Our Sermons

Bible Passage: Mark 7:31-37
Pastor: Pastor Nathan Berg
Sermon Date:  September 12, 2021

If I were to say, “See you next time!” What immediately comes to mind? Or how about, “My pleasure!” What pops into your head? The first one is the last thing you hear 99 times out of 100 as you walk out of your neighborhood Kwik Trip; and the second one completes your order at the local Chick-Fil-A. There are plenty of gas stations and convenience stores out there, but the way you’re treated at a Kwik Trip, the way they run their business, how clean their bathrooms are, and the way their employees talk to you show that they care. There are plenty of places to buy a chicken sandwich, but the way Chick-Fil-A delivers that sandwich and treats you in their restaurants, shows how much they care. These two businesses have proved that it’s not just what you do, but how you do it that matters. 

For the next seven weeks, we are going to be following Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. And as Jesus meets with many different people, we are going to see what Jesus values. And the question we want to ask ourselves is this, “Do our values as a church family match up with what Jesus values?” As we strive to emulate Jesus, today we see that Our Family Cares about Individuals.

“Jesus left the region of Tyre again and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis.” Jesus is not on his home turf here. He’s way up north, in Gentile territory. Just prior to this story he had driven out a demon from the daughter of a Syrophonecian woman. It’s clear that word got around because we hear: “They brought a man to him who was deaf and had a speech impediment. They pleaded with Jesus to place his hand on him.” “They,” are a group of Gentiles. “They,” had obviously heard about Jesus and what he was doing. Did they know him as the Savior? Maybe, maybe not, but they knew that he had power from God to heal. So they brought him their friend, their countryman who had a debilitating condition. 

It’s hard to imagine the life of this deaf man here. Not only was he deaf, but he had a speech impediment. It’s not easy to be deaf or to deal with a speech impediment today, never mind in Jesus’ day. They had none of the resources we have, none of the standardized sign language, warning lights, closed captioning, or speech pathologists. What’s worse, it was a common belief that people who had these disabilities were that way because of some sin of their parents or even their own sin. Just think about the mental toll that must have taken on this man. How often we must have wondered what he had done and how it must have burdened his conscience. 

“Jesus took him aside in private, away from the crowd.” Pastor Schlicht has reminded us many times that the Holy Spirit doesn’t waste words. And that’s especially true in Mark’s Gospel. Mark doesn’t give us a lot of details in many of his stories. He’s very matter of fact, straight to the point. So, when he includes this much detail here in verses 33 and 34, we especially take note. Can you see the care that Jesus is showing for this man as an individual? He pulls him aside, away from the crowd, away from the gawkers. He did not want to embarrass him in front of others. He could have just said, “Be healed!” and moved on. But Jesus stops and takes the time to help this man as an individual. We are very apt to confess that Jesus came for everyone, which of course is true. “God so loved the world…” But I think sometimes we may overemphasize that truth at  the expense of how much God cares for us individually. But what we see throughout Mark’s Gospel and especially today is that Jesus is concerned about individual people. He cared about this deaf man and he cares about you. You are an individual that Jesus died for. He gave up his life and shed his blood for you. That’s what we hear every time we receive the Lord’s Supper. “Take and eat. This is the true body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, given in death for you.” 

And we see that individual care and concern continue in a rather odd way. “He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.”  Now remember, this man isn’t blind. He can see exactly what Jesus is doing. And while we may find it to be an invasion of personal space, Jesus is showing this man who can’t hear his words that he knows his problems, he knows his needs and by touching his ears and his tongue, that’s how he’s going to help. 

“After he looked up to heaven, he sighed…” Why do we need to know that Jesus sighed? How does that help this story? It shows Jesus’ humanity, doesn’t it? It shows his compassion for those in need, especially for this man. It shows his concern for what we have to deal with in a sinful world. It shows the heart of God who loved each and every one of his children that he was willing to become one of them to save them. It shows the compassion that would take him all the way to the cross.

Compassion isn’t often something that comes easily, especially for someone who doesn’t seem to deserve it. Could you show compassion for the Taliban in Afghanistan who are persecuting Christians? That’s the kind of compassion that God shows us in Jesus. Compassion for his enemies. Compassion for sinners who don’t deserve it. 

“After he looked up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”)    Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was set free, and he began to speak plainly.” With a single word this man couldn’t hear or understand, Jesus opened his ears and unlocked his tongue. Speech flowed freely from his lips as if he had been talking and hearing his whole life. And the crowd realized this. And even though, “Jesus gave the people strict orders to tell no one, but the more he did so, the more they kept proclaiming it. They were amazed beyond measure and said, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”” Amazingly good news is hard to keep to yourself. Amazed beyond measure. And that’s the good news that we have to share. That Jesus has done all things well. 

As members of God’s family, we strive to live our lives in service to others. That’s what the gift of righteousness allows us to do. And certainly, there are times when we lack the same kind of love and compassion for individuals that Jesus shows us today. And for those times, we seek God’s forgiveness. And then we thank God for speaking his “Ephphatha” to us! In Baptism and in the preaching of the gospel, Jesus has opened our ears as Christians so that we can hear his Word, believe with our hearts, and confess with our mouths, our lips opened and our tongues unlocked. And this “Ephphatha” surpasses the one spoken to the deaf man. For while he was healed for this life, we have been healed for all eternity. And it’s this “Ephphatha” that motivates our love and compassion for individuals. 

As members of God’s family, as members of Eastside, we want to show others that our family cares about individuals. Compassion ministry is one way to bridge the gap and allow us to share this amazing beyond measure good news. What does that look like at Eastside? For the last four years, we’ve held a Canvas Food Drive to support local food banks in our neighborhood. Our school will be sending one quarter of their mission offerings to support our synod’s special ministry for the visually impared. We have a “First Loved” fund and committee that helps those in need. But it doesn’t have to be that formal. It can be an ear willing to listen. It can be a kind word when someone is hurting. It can be a shoulder to cry on in the midst of grief. But in every instance, we serve our neighbor, we show love and compassion, we care for individuals because Jesus cares for us, individually. Our family cares about individuals, because we want them to be in heaven with us forever. 

Remember, it’s not always what you do, but how you do it that can make a difference. God help us so that our Eastside Family Values line up with his values. And especially today, may we strive to emulate our Savior in his care for individuals, in his compassion for others so that through us, they may see how Jesus has done everything well. Amen.