The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity- 9-28-08

The Church Season of Trinity
The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (September 28, 2008)

“THE LORD SEES YOUR FAITH”

Readings:

Psalm 84
Genesis 28:10-17
Ephesians 4:22-28
Matthew 9:1-8

Sermon Form Deductive
+INI+

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 9th chapter of St. Matthew, especially the following verse:

Matthew 9:1-8 (NIV)

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” 4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

This is a familiar text to us all and it should be, it is recorded here in Matthew’s Gospel as well as in the books of Mark and Luke. We know this sick man, a paralytic, did not come to Jesus under his own power, rather four of his friends brought him to Jesus. And we know from the other recordings of this event that the room where Jesus was, was so crowed that the man’s friends had to dig a hole in the roof just to lower the sick man down to Jesus. This man’s friends loved him very much. They loved him so much that nothing interfered with their hope for their friend, and there was nothing that stopped them from trying to help their friend.

So we see that not only did their actions prove their faith, but it also reveals that the Son of man Jesus Christ, could look into their hearts, because the text says that Jesus saw their faith, the faith of all five men. None of them had said a word, but Jesus knew their thoughts. Jesus' divinity gave His humanity the power to know all things. And the scripture here tells us that all the things Jesus saw, and all the things Jesus knew, He responded to for He had come to take care of the helpless.

There are times when those whom we know, and those whom we love are afflicted with all the terrible things which the devil and this world will throw at us. In these stressful times looking to ourselves helps only for a moment. Rather more often than not, it reveals our weakness and our inability to conquer the challenges that we face. And if I were to stop right here it would be a very gloomy message for today, one reflecting all our pain and suffering as a result of the sin of Adam and our sins and that would offer no help or hope for a brighter future.

So I will read to you words from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, who speaks about hope in our times of weakness...”The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“(Romans 8:22-39)

And so the, “love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” is what is reflected in this Gospel lesson today. Jesus said to the paralyzed man: "Take heart, my son, your sins have been forgiven!"(v. 3) The faith of this helpless man received the most important gift, a spiritual gift, the forgiveness of his sins. And it is very important to note that the words of scripture here DO NOT say that this man was paralyzed as a punishment for some particular sin. Rather God brought this sick man to Jesus, so that He could prove to people who Jesus was. We may also ask, “Did all five men receive forgiveness of sins?” Well, it is very likely they did as all of them believed and so all of them received Christ’s help.

But, maybe even more important are the details of exactly what happened here. Some would say that, “The devil is in the details” but as I often do, I correct anyone who says this and note that really, it is always God who is in the details.

And what I mean is this...Had we been in that crowded room waiting to hear the Word of God, Jesus Christ, speak...we would have looked up and we would have seen four men digging a hole in the roof and lowering a sick man down so that he could be closer to Jesus. But that is not what Jesus saw, Jesus, “saw their faith”(v. 2) And no matter what the people in the room knew, or what they thought they knew about the man who was sick, or for that matter even those other people in the room who hated Jesus, all those people, every single one of them, Jesus, “knew their thoughts”(v. 4)

Jesus sees that which we cannot see, and He knows our thoughts even if we never give voice to a single one of them. We see His miracles every single day and refuse to admit it. So we need to be reminded that every single baptized child of God has been involved in a miracle. For in our baptism, our eyes see only baby, a child, or an adult, being baptized with water, while the pastor speaks Gods Word. But that is not what God sees, He sees that child of God become a saint who will live with Him forever. And our weak eyes see only bread and wine in Holy Communion, and our thoughts and mouths tell us there is no difference here. But Christ is revealed in this Holy meal and there He shows us that He is, “the Son of Man (who) has authority on earth to forgive sins.”(v. 6)

So when your weak eyes see that you are faced with an illness, or your family or friends are faced with illnesses, or any other challenge that this world may place before you, think not of what you see or what you feel. In all those times when grief, fear, and despair may make you feel nobody is listening, like you have to dig a hole through a roof just so that you can get through to Jesus...In all these times regardless of what you see, always remember that Jesus sees your faith, because He is the one who first gave it to you. And Jesus hears your prayers, and He knows your every thought. As it says in Psalm 102, “A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.”(Ps. 102:1-2)

We are all afflicted by the effects of sin, yet Jesus always sees your faith and always knows your thoughts. It is a miracle that God would come to us in Christ and He would die for all our sins. But, miracles do happen. Miracles helped people believe in Jesus. But even greater yet is the miracle of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection which gives you forgiveness of sins. Because of all He has done even your weak eyes will one day be able to see Him face to face. And just like that crowd who was only able to see their beloved friend or family member, that suffering paralytic who was healed...know that one day Jesus will bring you to Himself. And when you see Jesus, you too will be “filled with awe” and you too will “praise God”, for one day you will see Jesus Christ. And on that day, He will tell you to get up, take leave of all your cares, worries, and matters and then He will see you to His heavenly home. Amen.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

+SDG+