Be Opened!
Mark 7:31-37
9/24
† In Jesus Name †
Grace, mercy and peace be yours, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Pipes, just lieing in the nursery
The hands of the master
The wind blows through,
The master smiles….
Back in April of this year, I attempted to go into the nursery, to look for something in it’s closet. I could barely open the door, for there, stacked about 3 foot high, where these long wooden trays, fill with long wood blocks, of all different sizes, with what appeared to be dowels stuck in one side.
Lying there on the floor, they were more a lifeless impediment, with no perceivable purpose. I suspected that they might have something to do with the pipe organ project, but what role? I had no clue. Ole walked in on me there, while I was staring at these objects, picked up one of the smaller ones, and blew into it! Turns out some pipe organs have wooden pipes! Who knew!
Those pipes have since been in a master’s hands, and carefully, one might say even lovingly placed into its proper place, the place where it was designed to go, to the place where it can come alive, as the wind blows through it, and the sound of its music, brings a smile to the master craftsman’s face.
By the way Ron, the days were things were going the way you planned, you had those incredible smiles, and your eyes twinkled with the glee of a parent, watching kids open presents at Christmas.
Today, we celebrate the work of the master. Not Ron, but a master craftsman, who makes masterpieces out of broken and silent lives. We will dedicate those pipes, and blocks, and the keyboard console to one specific use; to assist us, in bringing a similar smile to the face of God. For I would have you realize that we are like those pipes. God carefully and lovingly guides us in life, and the Holy Spirit is working in us, like the wind. He causes us to come alive, and rejuvenates us, as our voices soar in praise of our God.
I am amazed at God’s little coincidences, for our gospel story fits so well. For a man is healed, as Jesus’ words bring life to his dead ears, and his voice, also restored proclaims with great zeal the work of Christ, that he has experienced. The work of Christ, that has happened, or can happen, to every person sitting here today.
The unopened ears and tied mouth
Blocked ears
Restricted tongues!
The healing strikes home
Imagine being in the position of that man, having lived all of your life, without being able to hear, and in conjunction with that, not being able to communicate with your voice. Some of us might think it a blessing! You would not able to hear that car next to you, with its bass sounds vibrating your closed windows; but you could not hear the laughter of young children either. You could not hear the coarse language on television, but you could not hear the words “I love you,” from your spouse, or your parents. You could try and communicate, but the blank stares on the faces around you would tell you that people just don’t hear what you are trying to say. Words have no meaning, for you cannot comprehend putting your thoughts and dreams into words.
The man’s ears, in the Greek – were “barred”, or “blocked”. The words describing the tongue picture it bound, imagine having to talk with twenty rubber bands tightly wound around it.
What kind of miracle would it be, to all of a sudden be brought by friends to a man. A bit oddly, he thrusts his fingers in your ears, and spits and places the saliva on your tongue. And the you hear your first words, Be Open! And then it hits you, and those around you – you HEARD this man speak. You HEARD Him! You scream in joy, and realize, your tongue is not twisted, it is no longer hindered, it is free.
His voice was opened, and the praises stream forth, to the God who heals, restores,, rejuvenates. For the reading from Isaiah has been fulfilled there in the gospel reading,
He will come and save you." 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
Just like the pipes, put in place by the master organ craftsman, the voices testify of Jesus, who is the craftsman who works on our lives. It is no accident that the Spirit’s title in Greek, is pneuma, the wind. For as that wind brings life to our lives, as it sweeps through us, like the organ’s pipes, our voices sound forth praises.
The scripture is clear, the more Jesus commanded them to be quiet, the more they spread the word, God is in their midst! They could no more stop proclaiming about Christ’s work, than the wood and metal pipes can stop the air flowing through them in the organ.
The Miracle Continues
Blocked by Sin, ears cannot hear
Our tongues are tied, because we don’t know…
The Spirit opens up our ears and hearts
Our tongues are freed to proclaim what God has done!
Often in scripture, particularly in the Isaiah, the other prophets, and the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the comments are made about people needing to hear what God says to His people. When they are in rebellion, the phrase is often something like,
Isaiah 6:9-10 (ESV) 9 And he said, "Go, and say to this people: " ’Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."
There is a time in life, that our lives were like the man’s ears, or like the pipes as they lay in the nursery. Without God’s spirit blowing through them, separated from the people of God. The purpose of our life may seem a bit fuzzy, our existence may not make sense. Unlike the stationary pipes, we might go out on our own, and try to find something, or someone, that will love us, something that we can identify ourselves by. A relationship, a job, a hobby, a skill. Or we might at some point give up, and turn to ways to escape the feelings of separation that haunt us. That is where most addictions come originate.
We found ourselves separated from God, by the sin, which scripture says, can trap us so quickly and easily. Sin handed down from Adam, but still made our own. Our ears had become stopped up, and we could not hear God or others, but sink deep within ourselves, in our deafness.
Our tongues, were unused to hearing the word of God, and had no ability to speak real words, for they did not know what they were supposed to sound lie. Instead of praising God, and proclaiming what God has done, the love He has for the world, we vainly babble on. Voices meant to talk with God, and to proclaim His greatness, reduced to swearing and cursing, to using profanity, and vulgarities.
Like the craftsman caringly bringing the pipe from the nursery to the pipe room, or like the man being brought by his friends to Jesus, we encounter Him, and His word. His gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, augers through the sin that separates us, through the sin that stops us from hearing, and our lives are laid open before us. The Holy Spirit cleans that which we cannot clean ourselves. Here is how Paul pictures the work of God, crafting something out of our lives, when indeed many think us worthless,
Titus 3:5 (ESV) 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Our lives, are cleaned up, and brought to life by Jesus, as the Holy Spirit regenerates us, and renews life in us in our baptism. Our ears hear the wonderful message – be healed, and our lives open up to a life we could have never imagined before! The Spirit, given to us, courses through our lives, cleaning out that which is not of God, restoring us to the purpose God originally intended. We are then, linked up with other “pipes”, with other ears that have heard, and voices and proclaim His glory. Each of us different sizes and shapes, different notes and tones, but working together, as His people.
When the people saw the deaf and mute man healed, they realized the power of God at work. They knew that Jesus was not just a man, but the Messiah. The work He did, they were amazed at, but He was only beginning to do that which He came to do.
That work was fulfilled at the cross, where the death of Christ enabled all to come to Him. The gift has been given, and our healing and restoration lies, not in our works, but in trusting Jesus.
In a few moments, I will again tell you of the last supper, the place where Jesus declared that which we know, and believe. That the cost of of restoring us, of breaking the bonds of sin which blocked our ears, was His life – which He gave, and His blood, spilt to cover our sins.
Even as we take and eat His body, and take and drink His blood, scripture says, that we proclaim, we testify, we announce, as His people, with a strength beyond that of any pipe organ, that He has been crucified for us. To restore us, To save us. To open our hearts, our ear, our voices, in praise to Him. This we shall do, until He comes again.
Amen? Amen!
My friends, know the peace of God, which passes all understanding, but guards you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. AMEN!
