The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity – Sunday 15 October A✠D 2023
✠ Psalmody: Psalm 35:3b;34:17a, 6b;48:14a;78:1–3, 4b;141:1–2;98:1a
✠ Lection: Isaiah 44:21–23;Ephesians 4:22–28;Matthew 9:1–8
In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Which is easier when crossing a small sea: to get into a boat powered only by wind in its sail and human muscle thrusting it forward by the use of paddles and oars as it fights the imbalance of waves, the heat of the sun, opposing headwinds, and whatever else comes in Creation’s demand for submission to its might; or, to walk at a leisurely pace across the top of the water, subjecting it to an authority which extends to every last drop, to every cloud in the sky, to all the stars and planets, and even to how they move around in space. Obviously, when One has infinite power to create and control all things, such as does the Lord Jesus, making use of such power to cross over the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, is beyond easy. But He crossed over in a boat, submitting Himself to that which we must in order to bring to us upon the earth that which we need most here: forgiveness of sins and the authority to bestow it. This morning’s Gospel shows that all His temporary signs and wonders, like having a paralytic take up his bed and go to his house, were secondary to His ultimate goal. As God in human flesh, Jesus still possessed the omnipotence, the infinite, limitless power of Almighty God, but willingly submitted Himself in humility to His life also as a man so that He could conquer man’s greatest foes: sin, death, and the devil. He Who could calm the wind, make the sun stand still, or even divide an entire sea to make a dry path, humbly set His power aside as He boated over the waters for the sake of all sinners before, during, and after His earthly life. Christ must be fully man so that for man He could die in his place. Christ must be fully God so that His death could be effective beyond the shores of this sea, beyond the borders of the Holy Land, effective out into the far reaches of the whole world, in all the days of its existence, for sinners dwell in every corner and need to have that forgiveness given to them there. He shows in the healing of the paralytic that man has the authority to forgive sins, namely in, and because of, the God-Man, Christ Jesus.
Into a home in Capernaum Jesus made His way and by the parallel account in St. Mark we hear that many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. The place was packed out. They were receiving the Word of God from the Word of God Himself seemingly willingly and joyfully, at least until He spoke some truth that was hard for them to swallow. The proclamation of sins being forgiven isn’t always well received, much less always held sacred and gladly heard. They were hearing divine words that call, enlighten, and sanctify, not because they are so philosophically or humanly profound, cutting edge, or progressive, but because they came from the very mouth of God, the author and perfecter of life-giving faith. Yet, our hearts far too often have ungodly reactions to hearing that a Man is forgiving our sins, in particularly in our day, that a man, a pastor, that Jesus has placed in His stead and at His command, forgives sins with the full authority of God. Do not say within yourselves what the scribes indignantly did that day that I or any other pastor, truly mere men, blaspheme or speak lies about God in saying, “I forgive you all your sins.” Far too many of our American Christian brothers and sisters deprive themselves of the solace of this Holy Absolution simply because it’s also what the Catholics do. It was not the pope, but Christ Himself Who instituted this Office of Forgiveness when He breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Such is the beautiful gift for a penitent’s relief, for Jesus sinners doth receive. And such is damning word upon the hardness of heart of all unrepentant sinners.
Beloved, we can be thankful that the scribes at least saw some need for the forgiveness of sins. Where that is present, there the Lord’s Word is having effect to some degree and can be corrected with some humble, well-received teaching. But beware when teaching from His Word is resisted and of any reaction of apathy within yourself toward forgiveness being spoken; reaction that cares neither that God forgives sins nor that He sends men to exercise that authority. For the sinful heart ever tries to lead you astray in this way; to lull you into a sleepy, comfortable stupor in your own sins.
Both reactions are sinful failures of seeing the gift of forgiveness as God delivers it. We know that God does not forgive the unrepentant or those who lack faith in Him. So, in seeing the faith of these who brought the paralytic to Jesus, He forgave the man his sins and it was received by faith. Think not that forgiveness was given because they sought out Jesus, for their distance was much shorter than what He had crossed even to this point, and I speak not of the Sea of Galilee. Indeed, He was born to the south in Bethlehem and grew up in nearby Nazareth. He became Man, but remember from whence He came before His incarnation. Remember the chasm that man has placed between himself and God by his sin. Remember that it was God the Son Who was born in the flesh as the Son of David possessing both a nature of man, unblemished by sin, and the nature of God, Who truly alone is able to forgive sins, yes, but also has all power and authority to give that authority to pastors to exercise for your good.
It is by the great mercy of our Lord that we have received such a priceless gift, so that we may know that God does forgive sins and that He has given authority for that forgiveness to be given here where we are, where sinners do dwell. He shows us as often as we need to be reminded and more that our sins aren’t only forgiven yonder, before Him in heaven, but that they are forgiven here in the very muck into which He Himself descended to win that forgiveness for us. Since He has done this as a Man, since He has done this as God, and has spoken that authority upon those who watch out for your souls, turn from your reactions of indignation and apathy and embrace the forgiveness of sins as the true treasure that it is every time you receive it. For, man has the authority to forgive sins, namely in, and because of, Our Savior, the God-Man, Christ Jesus.
In ✠ Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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