5th Sunday after Pentecost; Luke 8:26-39

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

            It doesn’t seem like a plausible story to our modern ears, does it?  A man possessed by demons, he’s naked and living among the tombs.  An exorcism.  Pigs taking the plunge off a cliff.  It seems a bit surreal, doesn’t it?  It hits our modern ears a bit strange.  It’s not our experience in 21^st century America that people are possessed by demons.  Today, people would blame such behavior, as the man in the text exhibits, on a psychological illness.  Let’s just say it, today’s Gospel text sounds weird.

            We’ve come to God’s house, today, and we hear a story like this and it doesn’t seem to sit very well.  “Come on.  We’re much too sophisticated to be thinking about demons and those supernatural spooky things.”    The text fits in quite well with today’s fictional vampire craze.  But, we have to be clear.  God’s Word is true.  All of it.  It’s been written for our edification, for the Holy Spirit to use to create and sustain faith, and ultimately for our salvation.  This text may seem a bit odd to our modern ears, but it reminds us that demons are real.  Pure evil does exist and seeks to destroy, murder, and steal faith. 

            In our text for this morning, we learn several things.  “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion,” as Peter writes, seeking to devour.  Evil is out there but the devil is God’s devil.  He can’t go any farther or do anything unless God gives him permission.  And, evil is cast out at the Word of Jesus. 

            In our text, Jesus goes to the other side of the sea, the opposite side form Galilee to the country of the Gerasenes.  Gentile country.  There’s no Jews there, hence someone is raising unclean animals- pigs.  He encounters a man who’s possessed by demons- a legion of them.  The man doesn’t live in a house, but among the dead who are resting in the tombs.  He doesn’t wear any clothes but wanders around naked, and when he’s bound and chained, by apparent supernatural strength, he breaks the bonds and frees himself.  Doesn’t get much creepier than that, it sounds like something out of some horror movie.  The devil has a hold of him.  And here’s where this text gets practical for us:  like the man in the text, the devil had a hold of us too.

            We were all born into this world wearing nothing, exposed to the world.  But we’re also born spiritually naked.  Sinners.  Lost.  Cutoff from God.  Heirs of sin, death, and condemnation.  We may not have been born with our heads spinning around, or being able to break a chain by a mighty feat of strength, but we’re born under the power of the devil until Christ claims us as His own.  “You were dead in your trespasses and sins,” Paul writes in Ephesians 2,  “following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” 

            Doesn’t that sound a bit like the man in the text?  He was dead, separated from God, at least; the devil had a hold of Him, wandering amongst the dead.  But then comes Jesus.  Legion begs Jesus not to torture them by not allowing them to do their evil.  They ask Jesus’ permission to take possession of the pigs instead. 

            And here lies a little jewel of comfort for us.  When things go bump in the night, when things seem really bad, when the devil is whispering in your ear all the sins that you’ve done, the devil is God’s devil.  He’s on a leash, like a dog.  He can’t go any farther than God will allow.  Like a groveling pig, the devil has to come to God, as the legion of demons ask Jesus, and ask permission to do whatever it is they want to do.  The devil and God aren’t two equally opposed forces.  They’re not like an old Japanese movie with Godzilla fighting against an opponent who’s equal in size and strength.  No, the devil is God’s devil, He’s been defeated by He who also dwelt in the tomb for three days.  Jesus was dead, but is alive again!  And this victory over sin, death, and the devil He gives to you.

            Like the man in the text, you were born under the Prince and Ruler of the Air- the devil.  But Christ has claimed you as His own, drowning the sinful, unclean nature in the waters of baptism like a bunch of unclean demons and pigs.  The victory that Jesus won on the cross, is given to you, is bequeathed to you, is for you in baptism! 

            We heard it in the epistle text, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”  The man in the text, who ran around without clothes, at the Word of Jesus, having drown the unclean legion of demons that clung to him, sits at the feet of Jesus clothed.  We, who were born into this world spiritually exposed and indecent, have put on Christ in baptism.  You approach God, not with your own righteousness, but decked, clothed, and covered in the righteousness of Christ. 

            There’s nothing to fear for those who are in Christ Jesus.  The devil is God’s devil.  God’s got you covered.  You’re baptized, covered with Christ, filled with His Spirit, safe in His death and life.  His wounds are your healing; His cross is your victory; His righteousness is your clothing.  Your sins are put far away from you, as far as the east is from the west.  As far as that legion of demons from the poor man.  It’s yours!  Believe it.  Trust in it.  Your baptism clothes you in Christ’s holy righteousness, because we have none of our own to bring before God. 

            Jesus, by His death and resurrection, into which you’ve been buried and raised in baptism, takes you out of the graveyard and gives to you the peace that surpasses all understanding and eternal life. 

            Sometimes our modern ears don’t like to think about supernatural things.  It’s strange, especially the exorcism that you heard of today.  But it shows us what Christ does for us.  He has removed the evilness of sin from our hearts and made them new, clothing us in His holiness.  He cleanses you in the waters of His Holy Baptism, and will raise you up out of your tomb, to life everlasting.   Amen.

            The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.

2nd Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 4); Luke 7:1-10

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

            The children’s game Simon Says is an interesting game.  “Simon” is given authority to command the others to do almost whatever he or she wants (provided they use the required phrase “Simon says” before each command.) At Simon’s word, he or she says, “Jump,” and the group before them jumps.  Simon says, “Bark like a dog,” and the group barks like a dog.  Simon says, “Stand on one foot,” and the crowd stands on one food.  But not just anyone can give the commands.  If one in the group who hasn’t been designated “Simon” tries the same thing, the others would look at him with a puzzled, if not, angry expression.  This authority must be given.

