The Lord's Mighty Act

The Fifth Sunday After Pentecost

Ezekiel 2:1-5
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Mark 6:1-13

Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Romans 1:7)
One of the most painful things, I believe, that a person can experience, is rejection, when people refuse to believe what you say. I have experienced this, and I think a lot of you have, too. Often, it is because the news we tell is hard to believe, something which people have to see for themselves before they can accept the truth of what we say. The Lord had this same experience:
He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?"
Well, can we blame Jesus’ townmates, his childhood buddies, the people he grew up with? I would not doubt that, growing up, the Lord, as a child, as a teen, and as a young man, got into trouble, and got his share of trouble while growing up. Anne Rice, the author of the Vampire Chronicles, suggests that one of the things Jesus’ relatives and friends wondered about him was his refusal to marry. In our Gospel text for today, Jesus’ townmates have a lot of questions as they sat listening to him: where did he get this learning? He did not go to a big city to learn from scholars. What is this wisdom given to him? He is so familiar with the scriptures. How are such mighty works done by his hands? He is an ordinary man, right? A carpenter. A carpenter! Why, his brothers are our friends! And his sisters live here with us in the same community! An ordinary man, but such an extraordinary mien!
And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief.
And he could do no mighty work there, except heal a few people. It is truly a sad day in the life of our Lord, when he could do no mighty work because the hearts of his countrymen were filled with unbelief. His townmates, childhood buddies, friends, have a lot of questions, but they are the wrong ones, for the nature of all their questions is one: unbelief. They would not believe. And so, they not only reject the Lord, they also reject his Word, which is the promise of salvation to everyone who believes. And as an indictment against these people who would not believe, St. Mark offers these few words: “And he marveled because of their unbelief.”
MALADY
Do you think that the Lord would feel the same way about us in our time? Do you think that there are still times when the Lord is saddened because people would not believe? Well, noy just any people, but you yourselves. Are there times when we become like Jesus’ townmates, when we ourselves refuse to believe the Word of the Lord? And so, when the Lord, through his pastor, announces the Good News of the forgiveness of your sins, you do not believe that a simple Word can indeed absolve you of your sins. You do not rejoice in that Word. When the Lord proclaims to you his Law and his Gospel through the sermon, you do not listen; you do not believe. You would not believe that a simple Word can give you life everlasting. You simply wait for the sermon to end so that we can continue with the motions of worship. When we partake of the true body and blood of our Savior in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, do you believe that ordinary bread and a drop or two of wine can grant you forgiveness, life? When an infant is brought here in front of all of us to be baptized, do you believe in the Word the Lord says at that time? Do you believe that a simple Word, a sprinkle of water, will save that child from certain death and damnation to the eternal fires of hell? No. You do not believe. Because of sin. Because of sin, we fail to believe in the Word of the Lord. We fail to find comfort and strength in his absolution, in his Sacraments. We cannot believe that these simple things can be instruments, means of the Lord’s mighty acts in our lives. Because of our unbelief, the Lord could do no mighty acts in our lives. And once more, the Lord marvels at our unbelief.
GOSPEL
But the Lord was able to do a mighty act – not in his hometown, no. But somewhere else: on a hill called Golgotha. On that hill, the Lord ended the reign of sin, death and Satan in our lives. On that hill the Lord rendered powerless the power of death. How? When the Lord of life hung on a cross. Once more, the Lord of Life is faced with sadness in his life, probably his greatest sadness: to die on a cross as a common criminal, despised and rejected by the very people he loves. A sad day indeed, but not for us. For us, that first Good Friday is a day of victory, a day of triumph, for the Lord, on that day, was victorious over the powers of darkness and unbelief. For us, that day is a day of gladness, because by his death on the cross, the Lord is able to give us forgiveness, faith and life eternal. On that day. Because of his grace. On that hill blood was spilt. For us. Because of his grace.
And that grace continues to be efficacious, sufficient for us, even to this day, even in this hour. Everytime we gather to hear his Word and receive his Sacraments, we receive the benefits of Calvary – grace, forgiveness, life.
It may be that the Lord could do no mighty work on that one day in his life here on earth. He could do no mighty work in his own hometown for his townmates, his childhood friends, his relatives. But the one mighty work that he needed to do – for us – he did: he gave up his life, given unto death for the forgiveness of our sins, so that he may give us eternal life. The Lord’s mighty act: his death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. This is most certainly true. This is most certainly for you.
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. (Philippians 4:7)