The sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 2024.
Immanuel LCMS Fairview Podcast
Sermon - Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - September 8, 2024
The text for our sermon this morning is the second part of our gospel reading when Jesus heals the mute and deaf man and at the end everyone was astonished beyond measure and they said he has done all things well. May God's grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please be seated. Today in our gospel reading that second part of it we see a couple of lessons. First off I want you to see and recognize Jesus uses means to heal this man not only in the actual healing but also take note how this man is brought forth to Jesus. His friends or his family people he knows the people they bring him to Jesus. This is a picture of our prayer life. We take people to Jesus by prayer so we see even the means of prayer kind of being taught at the beginning of this section of this reading. But three things in particular from our reading in addition to that. God always keeps his promises. We see ourself and all humanity in this man and finally Jesus works through means. God is in Christ Jesus reconnecting humanity to himself. Last week if you remember Jesus was teaching it's not what goes into a man that makes him unclean but what comes out. Interestingly enough today though things sort of change perspective today we have a man who doesn't speak any words. Nothing comes out of this man's heart. Not only does nothing come out but his ears don't work. Nothing comes out and it seems nothing is able to come in. He can't speak or at least people can't understand him. Maybe he just mumbles and he cannot hear. So the first part of Mark 7 our reading from last week is about what goes into a man. The end of chapter 7 now it kind of directs us to ponder what comes out even with this man sin has stopped all. Now as we look at this reading the mention of Jesus physical location the physical context is important because Jesus is in Gentile territory. This is an area Jesus as he's walking along this is an area where King of the Jews would never be found. But by including this detail the Holy Spirit reminds us Jesus has compassion and care for all people. This is another Gentile healing that takes place. Jesus shows no partiality as we are prone to do even as James reminds us in church. I wouldn't just say church but in your life in general to show no partiality to people to treat everyone the same. Jesus shows no partiality even in Gentile country because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But Jesus has come to heal to reconnect us to the Father where the connection to eternal life the connection to one another the connection to God has been cut by sin Jesus reconnects us to the Father. Now imagine being this man imagine what it's like that nobody can understand anything you say. We remember Zachariah was stricken mute when he doubted God's messenger telling him that his son would be the forerunner the birth of John the Baptist. Zachariah he was told he couldn't speak because he didn't believe couldn't be understood. It's bad enough when we have a connection on our cell phone isn't it? How annoying is that? Oh I have to dial you back hang on this cell phone is ridiculous. There's even that commercial remember the guy walking around can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? It was a successful commercial you remember it to this day because it touched on something that annoys us all. Not being heard and not hearing. This is a condition for this man his entire life no matter how hard he tried to reconnect. Nothing. No re dialing for him just silence. And no matter how many times he tried to speak no one could understand him how would he express pain how would he express joy. You and I were not so limited as this man was our connection is usually pretty good. We're able to speak well, but what are we more often prone to do? We're able to understand loud and clear. But what is it that we open our ears to most often? What is it many times that comes easy? Well I think with our voice what a lot of times is easy is to tear people down or notice how much better we are than others. It's much easier to get upset and to complain than it is to build each other up. And even our prayers our prayers it's a discipline we have to try we have to put effort into it. But isn't it so much easier how oh my God can just slip off the tongue or a curse word can just slip off our tongue without much a thought yet we're slow to pray. Or even perhaps our prayers are non-existent but boy we can sure complain about the government how easy it is to complain. Oh my God is easy but our prayers where we should say oh my God have mercy on me the sinner. All of a sudden now we can't speak when it comes to confessing our sins all of a sudden oh we don't remember. Now consider this this idea this notion of speaking and using words we along with the angels are the only part of creation that praises God with language. God who spoke creation into existence he shares what is his with us. Speaking and using words no other part of creation has this privilege of sharing in what God did to bring all that we see into existence. And what is it that we too often do with our voices God said let there be light and there was. Man says let there be gossip let there be cursing let there be false teaching and doctrine let there be darkness. Can you hear me now? James tells us that the tongue defiles the whole body no man can tame his own tongue. It's an unruly evil he says full of deadly poison with it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men even though they've been made in the image of God. I'm almost jealous of this mute man he was limited in the damage he could do with his tongue we are not. Oh and what about hearing this deaf man he wasn't able to hear false doctrine he wasn't able to be led astray by false teaching perhaps Eve wishes she would have been deaf to not hear the devil. So many times I want to just cover my ears bad news is everywhere if you're like me some days I just want to turn off the noise want to get away get somewhere that's quiet and not hear anything. But even then I'd be stuck with my own sinful thoughts. This man he would not have been burdened with hearing the teasing of others or the laughter at him because of his speech impediment almost a bit of mercy. But yet then also he'd never hear I love you he would never hear, he would never hear you are my son I love you he would never hear you are my brother he would never hear you are my friend. On the other hand he would also not hear screams of agony when someone's in pain. I imagine he probably even wondered if God could hear him. But our reading today is wonderful because it shows us that God hears and reminds me of that scripture even when we don't know what to pray the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with words with groans even too deep for words that you have an advocate. You have somebody who not only hears you but who also speaks for you. God hears and in Christ Jesus the God who made all of creation by his word through Christ Jesus through his creating word you are reconnected to God the word made flesh. This reading today is first and foremost about God's faithfulness he fulfilled the promise he made to Isaiah some 700 years earlier. Our Old Testament reading from Isaiah 35 says God will come with vengeance but what does he do with that vengeance? He unstops ears that have been clogged by sin he releases the tongue that's been frozen by anger and evil God keeps his word what he says will come true you can trust him he cannot lie and he tells you have no fear everything will be okay. You can trust him unlike us he is the truth and Jesus is the way the truth in the life Jesus is the same God is the Father and the Holy Spirit and this God comes and finds this man in far off gone lost territory that nobody would even think twice to go to. And his touch it brings healing and restoration why because he's God God in the flesh and consider this too that Jesus comes to bring healing you know we have to wash our hands so we don't get sick. We have to avoid germs and dirtiness because well it makes us sick. We just went through a worldwide experiment of trying to avoid sickness by social distance a sick person in our world can make a healthy person sick but the reverse of that is not true a healthy person can't make a sick person healthy by being near them. We can't reverse the effects of sin but God can and God does Jesus comes near to the dead Jesus comes near the sick Jesus comes near our man today and what does he do. His health his goodness his righteousness goes to the man he reverses it what an amazing picture. Now he kind of uses some unorthodox means I mean he he spits we don't know if Jesus spit on the man's tongue or how this really unfolded it's kind of a mystery but Jesus spits or he spits on his hand and then touches the man's tongue. But it is plain that Jesus uses means to bring his healing and look what he did with the man he took him away from the crowd Jesus gets in close face to face with the man Jesus isn't afraid to get dirty. He isn't afraid to get close to illness because he's going to heal. He gets so close to you and me. He becomes us he becomes man he gets so close to humanity that he absorbs our sickness and sin and he goes to the cross and he dies so that you may be healthy again so that he would restore our connection to God. You have to wonder can God hear me now. The one who never spoke a bad word the one who never thought a wicked thought the one whose ears were always open to the father the one who always listened to God the one who was never sick the one who never compromised on faithfulness as he's taken to the cross and put on trial. He doesn't argue one word he's silent as a sheep before the shearer he's cut off from the father his connection to God was lost cut off his cell phone agreement cancel father why has thou forsaken me. From the land of the living he was cut off not for his sins but for yours. He heard the accusations of everybody even as he hung on the cross you're a pathetic savior you're a sorry excuse for some God. They yelled you're just a big mistake. He hears every one of their accusations and he absorbs it he takes it he hears every one of your sins and he goes to the cross because that's your healing. His death for your life you being freed from all you've done in your sins by his being held accountable at the cross his death defeating righteousness and goodness turned over to you. And he says can you hear me now. Our first the first part of the reading teaches us who it is that dies on the cross who it is that's healing this man second our reading teaches us that this man is us. This man is every sinner even now our Lord comes to us through means where we have sinned where we have been silent when we should stand up where we have listened more to our pride than God's call for us to be humble. Yes God forgives you as if you never even send. God comes to you even when we cannot call out to him when we cannot hear Jesus breaks the silence he unstops your ears by the Holy Spirit as he did for this man he does for you on a regular basis. Third Jesus uses means he could have just said to the he didn't even have to say anything to this man he could have just said speak or he could have just said here but Jesus takes the man aside. He directs his attention to Jesus he put away all the noise so for you to you too sometimes yes put away everything focus on Christ put away all the noise and focus on Christ and hearing his word. Jesus uses physical means to heal the man Jesus uses baptism in the Lord supper to release you things that even the world thinks that's kind of ridiculous like spitting on someone bread and wine water. Here it is that Christ gives you hearing and opens your lips by his mercy and forgiveness he gives you life through means the Holy Spirit works through means he does all things well. Finally consider now what you are called to listen to what are you called to hear what are you called to say my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Now that your ears have been unstopped your tongue released what should we be doing should it not be that we listen to this creating word that brings light into a dark world. And what should we say not just a general encouragement to build each other up but this week intentionally work to bring light to someone with your words or even better yet say the name Jesus. Say the name of Jesus to someone you've never said the name Jesus to before see what happens. Jesus he commanded the people who witnessed this miracle he said don't tell anybody but then we're told the man said it all the more so perhaps some reverse psychology so listen to me everybody this is very important don't talk about Jesus to anyone this week. Don't say it keep it all to yourself. Jesus is the true Son of God he comes into your world and changes everything. Don't be afraid. We're more than willing to plaster our yards with political signs sports signs little Timmy is on super basketball team. How about your neighbors know that Christians live in that house. How can we show that? Do not be afraid. He hears you and opens your lips the psalmist says oh Lord open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. He has done all things well my friends. God keeps his promises Jesus heals you and frees you from fear. Perhaps this little this perhaps this man was a little leery at what Jesus is doing. Why is this guy spitting? Why is he touching me? It seems strange. But living by faith you know that God is working in your life to reconnect you to your neighbor your family and to himself. By the work of Christ Jesus you now hears every one of your prayers so when you're fearful pray when you want confidence pray. In Christ Jesus you never have to wonder can God hear me now? God has reconnected healed and forgiven you all your sins in Jesus reconnecting you to him and you're never outside his coverage. So stay connected and may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. [BLANK_AUDIO]