✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠
Matthew 9,35-38; 10,1 [2-4] 5-7 3113
1. Sonntag nach Trinitatis 046
Blandina, Virgin, Martyr in Lyon, France 177
Erasmus, Bishop, Confessor, † 303
Erasmus, Bishop, Confessor, † 303
2. June 2013
1. O Holy Spirit, the Lord of the harvest, You sent out the apostles to proclaim the gospel of Christ crucified and risen for fallen mankind, You give us the Word and the Sacraments for the certainty of our salvation; give us Jesus who is our righteous merit, for in giving us Jesus You give us peace before our Heavenly Father. Amen.
2. And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the reign and healing every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples: „The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.“ And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These Twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them: „Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying: ‘The reign of heaven is at hand.’“
3. Life was good for the rich man. He had no cares in this world. He was wealthy, well-clothed and amply fed. He lacked nothing. His clothes were the finest money could by. His meals were sumptuous and the wines exquisite. He hosted friends and family each day with a banquet. The rich man was blessed by Yahweh, and all his neighbors knew it.
4. Life was horrible for Lazarus. He was poor and afflicted with sores. He starved each day from lack of food. His clothes were dirty rags. Every day was a struggle to survive: where would he find food, where would he find shelter to sleep and where would he find charity to ease his illness?
5. Lazarus was taken to the gate of the rich man. Surely a man richly blessed by Yahweh would have mercy upon him. He could dress him with his old clothes. He could feed him the left-overs from his meals. He could spend a little money for oil to soothe Lazarus’ sores.
6. The rich man and his friends ignored suffering Lazarus. They walked past him as they entered and left the rich man’s home. No one brought him food, clothing or medicine. His only friends were the wild dogs who licked his wounds, snuggled next to him to keep him warm and shared their scraps they had rounded up from the garbage.
7. While the rich man feasted and Lazarus suffered, the reign of heaven was at hand. The word of God was preached by Jesus: »Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest« (Exodus 33,14; Matthew 11,28). The apostles proclaimed the same gospel and they healed the sick.
8. One day, Jesus and His apostolic band travelled through Bethany. Behold, there was poor Lazarus languishing outside the rich man’s house surrounded by wild, mongrel dogs! Lazarus had heard stories about this man, this Jesus who performed mighty works with Godly power. „Jesus of Nazareth, have pity on me!“ Lazarus cried. „I am merciful. Rise and be well, Lazarus“ Jesus replied. At that very moment Lazarus got up and his sores were gone. The reign of heaven had come into Lazarus’ midst and had changed his life. Lazarus became a disciple of Jesus and welcomed Him into his home whenever He was in the area.
9. Jesus did not forget about the rich man. He preached the gospel to him, too. He wanted to be His Savior as well. But what does a rich man need in this life that he already doesn’t have? He isn’t poor, sick, struggling or anything else. His has everything in this life, and saw no need for Jesus for God had already looked favorably upon him. Jesus would give him life everlasting, but the rich man has no concern for that because he thinks heaven is his due since he is a wealthy man blessed by Yahweh.
10. The apostles came back to the rich man every so often and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus. Even Lazarus returned to the rich man hoping that he would receive the gospel that is Jesus. The rich man refused all attempts. His heart rejected the gospel gift. He had his life, and he lived it to its full. He entertained wealthy friends and neighbors day after day. Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha, entertained their guests, too. Jesus and the apostles stayed in their home on a number of occasions. The ate and talked together. Jesus taught them about the richness and goodness of God. Lazarus, Mary and Martha had riches far greater than that of their rich neighbor in Bethany, for they had the precious jewel of God in His Son, Jesus the Christ.
11. There came a time however, when Lazarus became sick again. He was dying. Nothing Mary and Martha tried helped him. His old friends, the dogs, stayed by his side, but even their tongues could not ease Lazarus’ pain this time around. The sisters sent for Jesus to come quickly and heal his friend Lazarus once more. Jesus delayed, and Lazarus died. He was buried in his tomb and his family and neighbors wept. His faithful dogs stood watch at the stone door of his tomb. Mary and Martha shooed them away, but those old dogs would not leave Lazarus’ side; they stood at his grave as an honor guard waiting for their master to call them.
12. At the same time, the rich man also fell ill. His servants sent for the doctor, who arrived quickly and prescribed the best medicines. His wealth, however, could not buy his health. The rich man weakened and died. His friends mourned him and entombed him in a lavish grave.
13. The rich man awoke in Hades and in torment. He saw that one-time-beggar at the side of Abraham in Paradise. „Please, Father Abraham, send Lazarus with a cool drink to quench my parched lips!“ „I cannot, for there is a gulf between Paradise and Hades. No one may cross it“ Abraham replied. „Then send Lazarus to my brothers so they may be spared this eternal agony!“ the rich man begged. „They have Moses and the Prophets,“ Abraham responded, „and God the Father has sent them His Son, Jesus ... they should listen to Him, to His gospel, and be saved.“
14. Four days later, Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ home. His neighbors were still mourning his death. Jesus went to the tomb. Martha said to Jesus: „Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.“ Jesus said to her: „Your brother will rise again.“ Martha said to Him: „I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.“ Jesus said to her: „I Am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?“ She said to Him: „Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.“ (John 11,21-27).
15. When the dogs heard the voice of Jesus, their ears perked up. They knew the Prince of the Universe was in their midst, and they barked with joy at the miracle He was about to display. Jesus approached the tomb and proclaimed: „Lazarus, walk out!“ In that instant, the rich man saw Lazarus leave the side of Abraham. Perhaps he was being sent with a cool drink of water, after all. There was a shuffling inside the tomb and Lazarus stumbled out in his burial cloth. They unbound him and rejoiced in the miracle Jesus had performed. He had raised a man dead in the grave for four days; He had called a man from the side of Abraham in Paradise and returned him to his body on earth. Jesus had spanned the chasm between heaven and earth, and Lazarus lived again!
16. This miracle was a foretaste of what Jesus Himself would do shortly thereafter. He would be crucified, die and be buried. His body would rest in the grave for three days, but He raised it up in resurrection life. Jesus travelled from heaven to earth and to Hades. No chasm bars Him, for He is the Lord of Life and the grave. He speaks and death obeys. He says you are forgiven, and you are forgiven. He says you are healed, and you are healed. He will say to you on the last day: „Arise, O sleeper, from your bed in the grave!“ and you will arise resurrected and reunited body and soul for eternal glory in His majestic presence. The rich man got death and agony for rejecting Jesus, but Lazarus, and all who believe on Jesus, get life and joy.
17. Jesus called His apostles, and they proclaimed: »The reign of heaven is at hand!« Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and He has promised you that resurrection and life. You hear the words of the apostles proclaimed, and you believe. You are baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection and now share in the glory of both. You have heard your sins absolved, and they are all forgiven for the absolution speaks the words of Jesus. Soon we will partake of the Lord’s Supper and receive His body and blood for our salvation. Jesus gives, and we receive. Like Lazarus, we rejoice in the great gift that has been revealed and will be revealed again on the last day in full glory. Amen.
18. O Lord Jesus Christ, You are our Heavenly Father’s Righteous Testimony, give us the pure gospel in Your Word and the Holy Sacrament today so that we may live eternally. Amen.
To God alone be the Glory
✠
All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern.
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