Truth and Freedom - October 30, 2022 - Reformation Sunday - Text: Rev. 14:6-7

October 31, 1517 marked a day in infamy. October 31, 2022 continues to mark the struggle. Around 6 to 8000 years ago Lucifer, the light-bearer, approached an innocent, naive, perfect Eve and Adam and asked a question, “Did God really say?” Of course, his question was not so much a question as a challenge. His challenge was a challenge to God, to challenge God’s Word, as well as the authority of God. Did God really say whatever it was He said and did He mean it?
 

About six hundred years ago a man name Jan Hus questioned whether or not the Pope, or any human being for that matter had the authority to speak for, in the place of, or above God. In particular Jan Hus questioned the leader of what was the church at the time. He questioned the Pope, the seeming vicar of God on earth. He also questioned human councils that had declared certain teachings to be the Word of God, even though they were not the Word of God, but were rather the word of humans, fallible humans at that.
 

Five hundred years ago a man named Martin Luther questioned the authority of man over against the authority of the Word of God. As Luther so well pointed out, Councils and Popes have long contradicted themselves and have been know to be wrong. Now please understand, neither Jan Hus nor Martin Luther questioned God as Satan did. No, Jan Hus and Martin Luther questioned the words of fallible human beings who attempted to speak in the place of God and as they so well pointed out, human beings who often spoke incorrectly.
 

Today we continue to hear similar such questions. We hear questions challenging the Word of God as truth and as authority. We hear questions such as: “Did God really mean . . . ?” “God did not know about such things as ‘committed homosexual relationships’?” “Are you sure your are interpreting the Bible correctly?” “Who gives you the right to speak for God?” “Truth is relative.” “There are no absolutes.” “My God is not like that.” And on and on it goes as the Word of God and the authority of the Word of God is questioned still today. But it is no wonder; when you have a good thing that works, keep doing it. The devil is after all, the father of lies and as the saying goes, the devil is in the details and the details continue to question God, His Word and His authority.
 

At one time it seemed as if it was the world against the church and one knew who their enemies were. Now the devil is attacking the church not just from without, but within as well. Churches today are tempted to question the Word of God and His authority by seeking to be relevant, by seeking to be tolerant, by seeking to be contemporary, which means for the time as in here today and gone tomorrow, by seeking to be fun, entertaining, engaging, experiential and just about any other adjective you might think to use, rather than simply seeking to be faithful. When the church agrees with and looks like the culture is it really any different than the culture? And we know the devil thrives in the culture which acquiesces to the morals and values of the least of them.
 

Our text for today points us were we need to be pointed, to Jesus. Our text assures us of the authority of the Word of God, especially over and above the word of fallible human beings. Our text begins at verse six. We read, “6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” (v. 6). Now, we must remember, first and foremost that the book of Revelation is a vision and it is a vision of things to come. Certainly you have heard some interesting interpretations of this book including those that would assign certain parts of the vision to various modern day countries and people. Our best and surest understanding of this book is to let Scripture interpret Scripture, to let the Lord speak for Himself, and to hear and believe the words as given, not adding to nor taking away. As our first verse tells us, in this vision John saw an angel with the eternal Gospel and this eternal Gospel is to be proclaimed to all the earth, to every nation, tribe, language and people.
 

What is this Gospel, this eternal Gospel? This Gospel is the truth of Holy Scripture and we would say the authority of Holy Scripture. The truth of Holy Scripture is the truth of Jesus, the truth of the exclusive claim of the Christian Church and why the Christian Church is so hated by the rest of the world, that is that Jesus is the way, only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, that it is by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone that one has forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This is the Gospel message, this is the heart of Holy Scripture, this is the key to eternal life, this message is the eternal Gospel.
 

This Gospel is a message that is eternal, it has no beginning and no end, like the Savior it presents. People may come and go, nations may rise and fall, religions, cults and sects may come and go, but God’s Word is eternal, it will remain even through times of struggle. Not only is God’s Word eternal it is also true. As we just said, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Apart from Jesus there is and can be no truth. Why do the generations of this world have such a hard time with truth? Because apart from Jesus it cannot know truth. Apart from Jesus there is no truth. Jesus is truth and all truth comes from and through Him. And we may add one more truth about the eternal Gospel that is that it does what it says, that is we say it is efficacious, it effects what it says. The power of God’s Word is that it does what it says. And because it does what it says we know it has all authority. When God’s Word says we have faith, we have faith. When God’s Word says we have forgiveness, we have forgiveness. Whatever God’s Word says we know it is true and it will happen according to what God says in His Word. God’s Word promises that the Gospel is eternal. Siegbert Becker in his commentary on Revelation says, “It is perfectly proper, then, to see one fulfillment of that promise in the Lutheran Reformation which is history’s most prominent illustration of the principle that God will not allow his word to be silenced. But we may also see an illustration of this truth in every other historical movement in which the gospel has been clearly and emphatically proclaimed. The vision simply assures us that false teachers will never silence the preaching of the gospel.”
 

Many Lutheran Commentators have identified this angel as Dr. Martin Luther as he stood firm in the fight for the truth and the authority of the Gospel in his day in the midst of those who threatened his life for such preaching. He testified that the faith of the Christian should rest, not in the word of the Pope, or any man for that matter, but in the Word of Scripture alone.
 

Moving on to verse seven of our text we read, “7And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water’” (v. 7). These are the words of the angel given to the angel by God to proclaim. Remember, angels are messengers sent by God to do His bidding. They do not proclaim their own words but the words of Him who sent them.
 

The angel says to fear God. As we memorized and as we were taught, especially in the explanations for the Ten Commandments, we are to fear and love God. To fear God means two things. We are to fear God, that is we are to be afraid of God, when we are in our sin. God’s wrath is indeed harsh as we see Him take out His wrath on Jesus on the cross, punishing Him for our sin. So, when we are in our sin we are to be afraid, because left in our sin we would be eternally condemned. Yet, fear has a second meaning. We are to fear God that is we are to love and respect Him. As Christians we fear God, that is we love and respect Him and we give Him glory because of His Words of Gospel which give us faith, forgiveness and life. By faith in Jesus we fear, love and trust in God above all things.
 

Finally, the angel encourages us to worship, kneel before, and acknowledge the Lord as Creator God. While this may sound easy enough, the difficulties of this in our modern society are great indeed. The teaching of Darwinism, the teaching of humanism, the teaching of may other isms, the temptations of sin and unbelief, the struggle to fight against our very nature, that is that we are conceived and born in sin, that every inclination of our heart is evil all the time, make it difficult to fear God and give Him glory, to worship, kneel before and acknowledge Him as the Lord, Creator God. We see how difficult this is as we see so many people in our world resist and refuse the gifts God has to give and even in our own congregation and in Christian congregations around the world as even our own members, even each one of us on a daily and weekly basis give in to temptation and sin, refusing and rejecting the gifts God has to give.
 

So, we ask, what does this mean? Today we celebrate 505 years of the reformation of the Church, the reaffirmation of the Word of God. Today we celebrate the endurance of the Word of God, that is that His Word is eternal that it never fails, that it never departs from us. Even when we may think the Word of God is removed as through history we have seen time and again how it seems as if God’s Word were removed from or absent from one heathen nation after another, we see that God’s Word is never completely rooted out, but His Word remains forever.
 

Today we celebrate the truth of the authority of the Word of God, especially that it is inerrant. Certainly this is where Satan makes his greatest attacks. Well, this was his first temptation and it worked so well in the Garden of Eden that he continues to use this temptation even today. His temptation is a subtle temptation concerning the authority of God’s Word. Today we have this authority questioned as the inerrancy of the Word of God. The question of Satan in the Garden was, “Did God really say?” Today his question is, “Is the Bible God’s Word or does the Bible merely contain God’s Word?” Which is another way of saying, “Did God really say?” To suggest that the Bible merely contains God’s Word leaves us open to interpreting His Word our way which means all kinds of aberrations such as we see in many heterodox churches today. What does inerrancy mean? It means that we believe the Bible does not merely contain God’s Word so that we have to search through the pages to find it, but the Bible is God’s Word and it is a word with God’s authority and power. So the Bible is eternal, it is true and it does and gives what it says.
 

Today we celebrate the gifts given through the Word of God. Although we are conceived and born in sin, although every inclination of our heart is evil all the time, God is greater than our sin. God gives us His Word and His Sacraments and through these means of grace He gives us all His good gifts and blessings. As we remember our baptism we are reminded that it was He who, at our baptism, put His name on us and claimed us as His children. It was He who put faith in our hearts, gave us forgiveness of sins, which cost us nothing, but cost Jesus His life, He wrote our names in the book of Life. As we confess our sins we hear His most beautiful words, “Your sins are forgiven.” As we read and hear His Holy Precious Word, we are given the gifts that He gives through His Word. And as we come to His table to eat His body and drink His blood we are again given His gifts, forgiveness of sins and strengthening of faith. What great gifts, what wonderful gifts, who would think of refusing or rejecting such great gifts and blessings.
 

