Oh, Raise Our Eyes Anew

Text: Matthew 8:9-13
Date: The Third Sunday after Pentecost 6/5/05

  Having told the entire story of our salvation, our Lord launched us into this long, green season of Sundays after Pentecost with the command to make disciples of all nations. In order to make disciples we have said that we first must be disciples ourselves. In these Sundays of the month of our 50 th Anniversary as a Lutheran congregation the Gospels appointed bear witness as to how God Himself is the One who makes disciples of us and of others through us. The main verbs of Martin Luther's little catechism explanation to the Third Article of the Creed remind us of how the Holy Spirit comes to a person and works true conversion, awakening, faith and discipleship. Through the external means of grace, the Word and Sacraments, He “calls,” “gathers,” “enlightens,” and “sanctifies” us in the one, true faith. On this Sunday the Holy Gospel recounts the Call of Saint Matthew. From this account let us consider how God has called us and calls others through us to life and salvation. This Divine Call comes, first of all, from God outside of ourselves with no regard to subjective and deceptive emotions or feelings. Secondly, the Call always centers in Jesus. Third, the Call of salvation is of the greatest joy. Finally, this Call involves a challenge and even suffering that finds its strength and endurance in the Word of God.

I.   The Call to salvation is for all people, all nations, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, yet God desires that all should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. None is righteous in and of themselves. All are enslaved to the inherited sin that separates the whole creation from God its Creator. So total is the separation of sin that no man desires or seeks after God's salvation. In fact, the sinful nature seeks exactly the opposite, to hide from God, to remain in darkness, to go our own way. We would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation.

  There was a man named Matthew. Though he was a fellow Jew he was among a hated class, for his job was to collect taxes for the Roman occupation government. When we are introduced to him he is sitting at his tax booth. We're not told anything more about his character. He certainly wasn't sitting in Bible class. More likely he was like your typical worker today—getting up each morning to go to work, each day filled with the little details of eking out a more-or-less honest living. His main if not only friends and acquaintances were but fellow tax collectors and “sinners,” as the Pharisees called them, referring to something like a list of extremely inactive members who don't seem to care a lot about worship or their spiritual life. The Pharisees dismissed as inconsequential, the common people who possessed neither time nor inclination to regulate their conduct by their own Pharisaic standards.

  Nevertheless, Jesus saw Matthew, came over to him and said, simply, “Follow me.” In the same way the call to salvation comes to all of us with no regard as to any worthiness in ourselves. It comes to us not from our own religious hopes or imaginations. You know you have been called to salvation not because of a feeling, but simply because the Word has been spoken to you, “Follow me.” That Word can come from Christian parents, friends, coworkers, teachers or acquaintances. And it can come repeatedly in different situations.

  I'm reminded of a moment in college when a Christian professor came up to me and put a note in my hand, looked at me silently for a moment and then turned and walked away. Strange behavior! The note read, simply, “Matthew 10:37.” When I got back to my dorm room I looked up Matthew 10:37 and read, in part, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (ESV). What did this mean? What was my professor saying to me? I took it as an encouragement to a closer relationship with Jesus. I guess the impressive thing was that a fellow Christian friend cared enough to bring that message, that “call” to me, personally.

  Of course Jesus' call had come to me in many ways and many years before—in my baptism, in Sunday school and so forth. It was there, but I had not heard it or thought it a really personal not to mention ultimately important issue until my later teen years. Thank God for that professor, for Christian friends, for the pastor at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, and, of course, my parents. Through each and all of them together the Lord was at work to raise my eyes anew to my true need and his wonderful answer to my need—the Gospel of salvation.

II.   Jesus came to Matthew and said, “Follow me.” That “Me” refers to Jesus only. Beware of religious groups or movements where the “Follow me” refers to people or things other than Jesus only! It may be a religious personality or a program or a movement claiming something over-and-above or “better than” what you can find in church.

  Just this past Friday we received in the mail an invitation to a so-called “Just Give Me Jesus Revival” hosted by Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Dr. Billy Graham. The first question on the brochure is, “Do you need a fresh encounter with God?” implying that a “revival” is the place to find that. Now can God work through such things? Of course He can insofar as the pure Gospel happens to be proclaimed. The problem with so-called “revivals,” however, is that they avert our eyes away from God's promised means of grace and the confession of the pure Gospel in the fellowship of the Church. Any experience, “revival,” movement or program that begins with an appeal to the emotions only sets people up for frustration when the experience or exciting emotions subside and especially when one hopefully realizes that we continue to struggle with sin all along the way.

III.   Jesus sought out Matthew. God seeks for everyone. Jesus called Matthew to follow him. “And he rose and followed him.” But who was following who? For the next thing we find Jesus reclining at table in Matthew's house with “many tax collectors and sinners,” Matthew's buddies. They were having a party. Was it a “going away” party? No matter. And Jesus was there. The Pharisees were offended because of Jesus' seeming lack of respect for their laws of purity. Table fellowship is a meaningful way to express unity. To the Pharisees this meant nothing less than that Jesus was defiling himself. What they couldn't see was that this is exactly what he came to do—to take our sins upon himself, to be defiled for us so that by his sacrifice all might gain true righteousness, holiness and purity forever!

  Back to the world's idea of what makes for happiness and joy. I fear that in those churches or revivals that attempt to manipulate the emotions with what some call “happy-clappy” music, where the cross is covered or taken down “because it is too negative of a symbol,” where never is heard a discouraging word, I fear that there is, in response, little joy expressed among the angels in heaven. For what does the Word say? “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” [Luke 15:7 (ESV)].

  Where is truly deep joy found? Is it not when God's deliverance and blessing shows itself in precisely the most threatening of circumstances and darkest of days? The joy is almost inexpressible at the wonderful deliverance of our newest member, little 8-month-old Alexander Rester, from the awful threat of cancer. Likewise, the truest, deepest joy, in heaven and in our hearts, is when a troubled sinner realizes that Jesus Christ has taken away the condemnation of their sin and though we still feebly struggle with sin, the grace of God for Jesus' sake is greater. As Saint John says in his First Epistle, “whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything,” “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” [1 John 3:10; 4:4 (ESV)].

IV.   The Call of salvation comes to each sinner objectively, from the outside. It does not depend or rely on feelings or emotions but on the objective, solemn and true Word and promise and heart of God the Father Almighty. That Call is sure and solid and true because it centers on nothing in ourselves but in Jesus Christ and him crucified. There is no greater joy in heaven or in our hearts than when we realize sin has been forgiven.

  Finally, following Jesus means suffering for his name and finding strength and endurance in the Word of God alone.

  Notice that the Pharisees, in their offense and anger at Jesus, nevertheless do not accuse him to his face. Rather their wrath is aimed at his disciples. “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” I can imagine a sort of surprised silence, not knowing exactly how to answer this question. But notice what happens. When Jesus heard their interrogation, he steps in with the answer. I'm reminded of the great Christian hymn, “Jesus, Priceless Treasure,” where we sing in the last stanza,

  Hence, all fears and sadness,

  For the Lord of gladness,

    Jesus, enters in. [LW 270:5]

Jesus enters in to every situation, every trial, every trouble with his saving Word. For he has promised, “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour” [Matthew 10:19 (ESV)]. Also this: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” [1 Cor. 10:13 (ESV)]. That way is nothing other than the Word of God that has found a home in your heart and your soul and your mind.

____________________
Rev. Allen D. Lunneberg

Contacts:

deblocascio.stmark@sbcglobal.net

Pastor: Rev. Allen D. Lunneberg
7979 Commerce Rd.      (1/4 mile east of Union Lake Rd.)
West Bloomfield, MI 48324
Phone: 248.363.0741
Fax: 248.363.4755