Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord

Scripture Lessons

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Psalm 1:1-6

1 Corinthians 15:1-20

Luke 6:17-26

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What a wonderful selection of lessons God has appointed for this day. This is a day in which we close this building, a building in which the gifts of Word and Sacrament have been brought to the people of God since its dedication on November 21, 1965. That is 21,637 days or if you prefer 59 years, 3 months, and 11 days. If our trust was in this building, then we would be sorely disappointed today. Furthermore, if our trust was in our new building we are set for disappointment. The gifts of God are brought to us in time and space. For this reason we show reverence toward this facility, this altar, and the vessels used in the ministration of the Gospel. But let’s not deceive ourselves into thinking that God’s gifts can be confined to a specific building, chalice, or pulpit.

Nevertheless it can be unsettling to pick up and move. It is typically a stressful time for anyone, especially creatures of habit and routine. But in the midst of uncertainty, anxiety, and concern over the future, our blessed Savior gives us today a full-throated Gospel that wipes away all tears, eradicates any cause for concern, and lifts us up to heaven.

Jesus spoke to His disciples. Notice verse 29, “he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said.” He knew what lay ahead for them just as He knew what lay ahead for Himself, that is the agony of the cross. But at this time, people were coming from all around and receiving miraculous healing. “A great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.” Demon possessed, sick and lame, came and were cured. Even by reaching out and merely touching Jesus, they were healed. Whether they understood or not, and I don’t think they did understand fully, the healing that Jesus brought was much more than a blessing in this earthly life. Jesus brought forgiveness of sins. Jesus brought the kingdom of God.

You may have heard the proverbial wisdom, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” In terms of the blessings that Jesus brings, “Heal a man of his illness and he’ll live another day. Heal a man of his sin, and he’ll live for all eternity.” While Jesus was healing the sick, curing the lame, casting out demons, these acts drew much attention. That was the focal point. It was genuine healing and was uplifting those who were low. Nevertheless, these healings were a picture of something far greater…that is the salvation of the soul, access to everlasting life that comes only through Christ Jesus and His sacrificial death for your sins and the sins of the whole world.

We are all afflicted by sin in this world. We suffer from the consequences of sin that we have committed, omitted, and the sins of other people upon us. The law reveals this to us and frankly, crushes us and any pretension that we may have that through the law we could be seen as righteous before God. No, the law brings us low, to the point of contrition and that is the point. The contrite heart will not be disappointed. God loves the contrite in heart.

On the other hand, those who are not crushed by their sin, perhaps they are doing all those things that ought to be done…or so they think, Jesus says, “woe to you. Since you have your own self-righteousness, you don’t need the righteousness of Christ and won’t receive it.” It’s not that Jesus doesn’t want to bring His righteousness. After all, it is there for all people. The issues is that the self-confident person rejects the righteousness of Christ because in their estimation, they don’t need it. They aren’t hungry, they aren’t afflicted, they laugh now and have their consolation in this life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ: do not be self-righteous. Be spiritual beggars. Through the law you have seen yourself rightly as a sinner before a Holy and Just God. Plea for mercy and you shall be satisfied. For Christ lives to make intercession for you. Yours is the kingdom of God, now and into eternity. For you have been set free, pardoned of all your sins, declared justified and righteous before God Almighty.

Jesus saw what lay ahead for His disciples and He sees what lays ahead for each one of you. People might just hate you and exclude you and revile you and spurn you on account of your faith just as unbelievers have done to our brothers in the faith for two thousand years. What does a Christian do in such circumstances? Rejoice! Leap for joy! You reward is great in heaven! And do not lose heart and do not place your trust in the passing things of this world. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.”

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.