Today we celebrate that we respond in faith, in worship, in kneeling before and acknowledging our Creator God as Lord. Of course our response is not something that comes from inside ourselves, but is something that is motivated in us by God from outside of us. Just as we do not find the answers to life’s questions inside of us, just as we do not find life, forgiveness or faith inside ourselves, so we are not motivated by ourselves. We are given all these things and our response of faith from God who comes to us from outside of us, who comes to us through means the very means He gives us to come to us.
 

And so, today we celebrate. We celebrate the reformation of the Holy Christian Church. We celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther and God’s work through him. We celebrate the gift of God’s Word, His eternal Word, His eternal Word made flesh in Jesus, and His Word of Holy Scripture which does and gives what it says. We celebrate what a great and awesome God we have, a God who does all and gives all. And so, I leave you will the words of the angel of the Lord, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water” (v. 7b). To God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

To Have Child-like Faith - October 23, 2022 - Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25) - Text: Luke 18:9-17

Last week our readings encouraged us to pray, even to pray without ceasing, to be persistent in prayer. We were reminded that while we may live in this world we are not of this world. We were reminded that ever since the fall into sin in the Garden of Eden the world has been cursed and so there is and will be constant temptation and sin. And we were reminded a couple weeks back to be careful so that we are not the ones through whom temptation comes. And so, as Christians, understanding that we live in a world where we might not receive justice, where the world may seem harsh and unfair, where there may be many troubles, trials and tribulations. We might well come to terms with this world by reminding ourselves of all the opportunities we have in each and every challenge the world lays before us. Perhaps if we looked at the difficulties of this world as opportunities those same difficulties might not seem so overwhelming. Anyway, so last week we were encouraged to pray and this week Jesus helps us to understand the content of our prayer.
 

Jesus liked to teach in parables, which we often describe as earthly stories with heavenly meanings. This morning in our text we begin with the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Jesus said, “10Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get’” (v. 10-12). So, the first character in this parable is the Pharisee. About the Pharisee Jesus says that he stood off by himself. He separated himself from others, perhaps those he deemed beneath himself. His actions revealed that he believed himself better than others. He was a good man or at least he thought himself to be a good man. He did what was right, at least in his own eyes.
 

As we listen to the prayer of the Pharisee we can hear in whom he truly believes and in whom is his hope for eternal salvation. Notice how he continually points to himself and how good he thinks he is. He truly believed in his heart that he earned heaven. He truly believed in his heart that he deserved heaven. Today we hear this same attitude from those who tell us that God wants us to be obedient. If we can be obedient then we have earned and we deserve for God to give us our reward. The problem with this Pharisee and too many people today is that we are as Scripture tells us, conceived and born in sin, every intention of our heart is evil all the time, we cannot be the people God wants us to be, indeed we are sinners and the wages of sin is death, eternal death and hell.
 

But, the parable continues, Jesus says, “13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (v. 13). Notice right off the difference in this tax collector. Instead of standing at a distance and thinking more highly of himself, he actually tried to hide himself. Indeed, his words indicate his guilt and sorrow for his sin. Truly he believed himself to be, not just a sinner, but the sinner who put Jesus on the cross. He believes that it is his own sin, his own fault that put Jesus on the cross.
 

As we listen to the tax collector we can tell that he did not believe he deserved heaven or any part of heaven. He actually believed he deserved punishment and death, even eternal death and hell. He understood that his standing before God was as a beggar.
 

Finally, Jesus tells the truth of this parable. “14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (v. 14). On many Sunday mornings, depending on the order of Divine Service, we confess, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” This lack of not recognizing our sins is the problem of the Pharisee. When we fail to recognize, acknowledge and confess our sins, then we have no forgiveness. And yet, how often do we fail to recognize and confess our sins. “We’re not bad people.” “We put Jesus first.” “We’re in church, some Sundays.” “We don’t have a spiritual problem.” “We don’t have a problem with sin.” “We don’t repeat gossip, so you better listen close the first time.” “We stand up for those who are being gossip against.” “We are good people, after all, we have never actually stolen anything or killed anyone.” Oh, how we sound like the Pharisee.
 

