Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 22, 2012
Just Say the Word
Matthew 8:8
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Centurions weren't nice guys. Centurions were soldiers in the Roman Army who commanded 100 soldiers. And most of the time they were strict and cruel. They treated soldiers, servants, and civilians harshly. In those days using force was common and expected by everyone. You didn't want to cross a centurion.
But you might not come away with this impression if your only information about centurions comes from the Bible. In the Gospels we hear of two centurions.
One of them, the centurion who had helped to crucify Jesus, witnessed the unique events of that most remarkable day and confessed: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)
Today we learn of the other centurion and learn from him the basis of faith. He says to Jesus, “But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” He is certain that Christ will help his servant. He does not require Christ's personal presence or a miracle or anything visible or tangible to be certain. Jesus' word is enough.
This centurion only desires one thing: for Jesus to simply say the word. Jesus is astonished by how this man puts into words what faith is. This centurion articulates the connection between the word and faith by an example from his own life.
For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8:9)
His example describes the power of his words. When he tells someone to do something, he trusts that it is as good as done. Since this is true of an unreliable wretched sinner, how much more infinitely certain is the Word of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
The centurion confessed that he was unworthy to receive the promise of God when he told Jesus that he did not deserve to have Jesus in his house. So if he, a nobody, could use words to command and to cause trust—again—how much more infinitely does this apply to Jesus, who is the Word of God in the flesh and who speaks Himself to a world of nobodies.
Jesus is the Word made flesh. John introduce his Gospel by stating: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
The Word made flesh—Jesus—was astonished by this centurion's confession of his faith. Perhaps just as astonishing is what the centurion did not base his faith upon.
He doesn't mention his decision to be a devout follower of Jesus.
He doesn't mention that he has been a good husband, good soldier, and good master.
He doesn't mention that his servant is a good man and deserves to be healed.
He doesn't mention that he is risking his reputation (1) by going to Jesus, a poor Jew from backwater Galilee and (2) by doing all this for a mere slave, not his son, not his wife, but a slave.
The faith of the centurion and our faith both say the same thing: “Just say the word.” When we are troubled by our doubts, Jesus just says the word through Matthew, “I am always with you to the very end.” When we wonder if Jesus will forgive us for habitually cursing when no one else is around, Jesus just says the word through His pastor, “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” When we wonder if Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus just says the word through His pastor, “This is My body, given for you; this is My blood, shed for you.”
Just say the word, Lord. Not our words, just Yours. Say the word, say the word.
Amen.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus
The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus
January 1, 2012
The Name That Saves
Luke 2:21
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
(New King James Version)
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Already on the eighth day of Jesus' life, His destiny is revealed in His name and in His circumcision. On this day He was given His name that His angel had delivered to His guardian:
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV 1984)
The name of Jesus in those days was a popular name like Noah or Ethan are today. There are many examples of others named Jesus in Jesus' day. But God's Son picked Jesus to be His name not because it was popular, but because He would make His name come true. Jesus means He saves.
This saving began with His conception by the Holy Spirit in blessed Mary's virgin womb. It began there because Jesus had to become what He was going to save. He had to become a human to save humans. And the only way to save us was to offer His perfect blood to pay for our guilt and sin. God became a man so that He could bleed for us.
So on this eighth day of Jesus' life, He was circumcised. Now it might seem strange to celebrate this event in Jesus' life, since for most people these days circumcision is simply a medical procedure. But from the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus, circumcision was a symbol of the unity between God and His people.
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:9-14 NIV 1984)
Based on the promise of the coming Savior, circumcision made them one with God. And in these times, baptism has replaced circumcision. St. Paul explains:
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:9-11)
Jesus Christ was both circumcised and baptized. Why? Because He is a man. And by undergoing these divine acts of unity and forgiveness, He stepped into the role of a sinful human being, even though He was without any sin. He became Adam to save Adam's race, to save us sinners.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5 NIV 1984)
This is why Paul wrote that Jesus was born under law. He joyfully and willingly obeyed His own Law. He obeyed to save us. Because He was circumcised and with His perfect obedience, His name is a saving name. Jesus saves you.
Amen.
January 1, 2012
The Name That Saves
Luke 2:21
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
(New King James Version)
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Already on the eighth day of Jesus' life, His destiny is revealed in His name and in His circumcision. On this day He was given His name that His angel had delivered to His guardian:
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV 1984)
The name of Jesus in those days was a popular name like Noah or Ethan are today. There are many examples of others named Jesus in Jesus' day. But God's Son picked Jesus to be His name not because it was popular, but because He would make His name come true. Jesus means He saves.
This saving began with His conception by the Holy Spirit in blessed Mary's virgin womb. It began there because Jesus had to become what He was going to save. He had to become a human to save humans. And the only way to save us was to offer His perfect blood to pay for our guilt and sin. God became a man so that He could bleed for us.
So on this eighth day of Jesus' life, He was circumcised. Now it might seem strange to celebrate this event in Jesus' life, since for most people these days circumcision is simply a medical procedure. But from the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus, circumcision was a symbol of the unity between God and His people.
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:9-14 NIV 1984)
Based on the promise of the coming Savior, circumcision made them one with God. And in these times, baptism has replaced circumcision. St. Paul explains:
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:9-11)
Jesus Christ was both circumcised and baptized. Why? Because He is a man. And by undergoing these divine acts of unity and forgiveness, He stepped into the role of a sinful human being, even though He was without any sin. He became Adam to save Adam's race, to save us sinners.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5 NIV 1984)
This is why Paul wrote that Jesus was born under law. He joyfully and willingly obeyed His own Law. He obeyed to save us. Because He was circumcised and with His perfect obedience, His name is a saving name. Jesus saves you.
Amen.
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