No doubt you recall the Christmas song which begins; "Do you hear what
I hear?" That song describes the delightful sounds of Christmas. It's
true. We're surrounded by all kinds of sounds; sounds that are a delight.
That's true, of course, unless you can't hear. If you can't hear there's
nothing.
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Such is the case in today's Gospel. Here is a man who can't hear; a
man who is deaf. And besides being deaf, this fellow also has a problem
speaking. That's how it is. If you can't hear what you are saying you
won't know how to speak correctly. Hearing and speech go together.
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And what do we find? We find Jesus acting with compassion - with the
compassion only He is capable of. In mere moments this man's problems are
solved. Quickly his ears are opened and his tongue becomes capable of
proper speech.
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How do we react to this story? Only the coldest heart is not warmed by
this. Only the most dour of people would not smile in quiet thanks for
this miracle. For years this poor man had been hindered in every aspect
of life and now all of that is over. Now he can hear. Now he can speak.
Now life can become what it never had been before. Now everything is
changed; everything is as it should be.
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But if we see this as simply one more miracle of Jesus in which He
helps people in their physical needs we will have missed a great deal.
There is no denying that this miracle is profound. There is no denying
that this man is helped incredibly and the crowds are properly impressed.
But what about us? We're 2000 years removed from this event. What do we
find here that is relevant for us? If this is only about the compassion
of Jesus in the face of physical necessity, how many proofs do we need?
After all, how many sick people need to be healed, how many dead people
need to be raised back to life, how many deaf ears need to be opened
before we get the point? If this is only about Jesus' healing physical
problems what's special about this miracle?
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As I have mentioned many times, you and I are also in this text. You
are in this picture. In some way you are the man who is healed. It is as
you understand your place here that the full meaning of this miracle
becomes apparent. And when it does you will see a new miracle. You will
see yourselves as the recipients of Jesus' healing touch.
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We think of deafness as a physical thing, and it certainly is. But
what about spiritual deafness? What about not hearing God; not
understanding God? Well, that's our natural condition. That's how man is
before he is converted. Man is born deaf to God. He cannot hear God. He
can't understand God. And as a result he can not speak of God; he can not
confess God.
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Oh, he may think he can. He may actually consider himself quite
religious - even a Christian. But he isn't. You see, man's fall into sin
caused his ears to become closed and that deafness has been passed on,
generation after generation, to us. Deafness toward God inflicts everyone
who is born. And that's how things remain unless God intervenes; unless
God acts to open your ears to His Word. Left to yourselves you would go
through life and into death with ears that can not hear as they should.
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Our problem lies at precisely this point. Because sinful man cannot
hear God, he is unable to speak the truth. He is unable to speak the
truth either to God or about God. Oh, he may say "spiritual" things; he
may use "religious" words. He may speak about the here after, or about
how God watches over things, or how he feels God's presence around him.
But like a deaf man he is simply parroting sounds. He cannot speak from
what he knows - what he has heard - because he cannot hear God.
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If you think I'm wrong just listen sometime to what people say after a
funeral. The sermon may have spoken clearly of the need for repentance
and forgiveness of sins but the conversations in the basement usually
don't. Over coffee people will be speaking of other things. Naturally
they'll talk about the person who died. But very often they will try to
comfort each other with statements like this; "He was such a good person,
heaven will be brighter because of him," or "God has a new star in heaven
now," or "Now he's watching over us and helping us." Such talk comes from
ignorance. Such talk flows from deaf ears and out of empty mouths. Not
having the truth of God people make up their own truth. These people are
simply indicating their deafness, and this deafness leads them to think
they know something. In ignorance they are led to believe that all
religions lead to the same place and that everything will somehow work out
in the end.
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But consider the man in our text. Apart from Jesus he was helplessly
deaf and dumb. Only after Jesus opened his ears could his tongue speak
knowingly. So it is with you. Apart from Jesus your ears remain closed.
Apart from Jesus you have no knowledge of God from which your lips can
speak. Apart from Jesus you have no eternal truth.
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But you are not apart from Jesus. You are the man in this text - Jesus
has come to you. He has opened your ears; He has loosed your tongue. He
did this when you were yet speechless. You didn't bring yourself to
Jesus. Somebody else did. Just like the man in our text you were brought
to our Lord in the sure hope that He would be merciful to you; that He
would cure you. And He did! He did! The Lord Jesus has touched you and
made you whole; made you complete.
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In our text it was the fingers of Jesus and His spit which became the
instruments of a miracle. For you Jesus worked through the hands of a
minister and the water of baptism to perform His miracle. Spit certainly
seems inconsequential - so does the water which is poured over you at the
baptismal font. The fingers of a man placed into the ears of a deaf-mute
must have seemed like nothing. So, too, the human hands which cradled you
and applied to you the water of life. But in each case the result was the
same. Ears that had been closed were opened, able to hear the voice of
God. A tongue which had been bound was unloosed and able to confess.
That's what always happens. The freed tongue, animated by hearing ears,
makes confession. It confesses its sin, its unworthiness. And then it
confesses faith in the mercy of God - mercy which is proclaimed by the
crucified Jesus into newly opened ears.
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But how do we keep from becoming deaf again? How are ears kept open?
How are tongues made able to continue speaking as they should? It happens
here in Christ's church. Here, Sunday after Sunday, Jesus keeps your ears
open as His Word is constantly poured into them. Here, Sunday after
Sunday, your tongue is exercised - continually making confession of the
truth.
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The crowds who witnessed the miracle said more than they ever knew.
"He has done all things well." It's true. And the "all things" goes far
beyond mere physical miracles. The "all things" includes Jesus' willing
sacrifice for your sins. He died in your place. He died in your sins.
In His body the sins of all were put to death. All sin, for all mankind -
for you. Nothing has been left for you to do. No detail has been
overlooked. In the blood of Jesus you have been cleansed. From the side
of the crucified Jesus comes the redemption which flows over you even now.
You have been made new - made holy. When you were baptized all the
benefits of Jesus suffering and death became yours. You were baptized
into Him - into His death - and at that moment your ears, too, were
opened. You were enabled to hear God's verdict - forgiven, redeemed,
restored. You became new creations; dwelling places of the Holy Spirit
who now teaches your tongue to speak. And that teaching goes on yet
today - goes on until the day you die. The Holy Spirit directs your
tongue to confess - "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner: the sinner." And,
having helped you speak truth, the Spirit helps you hear truth - "I
forgive you all your sins." It's true, the miracle continues. Ears
opened to hear the truth of Christ crucified for you and tongues set free
to confess the same. And finally, the greatest miracle of all - you
believe it.
In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
+Soli Deo Gloria+
