Posted on 11/03/2007 6:07:44 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson
“Not Dead But Sleeping” (Matt. 9:18-26)
Things die in November. Now I say this as one who comes from the Midwest, where leaves fall off trees and flowers wither and frost appears. That stuff apparently doesn’t happen out here in this paradise on the Pacific, where, like the new Jerusalem, the trees yield their fruit twelve months of the year. But back in the Midwest, where I come from, things die in November.
And it was like that back in Europe, where many of the traditions of the church year developed. In November, things die. And so it was only natural, I suppose, that November became the month when the church especially thought about death and the last things. This month starts out with a festival called All Saints’ Day, on November 1, although many churches are observing All Saints’ today, since it’s the first Sunday of the month. Part of this observance is what’s called the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed, in which we remember those from our midst who have died since this time last year. So in November, as the earth seems to be dying and as we approach the end of the church’s year, our thoughts turn to death and to those who have died. Maybe we even begin to think a little bit about our own approaching death.
So I think it’s especially appropriate that we look at our Gospel lesson for today. For here is the only hope there is in the face of death. Here is the only hope for our loved ones who have died. The only hope for us who are here today--but who just as easily may be gone tomorrow, any one of us. This hope comes in these words: “Not Dead But Sleeping.”
Here’s what happened. We read about it in Matthew 9. Jesus was teaching the crowds when a ruler came up to him and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died.” We learn also from the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke that this man was a synagogue ruler by the name of Jairus, that Jairus’s daughter was twelve years old, and that she was his only daughter.
This is a man I can identify with. I myself am the father of a twelve-year-old daughter. I can only imagine what this father, Jairus, was going through. Daddy’s little girl, the apple of your eye, the one you’ve tucked into bed ever since she was a baby--and now she’s dead?! The grief must be beyond belief! “A father sore distraught,” as the hymn we just sang put it. My friends, maybe you have lost a child, or you know someone who has. It’s not supposed to be like that. Parents are not supposed to bury their children.
As I say, the grief must have been beyond belief. But somehow, it wasn’t! It wasn’t “beyond” belief. For this man has the belief that Jesus can do something about the death of his daughter. “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Wow! What faith this is! Or is it just the crazed ranting of a bereaved father? Well, no, it doesn’t sound like it. It sounds like this man actually expects Jesus to be able to do such a thing. “Come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” There’s something about Jesus that prompts and calls forth this faith.
So Jesus goes with the man to see the dead daughter. But along the way, someone else is looking for the touch of Jesus. A woman, suffering from a flow of blood--a too heavy discharge, perhaps, that came every month for the last twelve years. So now Jesus has two problems to deal with: One, a girl who has died. Two, a woman who was dying. For the fact that this woman had this illness, that her body wasn’t working the way it was supposed to--even if it wasn’t immediately life-threatening, when you get down to it, it was a sign that her body was in the process of dying. The body breaks down and wears out and doesn’t work right, until one day it ends up in the grave. Malfunctioning bodies are a sign of death--maybe sooner, maybe later, but either way, it will happen. And it will happen to you.
Dying bodies, dead bodies--it wasn’t supposed to be like this. People were not created to die. Human beings, made in the image of God, were designed for life, not death. Death is an alien intruder. It’s not natural, not according to man’s original nature. But something happened, something called sin. Man rebelled against God, did not listen to God, and made himself his own god. And with that sin came the curse of death. We all sin, every one of us. And we all die, every one of us. And along the way, on the road to dying, we get all these sicknesses and illnesses and malfunctioning bodies that tell us, “Yes, someday it’s going to happen to you.”
So in order to solve the sickness problem, you have to solve the death problem--because if it isn’t this sickness, it’ll be something else that will do you in. And in order to solve the death problem, you’re going to have to solve the sin problem. The thing is, though, you can’t solve it. You can only dig yourself in deeper, try as hard as you might. You cannot overcome your sin--all your lack of love for God, all your lack of love for your neighbor. You may be able to make yourself look better in front of others, but you know you can’t fix it, really. So where will you look for help, if not inside yourself? Sin, sickness, death--it’s all tied together. Who will untie the knot?
Where did this sick woman look? This woman, in her affliction and distress, looked to Jesus. She expected him to be able to do something about her problem. Like the man with the dead daughter, she believes the touch of Jesus will give her the needed help. “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” That is faith. Even the slightest contact with the Christ, she thought that would be enough to do the job. That’s how much she thought of Jesus, how wonderful and powerful he was. That’s faith, and Jesus recognizes it and commends it. “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”
This woman’s faith made her well, not because it was “her faith,” as though faith is some great accomplishment on our part. No. Her faith made her well because it was faith in the right object, faith in Christ. The glory all goes to Jesus. That’s the way it is with faith. It’s not a matter of us heroically mustering up enough faith, so that we’re actually putting faith in our own faith. Rather faith looks away from itself and looks to Jesus, looking to him to do whatever is best for us, trusting in his goodness and kindness and mercy, knowing that we receive God’s love and care through him.
And notice what else Jesus says to her: Your faith “has made you well.” Now that’s an interesting phrase right there. It could also be translated, “Your faith has saved you.” Saved you, made you whole, in both body and soul. Jesus specializes in holistic healing--the real thing, that is--healing the whole person. Jesus saves us, makes us whole, makes us well, by forgiving our sins and by the ultimate healing of our body in the resurrection of the dead. Your faith, because it is faith in Jesus, will save both your body and your soul.
“And instantly the woman was made well.” Your healing may not come instantly, but it will come, eventually. Jesus gives you a guarantee of that ultimate healing here in his holy Supper. For here he gives you the forgiveness of sins, won for you by the flow of his blood on the cross. Christ Jesus bore your sins in his body, paying the price for them before God. And now he gives you that very body and blood in this Sacrament. Jesus says to you, “Your sins are forgiven you. Your faith has saved you, made you well.” For, as the Catechism teaches, “where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” This is why the Sacrament is sometimes called, “the medicine of immortality.”
So, well, the woman with the flow of blood is healed. But what about the dead girl? That would seem to be a good deal harder. Jesus gets to the house, with the dad, to deal with the dead. The mourners are already in place. Jesus has a way of spoiling a good funeral, though. “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” Huh? What?! Are you crazy, Jesus? The people laugh at him. But Jesus is serious. Dead serious.
“The girl is not dead but sleeping.” What in the world could Jesus mean by that? After all, the girl really did die. Her heart stopped beating. Her lungs stopped breathing. She was dead--medically, clinically, physically dead. So what did Jesus mean?
“Not dead but sleeping.” Here’s the point, the one salient point that Jesus was making: Sleep is something you get up from. Let me repeat that: Sleep is something you get up from! And for those who die in the Lord--you’re gonna get up from that! Death is not the end of the story! You’re going to get up one day! Your loved ones who died in the faith, they’re going to get up one day! Just like that little girl got up that day.
“He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.” Jesus did come and lay his hand on her and she did live. And my friends, Jesus has laid his hand on you! He placed his hand on you in your baptism, when he sealed you with the sign of the cross, marking you as one redeemed by him. Jesus has placed his hand on you. He has touched you with his life-giving touch. That hand that bears the mark of the nail, that hand he showed to his disciples after he rose from the tomb, victorious over death--that same hand he places on you and blesses you with the promise of the resurrection. He raised this little girl as a sneak preview, if you will, to demonstrate that he has the power to give life, life from the dead. He raised this girl. He himself arose. And one day when he returns, Jesus will raise up our dead bodies alive and glorious and full of life, eternal life.
“Not dead but sleeping.” Because of all that Christ has done for us, and will do for us, this is how we too can look at the death of our fellow Christians. They are not dead but sleeping. And sleep is something you get up from.
Things die in November. People die in November--and January, and March, and August, and all the other months of the year. Even here in this Pacific paradise. But because of the hope Christ gives us--by his death and resurrection for our salvation, by the guarantees he gives us in his gospel and sacraments, by his promise that he will come again to raise us up to everlasting life--therefore we can say with full assurance: Those who die in Christ are “not dead but sleeping.”
While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went through all that district.
Here is the sermon I’m guest-preaching tomorrow at Grace Lutheran Church-San Mateo CA. However, I don’t have the file with me that has all the pingees I usually notify when I post a sermon. So I’m just recalling a few now at random, and may ping the rest after I get back to St. Louis Tuesday or Wednesday.
Thank you and God speed.
Isn't it interesting that some folks think they must make themselves new creations after they get 'saved', when it is Jesus/The Word through Whom and by Whom all things were/are/and will be created. All life originates with Him, whether in body, soul, or spirit.
Appreciate the ping to your excellent homily, Pastor.
Thanks for the great sermon Pastor.
Thanks Pastor. BTW, don’t forget to vote daily for PJ.
I don’t know if Pastor pinged you to this.
FReepers squirt and martin_fierro (and mrs._fierro) came and visited the church where I was preaching this morning. Thanks for coming! It was great to meet you in person.
It was great meeting you also. How do you like the weather?
We went to the Muir Woods yesterday afternoon. Beautiful!
There are little "micro-climates" in this area, depending on coast or inland, elevation, etc.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.