KNOW AND BELIEVE

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

January 30 & 31, 2010 + Epiphany 4 + Luke 4:31-44

                The Gospel lesson this morning showed a brief glimpse of Jesus’ early ministry.  Even from this “day in the life of Jesus” record we sense his ministry was challenging.  Last Sunday presented Jesus going home to Nazareth.  While they appreciated his gracious words, they could not get out of their minds that, after all, this was Joseph the carpenter’s son.  Their eyesight was too myopic to see the promised Messiah.  When Jesus pointed out their shortcoming they became so incensed they wanted to kill him.  That was a tough day in ministry. 

                Capernaum, another city about 20 miles away on the shore of the Sea of Galilee seemed better.  They were amazed at his teaching.  They recognized his authority.  It was the Sabbath and in the synagogue a man possessed by a demon disrupted the service.  Jesus freed him.  The people were amazed.  Just a stone’s throw away was Peter’s home; here he was called Simon.  His mother-in-law had a high fever, never a good thing for the elderly.  Jesus removed the fever, the good woman felt instantly better, so much so that she went about her duties as a host.  Mamma was back to her old self.

                As soon as the sun set and the official Sabbath was over along with prohibitions about traveling, neighbors came from near and far bearing the sick to have Jesus heal them.  It recalls to my mind a news story I saw of a Haitian man in this country who could not connect with his mother back in Haiti.  He flew to Haiti to find her.  He found her sitting in her backyard, the family home was destroyed by the earthquake.  What joy and jubilation met the young man.  He brought medical supplies and in a blink of an eye neighbors came looking for him to help them.  In a short time he ran out of supplies and is planning to return to the U.S., for more supplies and help. The picture presented in the Gospel is very true and normal.  They knew Jesus.  Even the demons know Jesus.  But did they believe?

Know and Believe – Daily Bread

                The demons knew Jesus and trembled.  But Jesus told them to be silent.  Why?  While identifying Jesus as the “Holy One of God,” and “Son of God,” was true, it was not their plan to speak the truth, but rather mislead people into their control.  What ever they would say next would be a lie built on a truth which often misleads people.  They knew the Creator, they knew God’s Promise – the head of Satan would be crushed, and they knew Jesus would destroy them.  But like a suicide bomber they only want to take as many of God’s people with them as possible.  The best lies are founded on truth.  People are more easily mislead.  The demons knew Jesus, but did not believe.

                The people knew Jesus and were amazed.  The people both in Nazareth and Capernaum were amazed.  They liked what they heard – as long as it wasn’t critical about them or exposed their own sins.  But when Jesus pointed out their unbelief, they wanted to kill Jesus.  Capernaum saw a lot of miracles; yet, did they believe?  Matthew 11:23 recorded Jesus saying: And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies?  No, you will go down to the depths.  If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. Apparently they too had difficulty in believing.

                One can travel and see the most beautiful churches in the world.  Go to St. Paul’s in London, St. Peter’s in Rome, Notre Dame in Paris, St. Basil in Moscow, King’s Chapel in Cambridge or St. Michael in Leipzig.  If you have an artistic eye and understanding you know they are beautiful expressions of the Christian faith; however, you could be unbelieving of the Beautiful Savior.  Knowing and believing are not the same.

                Luther helps us understand this in his explanation of the 4^th petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers,” Luther wrote.  The miracle of being fed from the fruits of the earth benefits all God’s creation, both those who believe and those who don’t.  Luther adds, “…even to all evil people.”  But here is the important difference, “…that God would lead us to realize this – that is, God is the one who provides, not our lucky stars, or some relief organization, or our favorite grocery chain – and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”  “With thanksgiving” means we acknowledge, or know, and believe God is the provider, that He is worthy of our thanks and trust to provide.  Now that is just bread.  How much more for our eternal salvation!

Living our Belief

                Jesus’ main goal was not just to heal the sick.  How sad to be healed but lost our eternal souls.  He wanted complete healing of body and soul.  Jesus’ ministry was to go beyond Capernaum and give the Good News.  Jesus is God’s Good News to all.  Not the bad news of what we owe to God or our inability to obey God.  Jesus is the Good News that Jesus has made it up to God for what we could not do.  The Good News that Jesus defeated Satan’s plan to lead us to hell.  The Good News that Satan’s head is crushed and became the sacrifice which God accepted for our redemption.

                Jesus did this so Good News could be spoken to you.  We know and believe that God is forgiving and gracious and loving and caring about us.  His sacrifice free us from our sin.  Where we would find it impossible to be repentant because of our stubborn spirit, God’s Holy Spirit works through the Word to lead us to be repentant and believe that our sins will be forgiven. 

                Who of us has not seen the miracles of freedom these past days?  People trapped in collapsed building are freed through the intervention of rescuers.  But after ten days the “experts” say that no more would be found.  Yet, through the grace of God more people captive by fallen concrete were being dug out, even as long as 15 days after the quake.  Could they dig themselves out?  No, for it they could, they would.  Instead it took intervention to reclaim them.  Christ our redeemer intervenes and digs us out, makes us his own, redeems us, quenching our thirst with love, forgiveness, and finally eternal life.  The Holy Spirit, part of the intervention team, turns our hearts to believe Jesus is the Savior and in him only do we have life.  In this way we know and we believe.  Amen.

In Christ, 

Dr. Eric C. Stumpf

Senior Pastor

SDG