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The Twenty-Fourth Sunday
after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10
AM Central Time
The Hymn # 281 The Savior Calls 1:29
The Confession
of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The
Gospel
Glory be to
Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon
Hymn # 531 Come ye Disconsolate 1:15
Two Examples of Faith
The Communion
Hymn # 308 Invited Lord 1:63
The Preface p.
24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 511 Jesus Shall Reign 1:80
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 511 Jesus Shall Reign 1:80
KJV Colossians 1:9 For this
cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you,
and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the
knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the
Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the
saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
KJV Matthew 9:18 While he
spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and
worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand
upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so
did his disciples. 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an
issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his
garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I
shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said,
Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was
made whole from that hour. 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and
saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give
place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand,
and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Trinity
O almighty and everlasting
God, who by Thy Son hast promised us forgiveness of our sins and deliverance
from eternal death: We pray that by Thy Holy Spirit Thou wilt daily increase
our faith in Thy grace through Christ, and establish us in the certain hope
that we shall not die, but peacefully sleep, and be raised again on the last
day to eternal life and salvation; through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who
liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without
end. Amen.
Two Examples of Faith
KJV Matthew 9:18 While he
spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and
worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand
upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so
did his disciples.
We have a beautiful
twin-miracle lesson, where one begins and then completes after the miracle in
the middle. This has been called a literary device and it is also seen in
paintings, with one main painting and two subordinate paintings on each side to
frame and explain the central artwork.
This miracle set is found in
all three Gospels, so we can see the importance of knowing and understanding
both healings.
The first is the ruler’s
daughter. We should not overlook the fact that this was the daughter of an
important official, one known by many. In some cases the entire crowd witnessed
the miracle. In this case, the immediate witnesses of the miracle were few, but
the entire circle of friends and associates, plus many more, knew of the
ruler’s plight and participated to some degree in the actual mourning
ceremonies.
Those who laughed at Jesus
were just as important as the trusting family, since they were rudely shaken in
their assumptions. They were not laughing at a pretentious bumpkin but at the
Son of God, who raised the girl from the dead.
The faith of this ruler is
infinite, since he assumed in his trust, that Jesus could take his beloved
daughter from death to life again. What weakens us more than death itself? What
can be done but mourn? Most people would have hoped for healing but given up at
this point.
But the ruler trusted Jesus
so much that he said, “My daughter is already dead, but lay Your hand on her
and she will live.” In some instances, Jesus did not travel to the sick or
dying person. But He did this time, and that meant the rumor (sermon) of His
power went with Him.
On the way woman came up
behind Him and vowed she would touch the hem of His robe. Her condition was
equally devastating. Because of the issue of blood, she was ritually unclean
and could not be touched – for 12 years. The more she sought help from doctors,
the worse she became.
She should have been leveled
by the malady and by her inability to find any healing or solace. She is a good
example of those who have less and less and yet their faith grows. She trusted
in Jesus so much that she did not even think to ask him face-to-face. How could
she? She was ritually unclean. She did not think to ask Him to touch her with
His healing hands.
But she was certain that
touching His garment would alone be enough to heal her. And she experienced
immediate healing when she did. Likewise, Jesus knew what happened and said so.
Here is a great quotation
(from memory) that picked up on this healing – “If touching the hem of the
garment of Jesus healed the woman with the flow, how much more will receiving
the Body and Blood of Christ heal us?”
22 But Jesus turned him
about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith
hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
It is difficult to imagine
faith being so bad, when Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.” That came
from Jesus, not Arminius.
Luther explains it well. He
often preached on this theme. The Gospel is not for the rich, powerful, and
self-satisfied. They are like hogs looking at the sacrament. They devour it and
do not know what they are consuming. But they have no use for its comfort,
since their comfort comes from worldly peace – having power, honors, and an
excess of wealth (mammon). They worship these worldly signs of peace and not
God.
However, the Gospel is a
great comfort to those who are suffering. They feel the weight of their sins –
as prisoners do when they rejoice at hearing the simple Gospel being for them,
also. They have bodily pain and disorders, so they value spiritual comfort that
much more. And the great torment of all is emotional, which no one can see.
