“FAITH IN THE WORD”
Saint Matthew 8. 1-13
Third Sunday after The Epiphany: 23 January Anno Domini 2011
Revd Fr JW Watson SSP
Mountains and God go together. Mt. Sinai was where the Lord gave the Commandments. Mt. Calvary was where the Lord gave payment for your breaking of those Commandments. The Cross was where righteousness and truth met and where the Gospel was made and done.
The Holy Ghost takes the Lord of Calvary and shows Him forth in all His Mercy and Compassion. Or, as Luther says: "He calls me by the Gospel…" That, the Gospel of Christ, i.e. The Christ in-the-flesh, is what draws great multitudes. The followers of the Messiah are great not because of numbers or inherent worth, but because God is great. God's greatness is not in His omniscient power but in His amazing Grace. There may not be many people as you count "many" that are in this beaten-up, war-weary, cruciform Church Militant, but it nonetheless is a multitude… with angels, archangels, and all the Company of Heaven.
Jesus your Great Brother and Great Redeemer did some immediate, "on-the-ground" redemption when He healed the Leper. This miracle demonstrated that not even virulent, non-healable physical diseases can stop the Love of God in Christ Jesus. That Leprosy which was banished at a "twinkling" of the Nazarene's eye, at a smile of His mouth, at "one little word" from the Word, at the warm touch of His soon-to-be pierced Hand of God, is but a dress rehearsal for the Last Advent!
The Savior did not stay in Bethlehem (the "House of Bread") the city of David his forbear (and son). But obeying and "doing," for all of you, He began His infant life "under the cross" fleeing to other domiciles. The Carpenter's Son did not stay in His own comfortable and beloved home-town of Nazareth, but was like a fox without a hole and a bird without a nest; a wandering Rabbi would He be, to again obey and dutifully work the work of all "wandering from God" Jews and Gentiles.
Jesus' northern base of operations was the sea-side fishing village of Capernaum, home to Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew and possibly more of the 12.
Capernaum, home to the Centurion in the military service to the occupation forces of Imperial Rome. The English word "century" comes from the word Centurion. And still, to this very morning, the Church marks its own centuries in years, per annum, that bring to mind the First Advent of your Lord, Anno Domini 2011, of the 21st Century since the Nativity of God.
You like the story because you think at times "YOU" are that faithful Centurion, that believing foreign Gentile that loves Jesus.
Perhaps you are actually identifying with the Centurion's power and authority, hallmarks of American idolatry. Or maybe you like the Centurion's confidence, independence, and boldness.
The point is none of these things. The point is that the Centurion understood what faith was. The Centurion was more like Abraham than even the Disciples, and certainly more like the "Father of Nations" than the so-called "chosen nation."
You don't daily read your Bibles like the Christ wants you to because you feel it's a bit distant and unconnected from the actual Jesus, the actual events. If only God would really come to you in your "hearts," or your minds, or speak to you with visions and permit you to have emotions and feelings and "real contact." You think it would be so much easier to believe in times of trouble if Jesus would just come to you in the flesh so you could see Him with your own eyes. Or so your fallen sinful nature whines. Yeah, that's what the Pharisees and Sadducees had for all the good it did them. "Faith cometh by hearing." The Centurion not only knew that but believed it and lived His life in it, In God.
You don't tremble with filial fear and appreciative awe at the Supper; you don't hunger and thirst for the Lord's Body and Blood as you should because deep inside of all fallen men there beats a Zwinglian. The Sacrament is good you know but you'd rather actually dine with Jesus at a real table in a real dining room where you could see… you know, place your finger in His hand-prints, and place your hand in His side…just to be sure!
The Centurion would head my constant preaching that "if you really believed Jesus was present at Augsburg, in His Word, and in His Word attached to earthly elements, not all of creation would keep you from being here on the 8th Day!" The Centurion believed that it was THE WORD, THE WORD, THE WORD, and would have crawled over broken shards of Golgotha Glass to be at Augsburg's Mass - - because that's where JESUS IS! All that the Savior was "about to do" for the Centurion outside the gates of Jerusalem; all that He did do for you at the Atoning Tree of Life, all the suffering and dying to pay for your sins, to heal your Leprosy and grievous palsy, He now dispenses, "serves" at the Pure Well of the Font, the tender Pax Christi of the Pulpit, and the fortifying Faith-Feeding of the Altar & Rail.
He who commanded a hundred foot soldiers of a Legion is brought by the Holy Ghost into the presence of He Who has a Father that would have heeded His call and sent Him TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS!
The Centurion is a humble man as only true faith, and a true Law-worked understanding of sin, personal sin, can re-create one. The Centurion overjoyed to be in the physical, visible presence of the God/Man, but, nonetheless with awe, reverence, and deference, suggested that Jesus not even make the walking trip to the Roman's house, but to simply heal the servant with the commanding syllables of the TRUE and ONLY MASTER of all creation.
And Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as Righteousness - - the Righteous merits of the Paschal Lamb. And the Centurion believed that Jesus could AND would heal his ward with but a conscious decision of will, and it was credited to him as Righteousness - - the forgiveness of sin, life and salvation.
It is fitting that the Centurion is held up to the Twelve, to all New Testament Disciples, as the picture of faith. Faith is but a gift of the Spirit. Faith is the reception of the Word made Flesh through His words of absolution, peace, and strength.
You have likewise been placed in that special company of the Earthly Saints and in that exalted company of the Saints Triumphant. You wear your + Wedding Garments and thus are properly here today for the big banquet. You have come from the East and the West, from the North and the South, and you too now will dine and sup with Jacob, Isaac, Father Abraham, and your Centurion brother.
By the power, yes, but by the Love of God the Word, by Grace through Faith, YOU are healed this very hour!
In the Name of The + Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost