The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

 The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity – September 11, 2022

Psalm 74; 2 Chronicles 28:8-15; Galatians 3:15-22

St. Luke 10:23-37

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God is no respecter of persons. He does not choose to love some and hate others. He does not have one set of expectations for kings and a different set of expectations for beggars which will determine their salvation.

At the same time, God knows each of you by name. God knows each of you to be an individual with unique needs. Last week, we heard of a miraculous healing in which Christ put His fingers in a man’s ears, spat, touched the man’s tongue, looked toward heaven, groaned, and finally said, “Be opened.”[1] No other miracles are recorded as being attended with such liturgical specificity. Each healing miracle seems to be unique. There could be many reasons, but at least one reason is because each ailing person is unique. One deaf man is not identical to another.

“Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”[2] The disciples are not blessed because they are humbler than the prophets. They are not blessed because they are poorer than the kings. They are not even blessed because they were in the right place at the right time.

The disciples are blessed because they hear and see the very Word of God in flesh. They are uniquely blessed because they behold the One True God in whom all other wants and desires are fulfilled. They are blessed because they receive the teachings of Christ directly into their ears and these teachings change who they are.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, we see that God is no respecter of persons. Sin and temptation beset the man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and leave him half dead, that is, spiritually dead. He only lives in his flesh but his soul is given over to death. The priest and the Levite can only reveal the wounds of the man. This is the primary use of God’s Law: to reveal sin. They pass by on the other side as they cannot save the man’s soul.

It is only the Samaritan, the one who comes from a foreign place but has joined Himself to Man, that can save the man’s soul. He sooths the man’s soul with the oil of the Holy Gospel and purges the remaining sin with the antiseptic sting of the wine of the cross the man must bear. Jesus carries the man’s burden upon His own back as He brings him into the church, where he will be cared for by the servant, the under shepherd, of the Samaritan. The two coins are that by which the Church cares for the souls of man: the Word of God and the Sacraments. The Samaritan then promises to return and clear away any remnants of debt the man has incurred, bearing him at that time to eternal rest.

The Samaritan cared nothing for the history of the man on the side of the road. He cared nothing for the wealth or poverty of the man. He was no respecter of the type of person he might be, but the Samaritan cared deeply for the individual who was placed before Him.

This is the exhortation given to the young theologian. “Go and do likewise,” that is, “Go and be no respecter of persons, but care deeply for the individual placed before you.” The answer to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” is not “Everyone,” but rather, “He who has been placed before you.”

Jesus Christ is the Good Samaritan. He is the perfect Samaritan. It is He who has perfectly born your sin to the cross and died on your behalf. He died for the great and the small. He died for the weak and the strong. He died for the rich and the poor. He died for you.

You, beloved Christians, are called to go and do likewise. You are called to be holy as your Father is holy. You are called not to be a respecter of persons but to show genuine love for your neighbor, the one who has been placed before you.

Let us first begin in the Church. The Word of God has come for all men. No matter how someone might look, this Church exists for the salvation of man. We exist to bring the Light of Christ to individuals. That means that when someone comes through those doors, it doesn’t matter what they look like, they are to be treated the same as anyone who attends weekly and gives abundantly. Should they be dirty from having slept behind a dumpster, Jesus is for them. Should they drive a new, fully loaded pickup, Jesus is for them. If Jesus is for them, then Mount Calvary is for them. We are not a respecter of persons because God is not a respecter of persons.

It is neither Jesus nor His disciples who treat the sick, homeless, or demoniac as though they are dangerous or untouchable. Even when Jesus’ disciples do act this way, He rebukes them.

On the other hand, God nowhere commands His people to be foolish. We ought not cast pearls before swine or pretend the road between Jericho and Jerusalem is paved with roses. Yet caution is not the same as suspicion. Caution means being aware of your surroundings. Suspicion means assuming the worst-case scenario, something explicitly forbidden by the eighth commandment: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.”[3]

So, when someone comes to visit the church, do not treat him as a suspect. Do not stand 3 or 4 deep at the door, pointing and discussing the visitor. Likewise, do not sneak sideways glances to discern her mental state. This person has been placed before you just as the man in the ditch was placed before the Samaritan. Go and sit with him. Such a visitor is likely confused about how to follow the service. Do something about it. The Samaritan did not just throw money at a situation (though He did use His money to assist), but He did something for the man before Him.

If you are concerned about the safety of those around you based on the visitor’s actions, you should also go and sit with him. Engaging the individual presents you with far more opportunities to diffuse a situation without escalating to violence than standing afar off. Jesus died even for this person, who intends violence. Be no respecter of persons but engage the individual.

What is true here in the church is true also in your daily lives. Everyone in the whole world is not your neighbor, but everyone in the whole world has the potential to be your neighbor. Your neighbor is the one who is placed in front of you. This is first your family. You have a responsibility to your family that goes beyond making sure there is food on the table. Scripture says that we are all born half dead, that is spiritually dead, and must be made alive through the Word and Sacraments. You are given to foster that faith within your family.

Yes, clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, fields, cattle, and all other goods are blessed gifts of God. Yes, these must be provided for. But these are never the primary concern of the Christian. The primary concern of the Christian concerns the soul. More than a full belly, the Christian mother desires her child have a love of Truth, the Word of God. More than a high-yield retirement plan, the Christian father desires his son to have the harvest of the fruits of the Spirit.

Beyond the family, it becomes difficult for a preacher to address. Why? Because you are individuals. The neighbors God has placed on your road are individuals. It is impossible for the preacher to address every situation in which you will find yourselves. You have the Scriptures. You have the Holy Spirit. You have the sanctified wisdom of the Christian to guide you in your ways.

If it is frustrating that the Pastor cannot tell you what to do in every situation, it is either because you want an answer to all things so that you don’t have to think or because you haven’t read the Scriptures, especially the Wisdom literature such as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Psalms. Or possibly, it is because you wish that every person you encountered was the same, that human interaction could follow a prescribed set of rules, drawn in your favor, so that you would not have to engage the person before you. That is not human interaction. That is the internet.

No one is the Good Samaritan in the way that our Lord, Jesus Christ, is. He is the Good Samaritan who dragged your sinful body out of the ditch and has given you rest. You cannot be perfect in this lifetime, but you have been called to make a beginning. You have been called to love your neighbor, whomever has been placed in your path. God is not a respecter of persons. God loves individuals. Beloved child of God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, go and do likewise.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Mark 7:33-34.

[2] St. Luke 10:23-24.

[3] The Small Catechism.

The Third Sunday after Trinity

The Third Sunday after Trinity – July 3, 2022

Psalm 25; Micah 7:18-20; 1 Peter 5:6-11

St. Luke 15:1-32

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God never acts without reason. There is a reason Jesus tells the Pharisees three parables concerning lost things. Each parable follows a similar pattern: something is lost, that thing is found, and there is great rejoicing. The significance of the repetition comes in the differences. The numbers are likely significant, but I confess that I do not have a thorough understanding of this mystery. First, one sheep in a hundred is lost. Then, one coin in ten. Finally, one of two sons—one percent, ten percent, fifty percent.

A more revealing difference is the person who lost the objects. In the first parable, a shepherd has lost one of his sheep. This is a reference to the Office of the Holy Ministry and specifically to the Pharisees. It is also a reference to anyone who has authority over the spiritual welfare of another, such as fathers who are the head of their household and responsible for handing down the faith.

Through negligence or poor instruction, one of those given into his care has gone astray. The phrasing of this parable assumes that every man would leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness to seek out the lost one. This is to the shame of the Pharisees. They stand mocking Jesus for associating with tax collectors and sinners. They don’t even mock Jesus to His face, they prefer to scorn Him behind His back.

The parable is unclear if, having found the lost sheep, the shepherd returns to gather the ninety-nine. I’m inclined to say that he doesn’t. He left them in the wilderness, the place of beasts and demons. It is quite possible that the sheep who was lost recognized that the entire flock was in danger. Fleeing from the danger, the sheep found himself lost and in need of a Savior.

Somehow, the sheep became aware that he was dwelling in the house of Satan. He realized his inability to rescue himself, but he didn’t know where to flee. The Shepherd came to this lost sheep and bore him on His shoulders to the safety of the village. The Shepherd returns with the sheep who fled the beasts and demons, calling his friends and neighbors together for a feast. He rejoices that he has found what was once lost.

The Law always reveals your sin. Even as it instructs the Christian, it also reveals the ways in which you fail to meet God’s standards. The promise of salvation connected to the Law is conditional. You must always keep it perfectly to receive salvation from the Law. Since man is sinful from birth, there is no chance for you to receive salvation from the Law. This also means the Law cannot convert, that is, turn the heart of man toward God.

Just as the sheep realized the danger of dwelling in the wilderness but did not know where to flee to safety, when man sees his sin, he does not naturally know where to turn. At the depth of his sin, he knows he needs a savior but does not know where to find him. Thanks be to God the Shepherd descends from Mount Zion into your flesh that He might find you hiding beneath the bushes and carry you to the safe quarters of the Church.

The woman who loses a coin is a representation of this safe dwelling, the Church. She loses one coin, lights a lamp, and sweeps vigorously. The light is the true light of the Gospel, and the sweeping is the harsh condemnation of the Law. The Church must use both edges of the Sword of the Word of God. Sinners must be called to repentance. The Light of Christ must illumine their hearts. Like the lost sheep, if the Church only sweeps the floor but does not light the lamp, the coin can never be found. The sinner would be lost.

Rejoice that the mercy of God is for sinners only. You who have no sin, have no need for forgiveness. You who will not confess your sins, have no need to hear the Word of God. You who would remain proudly in your sins, have only the fires of hell to light your way.

In the third parable, the younger son represents everything the Pharisees hate. He is impudent, disrespectful, associates with harlots, and lives flamboyantly. When he runs out of money, he sleeps and eats with pigs. There is nothing to like about this man. Yet when he returns to his father, the father is overjoyed to see his son. He calls for a feast, new clothes, a costly ring, and new sandals.

This third parable includes a coda, or epilogue, the other two parable lack. Once the younger son is found, everyone rejoices except the older son. He stands outside the feast, indignant that his father would celebrate the son who wished his father was dead. Like the Shepherd seeking the lost sheep, the father comes seeking his older son. The father reveals that the older son already has everything he could ever want but it is the rebirth of the younger son which is the cause for joy.

Jesus does not give an ending to this parable so that the Pharisees, and those who read or hear this Gospel, would see themselves in the place of the older brother. Will you likewise repent and enter the feast? Or will you stubbornly remain outside, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth? One must wonder if the older brother is the one who is lost throughout the third parable, rather than the younger.

Remember, the Pharisees complained among themselves about the actions of Jesus. “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”[1] These Pharisees are clearly speaking behind the back of Jesus. Yet of course, He hears them. This is the occasion of the parables.

The 8^th commandment requires that Christians do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.[2] It is very easy to break the 8^th commandment because we are all afraid of what others think about us. It is difficult to confront someone but much easier to tell your friend about what he’s done to you.

It is also easy to abuse the 8^th Commandment, as though there was never a place to criticize the actions of another without months of personal conversation. This is a lesson for another day but remember that the abuse of something never negates its use.

At the heart of the 8^th Commandment is the idea of explaining everything in the kindest way. In the account before us this day, this would look like the Pharisees approaching Jesus and saying, “Why is it that you associate with these sinners?” They might even ask this question with a hint of anger, feeling betrayed that this man who just shared a meal with them the chapter before, is now associating with tax collectors. To the Pharisees, it might seem like Jesus is equating them to the tax collectors and harlots.

The Pharisees might also have asked if Jesus knew who these people were and if he understood that His actions could make Him unclean, unfit to gather in the Temple. While such a statement would reveal the ignorance of the Pharisees, if asked in honesty, it would be an attempt to show a brother His sin, that He might repent.

This is the problem with gossip and hearsay. If you are too afraid to speak to someone who has sinned against you, or whose actions have bothered you in some way, and you choose to tell someone else instead, you have deprived him of the opportunity to repent. You have also deprived him of the opportunity to answer your questions. The blindness of sin affects all men, and we are barely aware of the multitude of sins we commit each day. When one of these sins cuts to the heart of another, who wouldn’t want to become aware of it, that he might repent and be reconciled to his brother or sister in Christ?

If, on the other hand, no sin has been committed, but you are displeased with something and choose not to speak to the one who has displeased you, beware. Satan stalks about like a roaring lion and sin lies at the door, both seeking an opportunity to devour you.[3] If allowed to fester, an unaddressed displeasure often becomes resentment. This resentment will provide the cover necessary for Satan to approach your camp. Should the resentment become hatred, the devil will pounce.[4] No one can hate his brother and dwell in the love Christ.[5]

Such failure to love one’s neighbors is what leads Christ to teach on the parables of the lost. In each case, when that which was lost is found, it is the occasion for rejoicing. Jesus is first calling the Pharisees to repent, then to rejoice over the repentance of any sinner whom the Savior has found. He is calling us this day to repent and rejoice as well. All sin darkens our eyes to the light of Christ.

Only sinners who see their sin and are abhorred by it have need of a Savior. Only the God of our fathers pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage.[6] Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, knowing that the Father loves you. He does not retain His anger forever because He delights in mercy.[7]

You can know the Father loves you because He has slaughtered the fatted Calf in your place. The fatted calf is His own Son, Jesus Christ. He is fatted by taking into Himself the sins of the world. Just as His sides were about to burst from the great girth of your sin, He was slaughtered upon the cross.

This is an occasion for rejoicing. Rejoice because in the slaughter of the calf, all sinners have been given a great feast. You have been given a great feast. The royal robe, once belonging to the Son of God has been placed on your shoulders. The Father falls upon your neck in love and showers you with kisses. The ring is the wedding ring, given to the Bride of Christ.

The Word of God works through the Church, first to vigorously sweep you, scratching deep into your skin to reveal the blemishes of your sin. These sinful blemishes are then exposed to the light of Christ, disappearing in His blood. Only those who have sin need forgiveness. Only those who repent and abhor the sins of their flesh have need to feast on the fatted calf. God has called for His servants to set the table. He has invited His friends and neighbors, the angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, to rejoice over you and all sinners who repent, those who were lost and now are found.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Luke 15:2.

[2] Martin Luther, Small Catechism.

[3] 1 Peter 5:8; Genesis 4:7.

[4] 1 Peter 5:8-9.

[5] 1 John 2:9-11.

[6] Micah 7:18.

[7] Micah 7:18.