Luther suffered terribly because of his great intelligence and his emotional
acuity. Others like my friend at a Christian school in Midland, suffer from no temptation
because they do whatever they want. (That was before the teacher’s conversion.)
But Luther was chosen by God to separate the Gospel from the papal captivity of
it, so Satan violently attacked Luther through his emotions. In seeking Gospel
peace he wrote an enormous amount of material that still gives peace to people
today.
Jesus did not scorn woman as
unclean but praised her faith. His grace and love were so great that He drew
large crowds toward Him wherever He went. His enemies saw that. They were
jealous and plotted revenge – all for the glory of God, of course.
23 And when Jesus came
into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24
He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they
laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took
her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into
all that land.
Jesus continued on His journey
to Jairus’ daughter. The professional mourners were making a racket, so Jesus
kicked them out, giving them a morsel of the miracle to come. “The maid is not
dead but sleeping.” They mocked Him with their laughter.
That is always worth considering.
The same type of person who would laugh at the Savior (who was about to save a life)
will do far more than that to us who are frail, sinful humans.
When they laugh at us, they
are laughing at Jesus and the Gospels.
Why did Jairus accomplish so
much for his daughter? He trusted God could accomplish this great miracle, a miracle
beyond consideration for most people. Certain the Gospel had already reached Jairus
and had its effect on him.
Lenski:
Matthew
at once takes us to the house where the Jewish mourning is in full blast.
Judging from the indications of time in this chapter, it must have been toward
dusk, and the child would be buried the next morning. Matthew alone mentions
the hired “flute players”; beside them would be found the hired wailing women
with hair streaming, beating their breasts and filling the air with loud moans
and bursts of sobs. The prominence of the family would call for a goodly number
of these hired mourners. Besides there would be present many friends of this
important family. The whole house was thus full of noise. Paid mourners were
professionals at the business, and the custom of having them in houses of
mourning and at funerals dates far back, even beyond the times of Jeremiah
(9:17), and is found among Jews and pagans alike. Naturally, Jesus would order
these people out and hush them; a deed such as he was about to do called for
the decency and the dignity of silence.
24)
The word with which Jesus put out the noisy crowd has sometimes been
misunderstood as though it implied that the girl had merely lapsed into a coma
and appeared to be dead while still holding to life. “Did not die” is taken to
deny the death, and “sleepeth” is understood to refer to sleep. But the people
who were ordered out of the room knew better; from their loud wailing they
turned to scornful laughter at this word of Jesus, sie lachten ihn aus. According to Mark 5:35 Jairus is informed: ἀπέθανεν, “she did die”; Luke 8:49 has τέθνηκεν, “she has died” and thus is dead, and adds the
statement that the people “knew that she died.” The explanation that Jesus
spoke as he did because he wanted to veil his miracle, is unacceptable; he does
not equivocate or deceive. “Did not die but is sleeping” is spoken in view of
the omnipotent power and will of him who can bring life back with a word. The
word is true because of him who makes it true.
Lenski,
R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN. :
Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 375.
Jairus was the ruler of a
synagogue, so he was extremely well known, highly respected, and well versed in
the Scriptures predicting the coming of the Messiah.
This should be remembered as
a source of the opposition against Jesus but also a reason for the apostolic
church growing so fast and encountering persecution. The congregations were
already started when the apostles went out. They had flocks to feed and pastors
to teach.
The growth of the Gospel was
explosive because of Jesus’ public ministry.
Luther:
27. This is the beautiful example of the woman.
Now we turn to the daughter of the ruler of the Synagogue. But here, too, faith
must contend and be strengthened; for although, as we have already heard, he
had an excellent faith, yet it could scarcely have been maintained, had it not
been strengthened. For, while Christ was still speaking with the woman, Mark
5:35-36 and Luke 8:49, say a message was brought, stating the man’s daughter
had died, and requesting him not to trouble the Master.
This meant all would amount to nothing, since they had delayed too long; hence he should leave the matter and think only of how to bury his child.
28. This must have been a severe blow to the ruler’s faith. But the fact that the woman had just been healed, must have prevented his faith from failing, and indeed strengthened it to resist the doubts concerning his daughter.
