The Twenty-Fourth Sunday
after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
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
Gospel
Glory be to
Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon
Hymn # 531 Come ye Disconsolate 1:15
Two Healings
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
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 Healings
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.
Lenski:
Compare Mark 5:21 and Luke 8:40. Matthew furnishes the exact
sequence of events. In the morning Jesus returned to Capernaum from the country
of the Gadarenes and went to his own house. There a crowd gathered, and he
healed the paralytic. Then Jesus dined at Matthew’s house, probably in the late
afternoon, and following the meal he answered the Pharisees and the disciples
of John. Matthew’s office and house, we assume, was located at the landing place
on the road beside the lake. Thus “he was now by the sea,” Mark 5:21. As he was
still speaking to John’s disciples, Jairus appeared, one of the rulers of the
synagogue.
Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Matthew's
Gospel. Minneapolis, MN. : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 371.
Sometimes we read a story in the Gospels and it seems as if
there is a more detailed version somewhere else, or we remember details not
found in the one we are reading at the time.
That is especially true of this pair of miracles, woven
together, both emphasizing faith in a different way. They remind me of the
Medieval painting style called the triptych, where the central panel is related
to the side panels, all telling the same story and yet with a slightly different
emphasis.
We do not need to ask why this was done. We only need to
read the plain words and ask what the Holy Spirit is teaching us. This was
promised by Jesus in His farewell sermon (Gospel of John). The Holy Spirit
would bring to remembrance all those things. So the Gospels are not only
inspired in their content but also in the way these narratives are taught to
us.
This is our foundation, our canon (literally measuring rod)
that teaches us exactly what we need to know. This is not limited by a lack of
formal education or language studies but often by formal training where people
are taught to ignore the plain truth in favor of a political or denominational
agenda.
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.
Jairus, the ruler of the
synagogue, was an influential person. He managed the affairs of a synagogue.
Right now a friend of ours in this area has a child going to the hospital. I
can imagine the father doing the same thing with Jesus. “He worshipped Him”
means kneeling down before Jesus, showing honor to Him as God.
What would he do? Anything,
anything, to give his daughter life again. As a worshiping Jew, Jairus knew
what the Scriptures promised. He knew the reputation of Jesus and had faith in
Him, faith that the Messiah had the power of life over death.
19 And Jesus arose, and
followed him, and so did his disciples.
This is just a verse, a few
words, but they say so much. Jesus never turned down a request in all His
miracles. Liberals and spin-doctors use selective outrage to questions certain
details, such as seeming to be harsh with the Canaanite woman, asking for her
daughter’s health. But they do not stop to consider how each and every one was
healed – sometimes through the faith of the one praying, at other times by
person suffering, at other times because Jesus is the Lord of Creation and
raised the dead to life by His gracious will, when others wondered or mocked.
He could have healed the
daughter from a distance, but chose to be there, where many witnesses who
mocked could see the miracle with their own eyes.
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:
On the journey, a woman
comes up to Jesus, from behind and touches only the outer tassel of the garment
He wore. (The Pharisees made them especially prominent so everyone knew they
were observing Mosaic ritual.)
The woman was not stealing a
miracle but coming up secretly because of her shame. She was ritually unclean
because of that constant flow. No physician had helped her and she only grew
worse from their care.
This shows her profound faith
in His healing power, which we see in the Gospel today. Wherever the Gospel is
taught, sins are forgiven and death turns to life, mortality to eternal life.
A famous saying from the
past says, “If the hem of His garment can heal, how much more can His body and
blood?” And yet people avoid and neglect this powerful sacrament.
Some think they are not
worthy of forgiveness. But Christ makes us worthy. He suffered and died for
great and terrible sins, not just for skipping Sunday School as a child.
Some laity and clergy use
communion to shun the pastor who is distributing the elements. That shows their
utter lack of comprehension of the Gospel. The Visible Word of the sacrament is
offered for the individual, through God’s gracious will, not to test the worthiness
of the pastor offering Holy Communion. The saddest thing is – they will shun
the pastor for teaching the truth and show how miffed they are by scowling and
refusing to go up for communion.
Of course some confuse a
Lutheran church with fast-food drive-throughs. They stop by the first time and
expect to be communed. I had one family leave in the middle of the service and
slam the doors. They probably read the closed communion announcement. On the
other hand, one woman missed her intended stop at a Methodist church and kept
coming back, because “you are teaching the Word clearly.” She was so used to
the placid vague Methodist talks, intended to offend no one, that she did not
know the basics of the faith, in spite of regular attendance.
Mark’s version is quite
detailed about this.
KJV Mark 5:25 And a certain
woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many
things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing
bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the
press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his
clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was
dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him,
turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his
disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest
thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done
this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in
her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said
unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole
of thy plague.
The
woman knew she was healed and Jesus knew He healed her. Here the faith of the
suffering person is emphasized, and that faith received the great healing power
of the Son of God.
Faith
in Christ must be something good, to receive such blessings.
23 And when Jesus came
into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
Jesus continued to Jairus’
home, where the official mourning had already begun. The little girl had died, so
the arguments of the rationalists must be sent empty away. If these healings
only happened because they thought they were sick and then thought they were
healed, nothing would help this little girl.
But the emphasis is first
upon the power of the Son of God, which inspires faith. That inspired Jairus to
worship and pray to Jesus to bring his dying daughter back to life.
This miracle is especially
pointed, because of the loutish behavior of the people there. Mark gives us the
extra details that the girl had passed away and there was no help to be given. Some
friend said, “Do not bother Him any more with your sorrow.” We can see why Jesus
came – to show the entire synagogue the manifestation of God’s Promises in the Messiah.
KJV Mark 5:35 While he yet
spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which
said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As
soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue,
Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save
Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house
of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and
wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye
this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed
him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the
mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the
damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her,
Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42
And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of
twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Jesus said to the grieving
father – “Do not be afraid – only believe.”
I keep reading all these
essays about how bad faith is. The unbelieving jockeys of UOJ really hate faith
in Christ. Instead, they demand total trust in their delusional philosophy. Nor
should it surprise us that those who teach against trust in Christ are duplicitous
in all their ways, especially in trying to enforce their false dogma.
The opposite of faith is fear,
and the opposite of fear is faith. Things have been so bad in America that I
stopped fearing the future. All the leaders, secular and religious, are in
Never-Never Land where they never grow up and always pretend.
The pastoral epistles and
Romans 1 are correct. We are fulfilling all the characteristics of the End
Times, the Age of Apostasy.
KJV Romans 1:21 Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own
hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the
truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the
Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto
vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that
which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use
of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working
that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their
error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which
are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit,
malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without
understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them
that do them.
KJV 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the
Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking
lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron
KJV 2 Timothy 4:3 For the
time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
