“TRINITY 13”
Saint Luke 10: 23-27
13th Sunday after Trinity: 3 September Anno Domini 2023
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
He, Jesus, turns to you His New Testament Disciples; you who “for [y]our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” [1 Cor. 10.11b] and speaks: “Blessed are they eyes which see the things that ye see, for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”
Adam and Eve waited their long 700 + years to receive their Savior. Father Abraham was given the promise that he would be the father of not just nations but that Messias would come from his descendants—this promise was repeated to Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Judah, and King David. Neither they nor Elias, Elisha, Kings Hezikiah, Josiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, or Daniel lived to see The Lord’s Day. Oh, they had revelations, epiphanies, and indeed God moved in their lives with protection, forgiveness, strength, and succor, but not like Christ’s Disciples (in Luke 10) and Christ’s disciples in Augsburg’s name have!
Immanuel. God in The Flesh. God in the true and natural (human) Flesh and Blood of Jesus of Nazareth, Mary’s Son. He came, He is here. All of the universe’s history is now redeemed by His person and work. Jesus isn’t JUST The Son of God, though He Is, He is God of God, light of light, very God of very God. Or as St. Paul preaches: “for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of The Godhead bodily” [Col. 2.9].
You have The Lord’s parables showing forth His Person and the nature of The Kingdom of God. The Hebrew Saints never heard Jesus talk like you do. Read and listen to The New Testament Gospels!
Yes His parable of The Good Shepherd is familiar, and beloved, but it also remains The very Word of God—which Hits hard with killing Law and restores, you, with sweet comfort and life.
The question of who is and who is not a “neighbor” is a question of Law. Do not ask it. Do not be like a “certain Lawyer,” i.e., a man who thought he knew his Bible, his memory verses, his doctrine, and his own denominational traditions. A neighbor is everybody else—any one you come into contact with is your neighbor. It has nothing to do with our concepts of friends and associates, or of our understanding of Western “neighborhoods” (sub-divisions, school districts, communities, villages, towns, counties, or shires).
The second table of The Law, Commandments 4 through 10 are correctly summarized by the lawyer in our text. One should (must) love one’s neighbor as oneself. The lawyer thought he was fulfilling the first table, but to be sure of the second, to “justify himself” he quibbles with Christ “and who is my neighbor?”
Jesus’ parable doesn’t talk about family relationships or ethnic bonds, or religious/political/social bonds. The story is clear—he who helps, sacrifices for, takes risks on behalf of; he who stops to help—to bathe, disinfect, balm, bandage up, carry to aide stations, and pay for essentials (food, lodging, etc.) is the neighbor.
Theologically, there is only ONE true Neighbor, and that IS Jesus, Who did and does all these things for you and for the world. You wish to live by The Law, then “go and do likewise!”
Okay, for all you “3rd Use Pro-Nomians,” all of you who love The Law because you are deficient in true Lutheran understanding of Christ (and Paul, and Romans). You want 3rd application? Read Proverbs. Almost every single verse tells you what to do. Do them all. Do them perfectly. And while you’re at it obey The 10 Commandments perfectly. Or, go to hell.
Now back to a Christ like sermon—
Though The Lord is now invisible to your eyesight His incarnational (Bodily) presence is still here—in your midst—For You! He remains your perfect neighbor because He is THE Good Shepherd, He is THE Good Samaritan. Though He is from a different “tribe” than you—both Galilean 1st century Jewish, and Heavenly (The God/Man) he still stops to rescue you. He becomes fully dead, after suffering on the cross, so that you would be given back life. He binds up your sinful wounds with oil and wine, i.e., with Holy + Baptism and Holy Communion. He brings you to the Inn of His Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. The true Tabernacle. The real Throne of God. The New Testament and New and final Adam & Lamb. No more shadows or “types.” The Body of God. He gives to His inn-keepers, His pastors, the twin pence of Law and Gospel, of Christ’s two natures, to keep you in Peace: “This true Body and true Blood, of your Lord Jesus Christ, preserves you both in body and soul to life everlasting! Depart in Peace”
So yes, your eyes and your ears are more blessed, so blessed—more than those prophets and kings and Old Testament Saints that I mentioned. The things you see, and the things you hear! But now today, at this altar, at this communion rail, those Hebrew Saints do join you, and you remember them with joy and communion: “wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus The Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” [Heb. 12. 1-2].
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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