Sermon and Video for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
Video of Divine Service at St. Luke, Rensselaer
23rd Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.
This past Monday and Tuesday I was at the All-District Pastor Conference. Before the conference began on Monday, there was a “New to the District” orientation led by President Stuckwisch. He arranged for a number of people that worked in the District Office, as well as the Vice Presidents, and others to be at the meeting so that we can attach names to faces. We also heard President Stuckwisch’s emphasis in his work at President of the District. He exhorts pastors and congregations to become uniform in doctrine and practice, especially centering worship around the use of the Lutheran Service Book and the practice of Close-Communion.
I find these kinds of orientations helpful because they let me know what is going on and who to relate to and why. As I reflected on my experiences on Monday and Tuesday, I could not help but observe that some of what happens in the Gospels are in their own way, similar to an orientation class. Through the telling of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, unique names and titles are connected to Jesus. Even people who grew up around Jesus began to see that they were going to relate to Jesus in a new and different way. He is not entirely the person that they thought they knew. He is actually more, much more, than Jesus, born of Mary, who grew up in Nazareth, works as a carpenter, and moved to Capernaum in later life. An orientation is necessary so that they more fully grasp what is happening. God is in their midst. He is there to save them.
As Mark tells the story of Jesus, he makes sure to record the names and titles that are placed upon Jesus. The first title we encounter is in Mark 1:1: Jesus is called the Son of God. “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” At Jesus’ baptism, the voice from heaven declares, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” So, we have our heavenly Father offering testimony of who Jesus really is.
Even the enemies of Jesus identify him as the “Son of God.” In Mark 3 and 5, demons inhabiting and speaking through their hosts declare with fear in their voices that Jesus is the Son of God.
From the beginning, the Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to go far beyond the borders of Israel and inhabit the minds and hearts of both Jew and Gentile. It is no accident that a Roman Centurion declares upon Jesus’ death on the cross, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Our heavenly Father, Jews, Demons, and even Gentiles, declare this title “Son of God” and connect it with Jesus.
There are other titles and names that are connected to Jesus in the course of Mark’s Gospel. For example, in Mark 1, demons demand of Jesus, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
While others are calling him Son of God and Holy One of God, Jesus most often refers to himself as the “Son of Man.” They see the divinity of Jesus, but Jesus is underscoring his humanity. God became Incarnate for a purpose. Jesus wants to make sure that people fully understand that when he is nailed upon a cross for our sins, they are not only killing God, they are killing a man. As the God-Man, Jesus substitutes himself for us. He bears the punishment and suffers through the death that we deserve because of our sins.
Jesus is also called a “Teacher.” Partly because he does a lot of teaching. Also because He teaches in a way that is unique to all the other teachers that they have heard before. Jesus teaches as one with authority. He does not cite authorities for his positions. He teaches like he has the authority to say what he says without apology.
Jesus is called a “prophet” because he speaks for God. He speaks God’s truth to people who do not really want to hear it.
In an argument with the Pharisees about work on the Sabbath, Jesus identifies himself as “Lord of the Sabbath.” The Pharisees put all manner of rules around the Sabbath to keep it from being violated. So sacred is the gift of the Sabbath rest! This is, after all, the day that God rested after 6 days of vigorous creation making. So, when the disciples of Jesus pull some grain heads from the field so they can have something to eat, the Pharisees protest. Jesus ends the argument with, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Jesus is also identified as the Christ. Christ is Latin and Greek for the Hebrew word Messiah. Christ and Messiah both mean “anointed one.” The one anointed is appointed for a specific purpose. At that point in history, kings are anointed upon their elevation to the throne. Jesus is anointed through his baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
Then, there is today’s title: “Son of David.” In the story of Jesus, this is a transitional moment. Today’s text is right before Jesus makes the triumphal entry into Jerusalem that we proclaim on Palm Sunday. Not only is this a transitional moment, but this passage also has several unique elements.
There are three stories of Jesus healing a blind person. We don’t know their names. But, we know this man’s name. He is Bartimaeus. His name is an ancient Greek name that means “honorable son.” Some suspect that Bartimaeus is known to the original audience that encountered the Gospel of Mark and this is why he is named while the others are not. Another distinguishing characteristic of this passage is that Bartimaeus is by the side of the road. He is not with the crowd. Even though he is blind, he sees Jesus for who he is. Jesus is not only Son of God, Holy One, Son of Man, Teacher, prophet, lord of the Sabbath and the Christ. Jesus is the Son of David.
That title highlights the biblical promise that the coming Messiah is going to be a son of David. In other words, he is going to be a descendent of King David. King David saved his people as a military ruler and a wise politician. King David also brought the Ark of the Covenant, God’s own presence, into the City of Jerusalem.
The blind man declares, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” King David brought God’s merciful presence into the heart of the kingdom. So joyous was this occasion that King David danced before the Lord. When Jesus enters Jerusalem in the triumphal entry, the crowds rejoice singing Hosannas and “blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” Now, Jesus, this Son of David, is going to save this kingdom and all the kingdoms of the world by His gracious, sacrificial death on the cross. Through the cross, he is going to bring the promise of peace through the forgiveness of their sins.
One other unique feature of this passage is that unlike almost every other person who is healed, when Bartimaeus receives his sight, he immediately follows Jesus. Everyone else goes back to their regular lives.
All of these names and titles serve to orient us to who Jesus is. They illumine the significance of Jesus ministry to the world through the cross. Many people were killed via the cross. Jesus was crucified alongside two others. What makes Jesus different? The titles, the names, that are attached to Jesus by all the different sources: The Heavenly Father, Gentiles, Jews, and demons; serve to orient us to the new thing that God is doing amongst them. Jesus’ death on the cross is different than anyone else who died by crucifixion. All those deaths impact a specific family or community. But Jesus’ death on the cross affects every person: past, present, and future. His sacrificial death makes God’s gracious gift of forgiveness available to the entire world. Jesus’ gift to us is available to us through faith. In faith we confess that Jesus has died for me and that He is my Lord. We are moved by the Holy Spirit to seek the gifts entrusted to the Church: Baptism, Lord’s Supper, God’s Word.
Then, there is afterwards, meaning, after the Resurrection and Ascension. Jesus’ ministry to us continues. He offers, even now, after-care. When we have a medical procedure, we receive information about afterwards: potential problems, medication, therapy, follow-up appointments. The gift of the New Testament book of Hebrews is we are given a picture of Jesus’ aftercare for us.
God knows that those that confess Jesus as Lord and receive the blessing of baptism and the gift of and company of the communion of saints, are going to be met with a wide range of challenges. Some of these challenges will lead to very real temptations to pull back from the faith.
Resist those temptations, Hebrews tells us. Face these challenges with the knowledge that Jesus is your high priest forever. He is the ultimate source of our aftercare. He is our perfect sacrifice and our perfect priest for eternity. He is always available to us. As Hebrews says, “Consequently, he is able to save to the utmost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
When we need help, he is our help and our strength, through his prayers for us, we remain faithful to him who gives us the promise of eternal life.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
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