The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, 2023
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
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 #45 Now the Hour of Worship
- The anniversary of Gary and Alicia Meyer is coming up. Her younger brother is recovering in her home.
- Doctor's care - Pastor Shrader, Pastor K, Dr. Lito Cruz, Kermit and Maria Way.
- Anita Engleman and Zach are both sick from the latest virus.
- Our elected President and his supporters, our military justice system.
Third Sunday After Epiphany
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| This mint is called Bee Balm for some reason. |
God's Effective Word
Introduction
Biblical doctrine is very much like Creation itself. Once we identify something, the very thing we overlooked becomes more populated than dandelions in spring. My supervisor helped his son in Scouts identify birch trees. Once he knew it himself, he saw birch trees everywhere. He never realized how many birch trees were in his town.
Likewise, once we realize the crucial passages about the efficacy of the Word exist, the examples are everywhere, from Genesis 1 to Isaiah 53 and 55 to the Psalms, to the Gospels and Paul - Romans 10 especially, Hebrews 4 too.
Also, because the efficacy of the Word is essential to the Bible, leaving it out is catastrophic, letting the organization become crucial or the numbers of members or the balanced budget or the works. The errors of today's visible churches are the result of ignoring or rejecting the efficacy of God's Word.
KJV Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
When people study the Bible to make fun of it or to find fault with it, the Word is effective in hardening their hearts. Nevertheless, God has many ways to reach people through the Word - different forms, venues, people, circumstances. We are sheep, so there is a Psalm for all of us - Psalm 23.
KJV Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
KJV Matthew 8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
The context matters a lot. This is just after the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. Jesus was coming down the mountain with multitudes following Him.
KJV Isaiah 53:1 - "Who hath believed our report.?" Romans 10:16 - "For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" Faith in the Savior comes from hearing the report.
This gave the leper a chance to come to Jesus, already believing in His divine power. The crowds had a chance to see that a miracle was taking place. Thus the very special Sermon was followed by the miracle, showing everyone that Jesus' divine power matched His Word.
3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses com-manded, for a testimony unto them.
1. Two examples of faith and love are taught in this Gospel: one by the leper, the other by the centurion. Let us first consider the leper. This leper would not have been so bold as to go to the Lord and ask to be cleansed, if he had not trusted and expected with his whole heart, that Christ would be kind and gracious and would cleanse him. For because he was a leper, he had reason to be timid. Moreover the law forbids lepers to mingle with the people. Nevertheless he approaches, regardless of law and people, and of how pure and holy Christ is.
2. Here behold the attitude of faith toward Christ: it sets before itself absolutely nothing but the pure goodness and free grace of Christ, without seeking and bringing any merit. For here it certainly cannot be said, that the leper merited by his purity to approach Christ, to speak to him and to invoke his help. Nay, just because he feels his impurity and unworthiness, he approaches all the more and looks only upon the goodness of Christ.
This is true faith, a living confidence in the goodness of God. The heart that does this, has true faith; the heart that does it not, has not true faith; as they do who keep not the goodness of God and that alone in sight, but first look around for their own good works, in order to be worthy of God’s grace and to merit it. These never become bold to call upon God earnestly or to draw near to him.
In Luther's sermon he teaches about people who rely on their works and boast about their own merit. The Bible calls it "kissing your own hand" or self-praise. That is widely practiced. Although people talk about doctrine, they relapse into "Look at this building!" and "We paid off our mortgage!" and "Count the members!" I see so many church websites where there is very little Biblical teaching and a lot of activity which is purely secular.
The leper had nothing to offer, and people were likely quick to avoid him. He was unclean, sickly from the disease and very poor. He did not demand healing but asked "if it be your will."
Jesus did different things for each healing. Touching the leper was visual proof that He was not afraid of the disease and letting people know about His divine power. As He said in John, "If you do not believe my Word, then believe the miracles." Many thousands would have been even more certain from seeing the spectacular wonder.
Jesus gave specific orders - "Tell no man" means "Carry out the mission to the Jews of your cleansing and don't book time on the evening news." If the former leper stayed to talk with the crowd about what they already knew, he would likely miss the chance to be heard at the Temple, another chance for the priests to hear the Gospel.
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
This miraculous healing took place when a non-Jewish officer came to Jesus, also knowing about Him and confessing Jesus as Lord. He was not coming for himself but for his servant, who was tormented by his disease. Jesus offered to come and heal the servant, but the officer already believed in the effective Word of God. He believed with great trust that the power of Jesus' Word was so great that the Lord only needed to say the Word. In the leper's healing, the point was worthiness and complete trust. In this one, trust in Word for someone outside of Judaism.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
He talked just like an officer, as one Sargeant said to me. "I am used to giving orders. I have done that my whole life." He knew about being an authority and ordering people under his authority.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus marvels at the faith of the centurion, to point out to others that this is the best attitude - pure trust without limits to how or where the Word is effective. But those who think they are children of Abraham (John 8) will not be allowed - cast out - because they do not believe.
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
The centurion was under the authority of Jesus, who commanded the soldier. "Go your servant is now healed, as you prayed."
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