And Christ himself is present to comfort and strengthen him against this stumbling-block, in order to show that he is unwilling that even such weak faith should be injured in any way, but be established and strengthened; and in view of this he admonishes and encourages all persons by saying: “Doubt not, only believe, etc.” This he said in order to see how highly he was pleased with the faith that clings to him, and that he was ready to guard against its being overcome; as he spoke to the Apostles, and especially to Peter, who fell so easily, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
29. Now when Christ came to the house, this man’s faith had to receive another blow; for there they saw and heard nothing but the tumult, weeping and wailing, and the blowing of trumpets (which they used at the death of their friends, as we do bells). All this cries in his heart that nothing was left but death, and his faith had nothing on which to lay hold against despair, except the word which Christ spoke against the tumult and lamentations: “The child is not dead, but sleepeth,” on account of which he was mocked and laughed at as a fool; for they all saw and knew that the maid was dead, and that there was no breath nor spark of life in her. They could not but think: See, our master or ruler must be mad or silly to bring this fool here, who tries to convince us that the maid is not dead, when every one can clearly see she lies stiff in death, a dead corpse, ready to be placed under ground.
30. They had come together at the synagogue, as at a common gathering place, as we do at our churches, where on the Sabbath the Word of God was taught, because throughout the whole country there was neither church nor temple, except at Jerusalem. And this ruler of the synagogue occupied the same position among them that our pastors occupy, and others occupied the place of assistants or readers, who read Moses or preached, circumcised the children and instructed the young, and visited the sick and sorrowing to comfort them. These had to be together in the synagogue and testified concerning this work of Christ, even with their mocking and scornful laughter, namely, that the maiden had certainly died and been raised from the dead. The ruler therefore, before he could experience the work of Christ, was compelled, in the face of this offense and mockery, to cling to the one word of Christ and with him be regarded as a fool and in his folly learn this spiritual wisdom that death is not death to Christ, but only a sleep.
This meant all would amount to nothing, since they had delayed too long; hence he should leave the matter and think only of how to bury his child.
28. This must have been a severe blow to the ruler’s faith. But the fact that the woman had just been healed, must have prevented his faith from failing, and indeed strengthened it to resist the doubts concerning his daughter.
And Christ himself is present to comfort and strengthen him against this stumbling-block, in order to show that he is unwilling that even such weak faith should be injured in any way, but be established and strengthened; and in view of this he admonishes and encourages all persons by saying: “Doubt not, only believe, etc.” This he said in order to see how highly he was pleased with the faith that clings to him, and that he was ready to guard against its being overcome; as he spoke to the Apostles, and especially to Peter, who fell so easily, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
29. Now when Christ came to the house, this man’s faith had to receive another blow; for there they saw and heard nothing but the tumult, weeping and wailing, and the blowing of trumpets (which they used at the death of their friends, as we do bells). All this cries in his heart that nothing was left but death, and his faith had nothing on which to lay hold against despair, except the word which Christ spoke against the tumult and lamentations: “The child is not dead, but sleepeth,” on account of which he was mocked and laughed at as a fool; for they all saw and knew that the maid was dead, and that there was no breath nor spark of life in her. They could not but think: See, our master or ruler must be mad or silly to bring this fool here, who tries to convince us that the maid is not dead, when every one can clearly see she lies stiff in death, a dead corpse, ready to be placed under ground.
30. They had come together at the synagogue, as at a common gathering place, as we do at our churches, where on the Sabbath the Word of God was taught, because throughout the whole country there was neither church nor temple, except at Jerusalem. And this ruler of the synagogue occupied the same position among them that our pastors occupy, and others occupied the place of assistants or readers, who read Moses or preached, circumcised the children and instructed the young, and visited the sick and sorrowing to comfort them. These had to be together in the synagogue and testified concerning this work of Christ, even with their mocking and scornful laughter, namely, that the maiden had certainly died and been raised from the dead. The ruler therefore, before he could experience the work of Christ, was compelled, in the face of this offense and mockery, to cling to the one word of Christ and with him be regarded as a fool and in his folly learn this spiritual wisdom that death is not death to Christ, but only a sleep.
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