            Words have authority to command and get things done, as long as the words come from one who has been given authority.  And in our text, there’s such a man of authority: a centurion in the mighty Roman Legion.  A man set over 100 men to command and control.  He has at least one servant who he also commands.  “I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  His word is powerful, it commands those under him and things get done…Quickly. 

            But with all of his given authority, with all of his might, even if he summoned all of his “inner Simon,” there’s one thing that his word can’t accomplish.  His word, as authoritative as it is, can’t heal his servant. 

            So he seeks out one whose Word is mightier than his own, someone greater than himself.  One who’s able to make the lame walk, the deaf hear, and the sick well.  He seeks Jesus.  But is he worthy of such a miracle to be preformed for him for a man so holy come under his roof?

            The Jews in the area certainly think so.  “And [the Jews] pleaded with [Jesus] earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation , and he is the one who built us our synagogue.’” The Jews are looking at his outward works and determine he’s worthy for Jesus to do this for him.  After all, he loves the Jewish nation, he even built a synagogue for them, (by the way, a synagogue built by a centurion has been found by archeologists; probably the one mentioned in the text.)  Can you imagine this scene?  A gentile Roman who’s loved by the Jews and even go to bat for him.  The Jews see all the stuff that this centurion has done for them and deem him worthy.  So, is he?

            It seems that this centurion has a different picture of himself.  He sends his friends, he can’t even bring himself to come to Jesus Himself, and has them tell Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.  Therefore I did not presume to come to You.  But say the Word, and let my servant be healed.” 

            Friends, do you see the two ways God is approached?  Like the Jews, don’t we like to focus on our own worthiness?  “I help the poor.”  “I volunteer in the church.”  “I assist the elderly.”  Don’t get me wrong, these are all noble things, but is this how we impress God?  We’re bred with this instinct to be the best, do the most, and we’ll be rewarded.  “There’s no such thing as a free lunch so, why would it be any different for God.”  We grasp onto our own worthiness, our own works, our own deeds and try to set them before God and say, “See, look at all that I did!  I’m worthy now, right?”  This is how the Jews in the text thought of worthiness.  It’s something that can be seen; something based on one’s works.  He built them a synagogue; therefore, he should get a healed servant. 

            But God’s grace isn’t a game of quid pro quo, this for that, you do your part and God will do His.  And the centurion knows it.  He’s taken a good look at his life and as a soldier the things his job required of him.  He took a look at the things that he had done and may have been saying to himself, “Jesus cleansed the sick. I sent them away to quarantine. Jesus has healed the lame. I made them lame by the sword. Jesus drove out demons. I paved the way for those demons to come in the first place. Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies.’ I killed them all.”  Is there any wonder why he would say, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof?”

            Contrary to the Jews, who came to Jesus bragging this guy up, he approaches Jesus in humility, repentance, and faith.  A faith that causes Jesus to proclaim,  “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 

            Jesus heals the servant, not because the servant was an outwardly worthy guy.  Jesus doesn’t heal the servant because the Jews put a good word in for him.  The Word of Jesus, the Gospel, isn’t for those who are worthy of it but for those who are unworthy sinners.  The centurion repented of his unworthiness.  He approached Christ on bended knee in faith.  And faith always seeks a Word from the Lord.   

            Jesus’ Word is a creative Word, an authoritative Word, a Word that works the ways of God and does what it says. When Jesus says “arise!” – the lame leap up. When Jesus says, “be opened” the deaf hear.  “Be loosed” the mute speak.  “I am willing” and the lepers are made clean.  “Come out!” and the demons run away.  When Jesus says “talitha cum – little girl get up,” or “Lazarus come forth!” the dead wake up.  Thus this centurion is looking for a Word on behalf of his highly valued servant.  Faith is always looking for a Word from Jesus. The centurion has faith in Jesus Word, great faith, faith that Jesus has yet to find in all Israel, faith that Jesus wishes that He would find in us today.

            The centurion’s word wasn’t able to heal his servant, but Jesus’ Word is active and powerful, it does exactly what it says.  To those who are weary and heavy laden because of sin, to those who are unworthy to have Him come under your roof, who aren’t worthy to stoop down and tie His sandals Jesus says the greatest news an unworthy person could ever hear, “I forgive you all of your sins.  I died for you.  My forgiveness I give to you.  Your sins are forgiven.”  When Jesus says, “This is my body.  This is my blood,” His Word attaches itself to bread and wine.  The Lord’s Word heals the servant and, at last, He will call you from the ground by His Word to new life where there is no sickness.  We, who are unworthy, because of Jesus and His cross, receive everything.  You’re worthy, not because of your works, or deeds, or actions.  You’re worthy because of Christ.  That He had compassion for us unworthy people and made us a people worthy to stand before the judgment hall in His very own righteousness.  You’re worthy because Jesus has died for you, because He’s given you His Word of the Gospel, which found root in your ears.

            The Word is what works!  The Word is what saves!  The Word is what heals and chases away the devil.  The Word is what brings forgiveness as the cross is proclaimed.  The Word is what makes certain our resurrection and life everlasting in paradise.  The Word is our only certainty.  The Word is our only power, our only authority.   Christ gives His people His Word and the Word made visible in the Sacraments.  Therefore, cling to the Word!  Hear the Word. Believe the Word! Receive the Word, treasure the Word.  Read, learn, mark and inwardly digest the Word.  In a world that is sick with itself, faith clings to the Word that gives Jesus.

            Simon says in a fun game for kids.  The authoritative word of Simon goes out and accomplishes what he or she wants.  But our words aren’t capable of forgiving sins, healing a servant, or raising the dead, Jesus’ Word does all of that.  His forgiveness that He has won on the cross is still spoken into your ears, that brings to you faith and forgiveness and everlasting life.  Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.