“HEALED”
Saint Matthew 9. 1-8
Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity: 18 October Anno Domini 2009
Jay Watson, pastor Augsburg Lutheran Church
The Lord was a carpenter's son by adoption. The Lord was God of God by Nature, the rabbi of rabbi's, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
He made the oceans and waves. He silenced the roaring breakers with but a Word. The Word creates and conforms. The Word births and confirms. The Christ made all the trees which have been used for shipbuilding since man first floated on water.
The ship that Saint Matthew mentions was a real boat. The ship that Levi writes about is emblematic of a greater ship than the ones which caught fish on Lake Galilee. The Christ always enters into the Ship to come to His people. The great Ship is the Church Catholic. There is only One Church; it is holy and apostolic. The Church is Holy; it is not profane and worldly. The Church is about the business of being Jesus' rescue ship. The Church is not a gun boat or battleship, although it is itself under constant fire. The Savior's Ship is a rescue vessel and a floating hospital. He comes to you this morning not in your inner workings of devotion but here in His Ship. He arrives in your midst not in the expanse of nature, the grandeur of nature's glory, but in the cross- like humility of spoken Scripture, words of remission, washings made new again in contrition, and wine and wafer. Every ship has its own "stores" and its own orders-so too with this unsinkable, unlimited vessel of victory.
The Saint was with the Savior as He came to His own City. Nazareth was Christ's own City for He was raised there. Bethlehem was His own City too for He was born there. Capernaum became Jesus' adopted city because He conducted most of His Galilean ministry from its base of operations. Shawnee is His own city. All places where His flock, His fish, His family are located belong to Him.
He came that day to save the dead and damned. He arrived at His city to give life back to the dead brother whom He loved and chose.
The paralyzed man could do nothing for himself save lay on a cot and be carried by his loved ones and friends. This is the perfect and only true picture of how anyone is ushered into the healing House of the Holy. You too were carried on your cot when you were brought to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. You continue to be carried through stormy seas born aloft on the four corners of Scripture by the Evangelists themselves-your fellow crew, Christened like you in the Blood of the Captain Himself.
The Lord saw the faith of the palsied man AND the faith of his friends. This is a family affair. No one is a follower of the Lord by himself. It's a communal band of brothers; a community; a Holy Communion. Christ had pity on him and forgave him all his sins and imperfections.
That is all that matters. That is why being a follower of this rabbi is not something that can be done according to reason, will-power or determination. You want to be healed of your palsy. Maybe you will and maybe you won't. You want to have glory. You will not have glory this side of the tomb. You don't want the tomb? Pray Maranatha, "come quickly Lord Jesus" and maybe the Second Advent will arrive before you reap your own wages for your own fallen and mortal human nature.
The Four Evangelists still hold you aloft on the pallet. Your bed of rest is the wood of your Savior's very cross. Your fortress is the solidity of His Words of Authority: "I forgive you all your sins." The rock cleft for you is the Body He gave and the Blood He shed. His very and real presence, IN HIS SHIP, creates, informs and keeps your faith firm until the end-the salvation of your souls. You have the assurance of heaven and life eternal. Do you want, do you need proof? You'll get it in a few short minutes; you'll be awarded your testamentary gift as heirs and children. Not buried treasure shared by a pirate crew, but buried and resurrected riches of righteousness poured over brothers and sisters in true joy. Your glory is in Christ. You will have splendor in the beyond of His mansions, but now your peace and joy abound here in His earthly mansions, each orthodox and faithful parish, making up His ship.
You see this with your eyes of faith. Your hearts of faith marvel at His goodness and mercy. Your Spirit born tongues give glory to your Jesus.
In the Name of The Father + and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost