✠ Psalmody: Psalm 31:2b–3; 1; Psalm 77:14–15; Psalm 100:1–3; Psalm 119:12–13; Psalm 78:29–30a
✠ Lection: 1 Samuel 16:1–13;1 Corinthians 13:1–13; Luke 18:31–43
In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” As the Christ first said these words to His disciples, so too does the Church Year repeat them and continue to prepare us for what lies ahead, so that when we look upon the dear Lord Jesus, we do not see as man sees, but as the LORD does, for to see Jesus is to have true sight. Such sight is our goal, because our natural eyes, those not of head, but of heart, are blind in this regard and must be opened by the Savior Himself so that we may see that it is He, the Son of Man, the Son of David, the Son of God Who turns not away from mock, insult, and spit, but endures to the end so as to brighten our eyes with His looking upon us in favor. In about 40 Lenten days, we will again find ourselves revisiting Jerusalem at Holy Week as we remember the Son of Man Who accomplished what He set His face like flint to do, opening our eyes to see the true love and worth that He possesses, which causes us to follow and glorify Him.
Yet, in three-fold fashion, St. Luke tells us that the disciples, able to look with the eye upon the Jericho road on which they trod, were not able to see with faith the meaning of their Master’s words. The heart of Jesus was one that must lead through great suffering so that out of the same He may rescue the world. Yet, they “understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.” Such is the blindness that natural man has even in the presence of the Word made flesh. We cannot count ourselves more capable though, more holy, more insightful, more wise than the blessed blind Disciples, because it is only by the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit that we may now read, know, and believe what happens on that Good Friday and Easter Morning, seeing in the revealed Word what the Lord’s suffering, death, and resurrection means.
In contrast to the disciples sat one begging by the side of the road; begging from fellow man passing by whatever could be afforded to support the daily needs of the body, for he was blind in the bodily eye. Then, hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant and was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. As is natural for Christ, He drew a multitude to Himself just as He does now in eternal glory with the saints in heaven. How glorious for us it is when the dear Lord finds us poor beggars and draws us near when we are not able to find our way, but can only grope about and plead! No lottery or other great temporal fortune can compare to having the Maker of heaven and earth come near and draw us to Himself, to have us be brought to Him at command of His Word. Thus, seeing with eyes not in the head, did this blind man call out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” recalling to our minds how David was anointed by the Lord though appealing not as his seven brothers did in appearance. We know the delight that our Father in heaven has when He looks not as man does, but instead upon the pure and noble heart of the Son of David, seeing Jesus’ intent on doing His Father’s will by going up to Jerusalem for us. Such a bright and glorious Light shone into the blind man’s darkness so that He was able to recognize not only that a Giver of good things was passing by, but that the Giver was God Himself. He could see the Bright Heart nearby and called out in delight. The eyes of faith long for what only God can give, that is, deliverance from sin and all its effects. This is what the blind man rightfully sought, for he asked not what all the other sons passing by throughout the day could give as they walked past the blind beggar; he asked the Son of God not for gold or silver, not for any temporary good that would support the needs of the body in this life; he asked Him for a gift only God could give, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” Gladly, Jesus granted him a taste of what the goodness of His heart has in store for all who look to Him in faith.
Behold, dear Christians, we are going up to Jerusalem, for it is to there that we look with a thanksgiving and joy that will see us through all suffering as we look and look again. What Jesus has done will never grow old nor stale, because we look ahead to our Savior, to our joy of annual celebration of that gloriously dark event where the Light of the World was snuffed out for redemption, only for that Light to rise again from the dead in eternal victory having forever secured your life and salvation, knowing that one day our celebration will be uninterrupted by darkness and sin. The beautiful spiritual tendrils of Easter joy stretch throughout all the parts of the years as they continue to pass by; always brightened by the Light of Christ.
Look into the heart of Christ this morning and see His pure and perfect sacrifice as the Father does so that, in joy, you are purified, comforted, and strengthened in following and glorifying Jesus. His plan of salvation, His willingness to die the death that you couldn’t die for yourself, His desire to carry out this ultimate act of eternal love, was set in motion long before a single prophet drew his first breath, yet God gave them sight by which to write it; to tell of this great Lord and Savior. Nothing could stop the Him from saving you, not even those evil final days in Jerusalem, for He would use it all to gain resounding victory. Throughout all history from the Garden through the Flood, through the Wilderness, to Babylon, and finally to Jerusalem, and now to us this day, quite often the perception of those living at those times would be that the wicked world is winning, and God is losing. What greater evidence of that could there be when the world hung God on a tree, and He died? Therein lies its foolishness though. Therein lies what is now not hidden from your eyes but given to you to behold in faith that there in Jerusalem, Love never ended, unlike death. Yes, physical death still dwells among us, but its leash is short, and its teeth have been knocked out of its bite. Do not fear any form of it. Do not make the fear of death the only life you know and have left in the here and now, for in such there actually becomes depravation of life. Go boldly ahead with Jesus, call out for His mercy, knowing that you are in Christ, Who led the way into eternal life through death, not by an easy road, but by one of His own suffering; suffering in which the Christian is honored to share. There is no road for you to trod, upon which your dear Savior has not already blazed the path.
The fruit of His tree of the Cross, which awaited Him and His suffering in Jerusalem, yet did not deter Him, is the most costly gift ever able to be given. It is yours to look upon with thankful eye, because with eyes of faith, you see beyond the crucified Man; you see God; you see God and man reconciled. This truth, the world cannot comprehend, it cannot fathom, it cannot believe, it cannot see it or understand it, but to you is given faith to trust in the sacrificed Lamb of God, who takes away your sins, who responds with mercy when you call out for it. Look to Jerusalem, to the crucifixion with joy and see the deep beauty of the Lord revealed in glorious sacrifice for you. He set His face toward Jerusalem for you, went boldly into your death, and has come through all this life’s threats with you securely in His hand. That is the Jesus that your faith cannot stop joyously looking upon!
In ✠ Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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