EPIPHANY 5, B – February 8, 2009

SCRIPTURES – Isaiah 40:21-31; 1 Cor. 9:16-27; Mark 1:29-39 

I want to begin today by apologizing to you for letting you down. Now, I work very hard preparing our worship Services. For instance, I try to make sure that the hymns reflect and emphasize what each Sunday’s Scripture readings are teaching us, and that they are good hymns to sing. I know we all have our preferences and our tastes differ, but I try my best. If you have a favorite hymn from our hymnal, by the way, please let me know. I will include it at some point. I also do my best to read the Scriptures well, emphasizing the words that will bring out the force and meaning of God’s Word. I also always preach on one of the readings, usually the Gospel. I want to be sure that what you heard read is what is explained and applied to your life, in a hopefully interesting and clear way. Preaching is hard work, and do I work hard at it. 

But, here is where I must apologize to you, especially you folks in the early Service. Last week I let you down. I know that it was important that I be with the Thane family when Marjorie died, and that this meant a lot to them; but, I also feel bad that you were deprived of preaching and had to leave after only a forty minute Service. You’re all very gracious, and no one complained to me, but I’m sure there must have been great disappointment. “We’re done already? Can’t we stay a little longer?” I imagine such thoughts must have been running through your minds. So, to make up for it and to show the sincerity of my apology, I’m going to preach for forty minutes today! 

I wonder how long Jesus’ sermons were? We don’t know, of course, nor would this matter. We are told what they accomplished: “He went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.” Christ’s preaching cast out demons. It still does, for these words [of the Bible] are Christ’s words! This, above all, is why we must treasure the opportunities we have to hear Christ’s Scriptures read and preached. Jesus, the Savior whose voice is powerful to cast out demons and destroy every demonic work and plan, is speaking to us! He is among us as our powerful Savior! Thanks be to God for His mercy!

 

There’s always a tension, however, when it comes to preaching. Preaching is good, listening is important; but, we like action better. Sunday School is more interesting and fun for the kids, and that’s understandable, for there are pictures to look at and color and songs to sing. The songs of the liturgy we sing, or our getting up for Holy Communion and kneeling before our Lord, more easily keep us focused because we are doing something. Imagine if we actually saw the healing of diseases taking place each Sunday, like our Gospel describes: “they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. The whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many…” Boy, that would be exciting! We couldn’t build a large enough church for the crowds that would come!
 

Such a tension between preaching and action has always existed. The whole town came to Jesus for healing, and probably would have kept coming if He had stayed among them. He left, however, and emphasized that He had to go to the other towns to preach. Preaching was primary for Jesus; healing was secondary. If this is what Jesus considered of the most importance, then we should do so, also. Above everything else we should treasure the speaking and hearing of God’s holy Word!

 

This is emphasized by these words of today’s Gospel reading: “And He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.” Why did Jesus not allow the demons to speak? Well, for one thing, they are liars. Even when they speak the truth, they seek to slant it or make it unattractive. But, it is not only because they are liars that demons are not permitted to take God’s name upon their lips. Demons are unclean, unholy, filled with deceit and evil. They are utterly unlike God. In fact, many times in the Bible demons are called “unclean spirits.” They would never speak God’s name “cleanly,” with joy and gladness, but only under compulsion. God is not pleased with such speaking of His holy Name.

 

Do you realize how different it is for us? God is pleased to have His holy words – the record of His works for us, His forgiveness for us, and His love for us – spoken to us. He requires this and raises up people to do this! Then, as a sign that God has cleansed us of all our sins, made us pure and clean and holy in His sight through the forgiveness we receive from Jesus as we in faith hear His words and receive His Sacraments, we are not only permitted to speak His holy Name; we are told to do so, commanded to do so. Jesus commands us to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). To teach, we must speak! God also says in 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Who God is and what He has done and promises is to be in our mouths and upon our lips! We are all to proclaim His holy Name!

 

This should make us think seriously about how we use our mouths and what comes out of them. Let us not be constantly swearing and using foul language, and especially not be using God’s holy Name as a swear word. That is most displeasing to Him, for His name is to be holy among us! “The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” warns Exodus 20:7. Also, let us not be continually arguing and yelling and fighting; or, spreading gossip and stories that tear people down instead of building them up; or, what is very bad, speaking disparagingly of our church, for it is God’s holy house. Eph. 4 sums it up for us:

“having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another… Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, that it may give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
 

This is a tall order, indeed. But, keep in mind that it means that Christ has given you His Name to speak. Unlike the unclean spirits, who are forbidden to take His holy Name upon their lips, we are told to do so. We are clean, and God is pleased to have His Name on our lips! /p>

 

Keep, then, His holy Name and words upon your lips; in your ears – even if their preaching takes forty minutes! – and in your hearts. Rejoice to speak and to sing the praises of your God and Savior! To the glory of His holy Name, and the eternal salvation of your souls.