On the other hand, when we confess our sin, as the Publican, then and only then do we have forgiveness. I know many of you have heard me use the illustration of the teacher and the crayons, but it is so true. Ms. Smith handed out a new box of crayons to all her students and told them to be careful so as not to break the crayons. After a while she ask the children to place any broken crayons on their desk. Instead of placing his broken crayon on the desk, because he was afraid of what might happen, Little Jake placed the bottom part of the crayon in the bottom of the box and the top part on top so no one would ever know. But Ms. Smith did not chastize the children, instead, she gave new crayons for broken crayons. Little Jake did not get a new crayon, because he failed to admit he had broken his crayon. He refused the gift of a new crayon. However, if Ms. Smith had announced the good news of the crayon exchange before asking the children to put their broken crayons on their desk, Little Jake would have confessed. The same is true for us. Forgiveness has been won. Often we fail to confess and lose our forgiveness because we are afraid of what might happen. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, when we sin we run away and attempt to hide. It is the Gospel the good news that our sins have already been forgiven that motivates us to repent.
 

Jesus says that he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted. In other words, when we think more highly of ourselves and fail to repent, that is gift refusal and refusal of forgiveness. As we finally confess in Divine Service, “but if we confess our sins, God who is faith and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Indeed, when we confess, we are forgiven and that is great news, even the best news.
 

But our text is not over. There is more good stuff. Luke moves us to the account of the blessing of the children. “15Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them to him, saying, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it”” (v. 15-17).
 

We are not told that Jesus moved, He may have simply paused after telling the parable and now the mothers in the crowd were so moved that they were bringing infants and children to Jesus to have Him bless them. This man who preaches confession and absolution brings comfort to all and so the mothers in the crowd, loving their children and wanting the best for them, brought them up to Jesus so they might be blessed.
 

Unfortunately Jesus’ own disciples stood in the way. They believed Jesus came for the important adults. They believed Jesus should not be bothered by pesky children. Perhaps they would have had the children ushered out of church and taken to children’s church so as not to be a bother. I don’t know, maybe they were thinking age of accountability and did not think the children were accountable or ready to hear what Jesus had to say. Anyway, we know they got it wrong.
 

Jesus called His disciples and He rebuked them. And Jesus’ words to His disciples are very instructive to us today, especially in terms of how important children are to Him, how children can believe and have faith, and most certainly an attestation to the importance of baptizing children and infants. Notice that Jesus does not tell the children to have faith as an adult. Most of us as we grow into adulthood become more and more skeptical, we believe less and less of what we simply hear, we want evidence and proof. No, Jesus does not say to have the faith of an adult, rather He tells the adults and us to have faith as an infant and child. Yes, He says that infants and children can have faith and they do have faith, especially as that faith is given to them through the waters of Holy Baptism and through their hearing His Holy Word, even as they hear His Word while yet in the mother’s womb. Think about John the Baptist who leapt in Elizabeth’s womb at the arrive of Jesus in Mary’s womb.
 

So, what does this mean? Notice that Luke places the parable of the two men praying before the account with the children. The purpose of the parable was to show the false, self-righteous faith of the Pharisee and the humble faith of the despised tax collector. And Jesus encourages us to have a humble faith, to confess our sins and to be given His forgiveness.
 

The account of the blessing of the children shows the innocent faith of infants and children and the fact that they too are important to Jesus. The account of the blessing of the children encourages us to put off our own skepticism and to trust in Jesus rather than in ourselves, like the Pharisee. Jesus is speaking to us today. We think we are in charge. We think we are good people. We think we can do it ourselves. We cannot see how God can help and all we do is grumble and complain looking at the problems, trials and tribulations.
 

Instead of looking in ourselves and seeing only trials and difficulties, Jesus encourages us as adults to have the same faith as an infant and a child. Jesus tells us that infants and children can have faith, because their faith has been given to them. Likewise, He has given us faith and He works to strengthen and keep us in the faith He has given, which He promises to do through the very means He has given, His Word and His Sacraments. Rather than run away and stay away from the place He gives and strengthens faith, Divine Service, He want us to run to Him, to be where He gives His gifts each and every Sunday.
 

As infants and children are given faith especially through Holy Baptism, and as we were given faith through Holy Baptism, so we are to remember and be mindful of our own baptism which we do as we hear the invocation at the beginning of our service.
 

It is God who gives and we who are given to. And it is God who gives through the way He has given us to give, through His means of grace. God gives life at conception. God gives new life and faith to all through His Word.
 

God gives all the gifts and blessings we need. He gives forgiveness of sins, earned and paid for by Jesus on the cross. He gives forgiveness to all also through His means of grace, especially through confession and absolution, through His Word and through His Holy Supper.
 

And so, because God gives through the very means He has given to give, we are encouraged to make regular and diligent use of the means of grace. We are encouraged to be in Divine Service and in Bible class where the means of grace are most prominent and His Word is the most sure. We are encouraged in our prayer life, to speak to Him in prayer as He has first spoken to us through His Word. We are also encouraged in our response of faith, to give ourselves to Him.
 

Today, once again we celebrate the fact that we are not saved because of some innate goodness within us, not because of some good deeds we believe we have done, rather we are saved by God’s grace through faith which He gives to us, faith in Jesus alone who paid the price for our sins on the cross. And so we are encouraged in our faith life to be as children and infants and to trust in Jesus alone! To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Where Are You? - October 9, 2022 - Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23) - Text: Luke 17:11-19

Our Old Testament reading for today is the beginning of the story of the life of Ruth, the Moabite. In this reading we are encouraged to cling to our Lord as Ruth clung to Naomi and her God. In the Epistle reading for today, Paul encourages us as he encourages young pastor Timothy to endure with Christ. Last week we were reminded that we live in a world of temptation and sin and now we are encouraged even more to cling to our Lord who will help us endure through temptation. Our text for this morning is the Gospel reading and actually it is the usual text for Thanksgiving Day. This text is also a word of encouragement to us. Yes, we are very much like the lepers in that we are in need of healing, each one of us. Sometimes we are in need of physical healing, but always we are in need of spiritual healing. We need healing from sin. We come here every Sunday and cry out to our merciful Lord that He would have mercy on us and heal us, that is forgive us. And every Sunday we hear those most beautiful words of absolution, that our sins are forgiven. And we know that as we hear those words of absolution, that is exactly what we are given, forgiveness, and along with forgiveness, life and salvation, for where there is forgiveness, there is life and salvation.
 

Our text begins at verse eleven, “11On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us’” (v. 11-13). One day Jesus was on His way from Samaria to Galilee. He did not go around the city which is what He was supposed to do, remember, Jews were not allowed to associate with the inferior Samaritans, even though they were their half brothers and cousins. On His way ten men who had leprosy met Him. A leper was a person who had a skin disease that was so bad and so infectious that they had to live outside of town. The person with leprosy was literally rotting to death and for the safety of others they must yell “unclean, unclean,” when anyone came near, in order to warn them to stay away lest they might get this dreaded disease. Certainly these lepers lead very lonely, deary lives.
 

Interestingly enough, we do not know if these lepers were all Samaritans or not. It is implied by Jesus words concerning the one who returned that perhaps some were Jews and some were Samaritans. I guess sometimes our common ailment trumps our cultural diversity. People come together for many and various reasons and in this case, the common ailment and legal separation from the rest of society brought these people together, Jew and Samaritan. Something else that is interesting is the fact that these people too, knew who Jesus was, that is at least they had heard of Him or heard about Him, perhaps hearing of His ability to cure and bring them healing. Perhaps they had stood at a distance and heard Him preach or seen Him do a miracle. The fact of the matter is that they did believe that, at least, He could give them physical healing. Yet, this does not mean that they believed He was the Messiah or that He could grant them eternal healing and salvation.
 

Our text continues, “14When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed” (v. 14). Their cry was a cry for mercy, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus’ response was to have mercy, but His response was in no way an overt response. Notice that Jesus does not wave His hands. He does not put His hand on their head and push them over. He does not say, “Be healed (said in a deep “faith healing voice). Instead, He simply instructs them to have their healing verified. He says, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” According to Levitical Law, the priest was the one who could announce that they were clean and no longer infected with leprosy. In the hearts and minds of the lepers was perhaps the question of should they go? Did they believe that Jesus healed them? Please do not misunderstand or try to put conditions on Jesus healing power. It was not their going which healed them as if they had to demonstrate their faith through such obedience. It was Jesus who healed them. His words of instruction were not meant as proof of faith, but rather as proof of healing. Let me say that again so we do not misunderstand. Jesus words of instruction were not meant as a proof of faith which brought healing, but were words of instruction to show themselves so they might hear words from the appointed priest of proof of their healing.
 

