or school, and your jaw dropped in amazement. You lay awake at night, wondering why the day went the way it did. Bad news from around the world is a distraction—especially if loved ones are in harm’s way.
Every day, your faith is put to the test. There are good days and bad days, and both come and go—neither kind lasts. Yet, on the worst days, the temptation is there to give in to the advice given to Job: Curse God and die. We pray that the Lord would keep us steadfast in the one, true faith until life everlasting, but the danger of unbelief is always around the corner.
A man in the Gospel according to St. Mark was having more than a bad hair day. His son was demon-possessed. He thought the disciples could help, because of the amazing, hopeful accounts he had heard about Jesus. That’s where we first hear the story:
14When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to [Jesus] and greeted him. 16And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
The man brings his son, possessed by a demon—a real demon—and the disciples could not exorcise it. This is not just a case of mental illness misunderstood in a first-century way. Demonic possession and mental illness can exist side by side or separately, even in the 21st Century.
Scribes and disciples are in the middle of an argument—possibly about whether the disciples have the authority to cast out demons. Meanwhile, the son of this man is still suffering under demonic influence.
And what does Jesus talk about? Authority? Who’s right in the argument? Does He give a medical or psychological diagnosis? No. Jesus diagnoses the spiritual problem: unbelief, lack of faith, trust, and hope in God above all things, and especially in His servant standing right there—Jesus. The man explains the situation, Jesus responds, and the argument is over.
“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” How long has this been happening? His whole life. Please do something if you can.
If. If? If! Jesus’ diagnosis was correct across the board. The disciples didn’t get the job done—a lack of faith. The scribes questioned the credentials of Jesus and the disciples, testing them, often trying to trip them up. Unfaith. They saw the signs before and still doubted who Jesus was. And here the man says, “if.”
Faith and miracles go hand in hand. Sometimes faith precedes the miracle. Sometimes God grants it during or after the miracle. A sign, a miracle all by itself is just entertainment. Without Jesus’ teaching, the feeding of the five thousand is just dinner and a show.
“If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The man heard and felt the stern rebuke of the law. What a wonderful response: “I believe; help my unbelief!” If only we could remember that prayer to Jesus in our day of trial.
And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
This is a different situation than what we overheard last week. We also encountered a mute and deaf person. There was a physical cause for that affliction. Here, with the son, there are additional symptoms, including “it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.” Even the father knew a demon was at work.
Jesus demonstrated His authority over creation as the creator when He used fingers, spit, and prayer to heal the man last week. This week, He demonstrates His divine authority over the devil and death. The demon left the boy and, at Jesus’ word, the boy arose.
The miracles of Jesus teach us that in the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the power of Resurrection Day is present. Jesus gives us more than just a description of what the Last Day, the day of Resurrection will be like—He shows us. The Word of Jesus, miracles, and faith go together!
Do you have a good and gracious God, or not? (pause) Don’t hesitate so long to answer. Don’t over-think the question. Don’t let your emotions distract you. What does Holy Scripture say?
Yes. Yes. A trillion times, Yes!
Are we tempted to doubt the goodness of God? Yes. That’s the devil’s work—and the influence of the world—and the weakness of your own human flesh, too.
Why do we hesitate? Why are we tempted to doubt? Why do some fall away from faith? It’s because we’re from Missouri. That’s right—and I don’t mean the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. I mean Missouri.
Wyoming is the Cowboy State and the Equality State. Nebraska used to be called the Beef State as well as the Cornhusker State. Missouri is the… “Show Me” State.
Our preferred way of living in the world, according to our human nature, is called “Living by sight.” Show me, we say. I won’t believe it until you show me the cold, hard facts. Show me the money! People fall away from Christ, and are tempted to doubt God’s goodness because we see bad things going on in the world. Bad things happen to good people. Wars and rumors of wars. Tragic accidents. Painful experiences. Dreadful diseases. Things like Nine-Eleven.
“Living by faith” is different. About as different as one could be. Faith trusts in what we do not see, but Who we know is there—a good and gracious God in Christ. We walk by faith and not by…sight. No one said it was easy. Jesus still calls you to faith.
Faith can die. The best evidence of this is our friend Peter. In order to avoid the appearance of “beating him up,” be reminded of the rest of his story. Sure enough, Peter didn’t want Jesus to go to the cross, and he denied Jesus three times, but Peter was forgiven by Jesus Himself and restored to his vocation of disciple, apostle, and pastor.
In Mark 8 and Matthew 16 Peter expresses faith, trust, and hope in God by declaring Jesus to be the Christ, the very Son of God. Jesus calls Him blessed. That means blessed—full of faith. Can one be a Christian and fall away? Yes. Can a fallen Christian be restored to faith and forgiveness? Yes. Peter teaches us a lot by counter-example. Faith is a gift from God, not something we generate in ourselves. As a gift, it can be resisted, as Stephen taught us in Acts 7.
Feeding your faith is important. Unfed, faith can die. Any parent would recoil at the idea of taking a newborn home and not feeding him. It’s barbaric, inhumane, uncivilized! So is Holy Baptism apart from teaching the baptized God’s Word in all of its articles.
How can we encourage the parents of all the baptized to bring them to church in their first years of life? The pastor has a microphone, so crying children aren’t a real problem. Not all crying is a joyful noise, but would you really want to discourage a parent bringing a fellow Christian to Church?
We still have needs in our Sunday School. More teachers are needed to prevent burnout in the ones we install this morning. We don’t want to lose them. Our biggest need, however, is children. What children, already part of our congregation are missing this morning? What children in this community could you bring next week? Children are more than the church of the future. In Holy Baptism, they are already joined to the body of Christ. They are an important part of the church now.
Are there others you know who should be added to the shut-in list? I get to visit our current shut-ins at home once or twice a month. Let me know how I can help.
Where are all the men? How can we encourage more men to see Jesus as He actually is? Our Lord Jesus is both loving and strong, merciful and powerful, the Lamb of God and a victorious warrior over sin, death, and Satan.
Bad things happen to good people. We don’t throw up our hands in despair. No, we fold them in prayer. Bad days don’t just bring us to our knees, for we willingly bend the knee in prayer. Remember Jesus’ last words in the text. They are mentioned last in the text and last in this sermon so that you remember them!
“Why could we not cast it out?” the disciples asked. Jesus answered, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Prayer. Conversation with God. Praise. Petition. Thanksgiving. Recalling His goodness and graciousness to His people throughout salvation history.
It has been said that the Christian prays as if everything depends upon God, and works as if everything depends upon them. Properly understood, this can be a good saying, but only if we take prayer seriously.
Moses got into trouble when he involved himself in God’s provision for His people. The people needed water. God told Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock and a spring would burst forth. Instead, Moses and Aaron drew attention to what they were doing, and Moses struck the rock twice. Same spring of water, but they put the focus on acting as if everything depended upon them.
Prayer is an action of trust. Faith asks God to work in the situation. Do you play the game of asking, “If?” When tense situations arise, do you worry about what you are going to do? I’m guessing that the disciples did too—especially when the demon remained and the scribes came criticizing.
We continue to pray. That is part of the beauty of Matins. As forgiven sinners, we pray for ourselves, for the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God and for the unity of all, saying, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” That’s a pretty good prayer to keep in mind for all those bad days.
Then we pray the prayer Jesus taught us—both a prayer and a model of how to pray.
The Collect of the Day collects the teachings of the Scriptures for the Day and the prayers of the people with a common “Amen.”
Additional collects or the Prayer of the Church follow. Again the “Kyrie” of faith: Let us pray to the Lord: Lord have mercy.
Finally, the collect for grace thanks the Lord for His protection through the night and asks for His defense and guidance in the new day.
Every day, your faith is put to the test. There are good days and bad days, and both come and go—neither kind lasts. When “If” and “Why” torture you on the worst days, and although the danger of unbelief is always around the corner, remember that your Lord is even closer. And remember to pray: “I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus, who dwells in highest heaven is in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is near enough to hear your prayer. He is good, loving, and powerful enough to take care of you. “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sermon for 06 September, 2009 Proper 18B
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Isaiah 35:4-7
Look to Jesus
Proper [18] B, Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 06 September 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He has come, still comes, and will come again. Be strong in the Lord.
Note that I didn’t say, “Be strong in yourselves.” We all face times in our lives when our own strength, health, knowledge, or popularity fails. Human love is imperfect. Human forgiveness is incomplete. Human strength grows weary, suffers disease and pain, or meets its match.
Our anxiety grows with piles of work, challenges at school, projects at home. And relationships with other people can be great blessings, and also complicate things at the same time.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He has come, still comes, and will come again. Be strong in the Lord.
I can identify with you in the pew who heard the Old Testament reading from Isaiah 35 earlier this morning and wondered, “What does that mean? What does it have to do with me?” Our Lord Jesus is the key to understanding the text, one of hope and comfort and peace for you, as it was to God’s people of old.
Jesus has come. His Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter are in our past. For the people of the Lord hearing Isaiah’s Word of the Lord for the first time, Jesus’ coming was seven hundred years in their future. They wanted hope. They wanted a future. They were facing exile. The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen. The southern kingdom of Judah was threatened by armies. In another hundred years Judah would be no more. Off to exile they would go and we meet folks like Ezekiel, Daniel, and Esther.
Why did the kingdoms of God’s ancient people fall? The First Commandment. You shall have no other gods. Simply put, they had other gods. The people were fickle and forgetful. They thought of themselves first. Their kings became corrupt and idolatrous. They forgot the Lord their God although He was faithful to them. Are people really that different today?
The Lord, then and now, preserves a faithful remnant—always. He directed His servant Isaiah to preach both judgment and promise. Isaiah 35 is an example of the promise of the time of Jesus’ first coming.
Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He has come. Be strong in the Lord. You have less than four months to shop for Christmas, the celebration of His first coming. Today’s Gospel reading culminates with this verse: (Mark 7:37) “And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’” Jesus fulfills our reading from Isaiah here. Mark 7 is why Isaiah 35 was chosen for today by the Lectionary Committee. Promise made and Promise kept are important for believers to hear together at the same time. God keeps the promises He makes.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He still comes. Be strong in the Lord.
Yes, Jesus still comes. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. He has promised to be with you always, even to the end of the age. He has promised to be with two or three gathered in His name. He is present when His Word is read, preached, and sung. He is present to forgive when another speaks in His stead and by His command. He is at every Baptism and every Holy Communion. He is present to bless.
The word Christian means “little Christ.” His people are His hands, His feet, His ears, and His lips in action to serve one another and those who do not yet know Him.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He will come again. Be strong in the Lord.
The Day of Jesus’ Second Coming is known by many names: Judgment Day, the Last Day, Resurrection Day, the Day of the Lord, and even the “Don’t Know” Day because no one knows the day or the hour but Our Father who art in heaven. What we do know is that it is coming. He is coming.
Isaiah 35 gives us insight into what the earthly ministry of Jesus would be like, but also about the Last Day.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
What the Lord doesn’t heal in this life, He will heal on Resurrection Day.
For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
You have heard that the lion will lay down with the lamb. How about peaceful pastures of jackals? That word in Hebrew is so similar to that for serpents, whales, sea monsters, and dragons, yes, the ancient term for dinosaurs, that the King James Version has “the habitation of dragons” as the translation of the last verse of this reading.
If the Lord can make a lion lie down peacefully with a lamb, if the Lord can make streams flow in the desert, and if He can tame howling dogs or dragons, dinosaurs, if He can and will do all of these things on the Last Day, the Day of Jesus’ Second Coming, isn’t He strong enough, loving enough, gracious enough, to calm your anxious hearts and minds and bodies now?
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus, feed on Jesus, listen to Jesus, trust in Jesus, read Jesus’ own words, pray to Jesus, hold on to Jesus. He has come, still comes, and will come again. Be strong in the Lord. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Isaiah 35:4-7
Look to Jesus
Proper [18] B, Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 06 September 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He has come, still comes, and will come again. Be strong in the Lord.
Note that I didn’t say, “Be strong in yourselves.” We all face times in our lives when our own strength, health, knowledge, or popularity fails. Human love is imperfect. Human forgiveness is incomplete. Human strength grows weary, suffers disease and pain, or meets its match.
Our anxiety grows with piles of work, challenges at school, projects at home. And relationships with other people can be great blessings, and also complicate things at the same time.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He has come, still comes, and will come again. Be strong in the Lord.
I can identify with you in the pew who heard the Old Testament reading from Isaiah 35 earlier this morning and wondered, “What does that mean? What does it have to do with me?” Our Lord Jesus is the key to understanding the text, one of hope and comfort and peace for you, as it was to God’s people of old.
Jesus has come. His Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter are in our past. For the people of the Lord hearing Isaiah’s Word of the Lord for the first time, Jesus’ coming was seven hundred years in their future. They wanted hope. They wanted a future. They were facing exile. The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen. The southern kingdom of Judah was threatened by armies. In another hundred years Judah would be no more. Off to exile they would go and we meet folks like Ezekiel, Daniel, and Esther.
Why did the kingdoms of God’s ancient people fall? The First Commandment. You shall have no other gods. Simply put, they had other gods. The people were fickle and forgetful. They thought of themselves first. Their kings became corrupt and idolatrous. They forgot the Lord their God although He was faithful to them. Are people really that different today?
The Lord, then and now, preserves a faithful remnant—always. He directed His servant Isaiah to preach both judgment and promise. Isaiah 35 is an example of the promise of the time of Jesus’ first coming.
Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He has come. Be strong in the Lord. You have less than four months to shop for Christmas, the celebration of His first coming. Today’s Gospel reading culminates with this verse: (Mark 7:37) “And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’” Jesus fulfills our reading from Isaiah here. Mark 7 is why Isaiah 35 was chosen for today by the Lectionary Committee. Promise made and Promise kept are important for believers to hear together at the same time. God keeps the promises He makes.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He still comes. Be strong in the Lord.
Yes, Jesus still comes. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. He has promised to be with you always, even to the end of the age. He has promised to be with two or three gathered in His name. He is present when His Word is read, preached, and sung. He is present to forgive when another speaks in His stead and by His command. He is at every Baptism and every Holy Communion. He is present to bless.
The word Christian means “little Christ.” His people are His hands, His feet, His ears, and His lips in action to serve one another and those who do not yet know Him.
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus. He will come again. Be strong in the Lord.
The Day of Jesus’ Second Coming is known by many names: Judgment Day, the Last Day, Resurrection Day, the Day of the Lord, and even the “Don’t Know” Day because no one knows the day or the hour but Our Father who art in heaven. What we do know is that it is coming. He is coming.
Isaiah 35 gives us insight into what the earthly ministry of Jesus would be like, but also about the Last Day.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
What the Lord doesn’t heal in this life, He will heal on Resurrection Day.
For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
You have heard that the lion will lay down with the lamb. How about peaceful pastures of jackals? That word in Hebrew is so similar to that for serpents, whales, sea monsters, and dragons, yes, the ancient term for dinosaurs, that the King James Version has “the habitation of dragons” as the translation of the last verse of this reading.
If the Lord can make a lion lie down peacefully with a lamb, if the Lord can make streams flow in the desert, and if He can tame howling dogs or dragons, dinosaurs, if He can and will do all of these things on the Last Day, the Day of Jesus’ Second Coming, isn’t He strong enough, loving enough, gracious enough, to calm your anxious hearts and minds and bodies now?
Do you have an anxious heart? Look to Jesus, feed on Jesus, listen to Jesus, trust in Jesus, read Jesus’ own words, pray to Jesus, hold on to Jesus. He has come, still comes, and will come again. Be strong in the Lord. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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