We pick up at verse fifteen, “15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ 19And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well’” (v. 15-19). On their way they are healed, all ten of them, but only one man notices. He notices and returns to Jesus to give Him thanks. When he gets to Jesus, he throws himself at Jesus’ feet, a sign of unworthiness and our text adds that “he was a Samaritan,” that is, he was a foreigner. Jesus asks (rhetorically) “where are the other nine?” And He tells the man that his faith has saved him, saved him as in healing him and saved him for eternal life. This man had faith, saving faith. It appears that the other nine believed more in the healing than in the healer. Certainly what was intended by Jesus to give and strengthen faith, that is that Jesus did miracles to show Himself to be the Messiah, but here in this instance it appears that His miracle was only understood by nine to mean that He could do earthly miracles and healing, not necessarily heavenly miracles and eternal healing.
 

Now, that is a nice story and a nice story to remind us to be thankful, but how do we relate to this story? In a very real way we are like the ten lepers. We are full of sin, enemies of God, leading lonely, dreary lives. We are spiritually dead, spiritually blind and enemies of God. We are rotting in our sins. We know we are in need of healing, sometimes physical healing, but always spiritual healing.
 

We know Jesus. We know even more than the lepers knew about Jesus. We have hind sight. We can look back and know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior. We know that He did live perfectly, that He did take all our sins upon Himself, that He did suffer and die the eternal death penalty of hell for us in our place, that He did rise and ascend into heaven, that He does send His Holy Spirit to be with us to give us faith, to strengthen us in the faith He gives, to guide and lead us in life. We are continually reminded of all that Jesus did for us and still does for us as He comes to us through the means of grace. As we read His Word we meet Him. As we make regular and diligent use of His means of grace, the Word, reading our Bibles, coming to make confession of our sins and hearing those most beautiful words of Absolution, that our sins are forgiven; and as we make regular and diligent use of the sacraments, remembering our Baptism, and partaking of the Lord’s body and blood in His holy supper, He does what He says He does through these means that is He gives us faith and forgiveness, He strengthens faith and gives life and salvation.
 

Jesus comes to us daily and weekly through His means of grace. Daily we are confronted with the question, do we believe? The temptations of the world are to put our trust in the creation rather than the Creator. Do we put more faith in the medicines the Lord provides or in the Lord? Do we put more faith in our own possessions and property or in what the Lord provides? Do we see Jesus’ hand in all things in life? Do we notice His good gifts and blessings? Each new day, the rain, the ability to work, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the roof over our heads and so on all these are indeed gifts from our gracious loving, generous Lord.
 

Are we the one about whom Jesus asks “where are the others to whom I have given life?” Or are we the one who came, throwing ourselves at Jesus’ feet in unworthiness and thanking Him for all His good gifts and blessings? Do we live for the creation or for the Creator? My prayer is that we are all like the foreigner.
 

Our text for today reminds us to be like the leper who returned to give thanks, but not just at Thanksgiving, which is when I said this text is usually preached, but all year long. As God has given to us, we respond, with His help in giving thanks to Him. We respond by speaking and singing words of thanks and praise. We respond by giving of our time, talents and treasure, as we are moved by the Lord to do so. We respond by simply offering ourselves and our lives to the Lord and living our lives to His glory.
 

We must admit, especially according to our sinful nature, the words “Thank you,” are not naturally in our vocabulary. I remember as a child, and now that I have I children I am again reminded of that constant reminder, “what do you say?” “Thank you.” Our text for this morning serves again to remind us that it is God who provides and we who are provided for. Our text reminds us that our Lord provides for the righteous and the unrighteous, for the just and the unjust, for the believer and the unbeliever. Our Lord graciously provides for all the needs of all people, both physical and spiritual needs. And He continues to provide whether we recognize and acknowledge this by giving thanks or not. Our God gives and we are given to.
 

Most importantly, our Lord gives us healing, spiritual healing. Yes, we are conceived and born in sin (as King David reminds us in the Psalm, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me). Yes, we daily sin much and are in need of forgiveness. Without our Lord, without Jesus paying the price for our sins we would be eternally lost. Everything that is expected of us, perfection, we cannot do, that is why our Lord really does not expect anything from us and has already done everything for us.
 

This morning we are reminded once again that Jesus is the Christ, that is He is the Messiah. He shows Himself, continually to be the Messiah and we are so thankful that He has and continues to send His Holy Spirit to work in us so that we might respond to all His good gifts and blessings and say, “Thank you Lord.” Our Lord wants us to pray to Him. He wants us to pray to Him in the day of trouble, and He promises that He will hear and deliver us. He also wants us to call on Him in every situation, praying, praising Him and giving Him thanks. And He helps us to do just that. Thanks be to God. Thank You Lord and to You be the glory for Jesus’ sake. Amen.