Trinity 16 September 27, 2020
1 Kings 17:17-24 and Luke 7:11-17
Jesus: Funeral Crasher
1 Kings 17:22-24 “And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives.’ And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is true.’”
Luke 11:13-16 “And when the LORD saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has arisen among us!’ and ‘God has visited His people!’”
Dear friends in Christ, some years ago a popular movie came out called The Wedding Crashers. In this movie two men who were good friends impersonated distant relatives at weddings in order to gain access to the reception festivities and all the pretty women. These men rudely interrupted the planned activities of the receptions with their silly antics—partaking of food, fun, and fellowship to which they had not been invited. They “crashed” the wedding receptions, hence the title for the film.
Well beloved, in a certain way our texts deal with “crashers” of a different sort—ones that in the end, however—would be most welcome. We have in our Old Testament and Gospel readings for this day two of the most amazing accounts in all of Holy Scripture—two children—two boys—the only sons of their mothers—both die—one from some kind of illness—the other from unknown circumstances—and yet, miraculously, have their lives restored.
Tragedy can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. We have witnessed a host of tragedies in recent weeks and months: wildfires, riots, storms, hurricanes, pandemics, etc. Some of you have felt the terrible loss and heartache and sorrow that death brings with it. Some of you have stared death in the face like these two mothers and so you know the absolute devastation and pain the death of a loved one can and does bring into our lives.
Beloved in Christ, death is one of our greatest enemies. Death is something that affects us all—that afflicts us all. We are all—at this very moment—from the very youngest to the very oldest of us—dying. It is not something that we can escape—try though we may with vitamins, diet and exercise, and miracle drugs.
How many of us don’t long for a loved one who has died to be back with us once again? How many of us have prayed for God to have pity on us—to give us a miracle—as He gave to these two widows in our texts? How many of us wouldn’t love to see our beloved spouse, sibling, parent, child, or friend walk through the doors of this church right now and come in and sit down next to us and join us in worship? How many times have we prayed for this same miracle—and seemingly been turned down?
We hate death—it hurts us very deeply—and no wonder! It isn’t natural. It goes against all of God’s good creation—a creation that He made for the purpose of life. Death is the destruction and corruption of everything good that God has made. Death is the ultimate result for our sin. How do you know you live in a sinful and fallen world? Look at the flowers in your garden that are dying or already dead. How do you know that people are sinful and unclean? Look at the obituary column in the newspaper—go take a walk through the cemetery—go talk to the doctor and ask him or her how many years you might have left to live—all these things will tell us that we, too, will one day die—and so, we too, are sinners.
What did the widow cry out to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” She understood. She got it. She saw the deep connection between sin and death. Can you imagine how these poor women felt? How frustrated, angry, and hurt? I’m sure many of you can.
And yet, notice how God graciously responds in both of our texts for this day. In the first, His chosen prophet, Elijah, beseeches the Lord to restore the life of the son—and the Lord of life (the pre-incarnate Christ) listened and gave the life of the son back to him. In the Gospel reading, Jesus (the Incarnate Christ) comes upon a funeral procession already in progress. All the arrangements had been made—all the food had been prepared for afterward—all the family and friends had gathered as they went on their sorrowful march to bury the recently departed. And then Jesus comes on the scene and crashes the funeral—with a few words He brings life in the face of death—brings joy in the face of sorrow.
In each case, after suffering a terrible and heart-wrenching loss—against all hope—against all human reason and understanding—death is reversed and life is restored! Can you imagine the joy? Can you imagine the tears of sorrow being replaced with tears of great happiness? The food that had once been prepared for a mournful occasion—now is celebratory food! It’s party time! For Jesus has entered into the picture and brought light and life for all!
Dear friends in Christ, the Good news for you this day is that this hope—this victory over death is yours as well—it belongs to you already! For by faith in the Son of God—who willingly embraced death—all death—yours and mine and all sinful humanity’s—into His flesh on the cross—has triumphed over the grave. He paid the full penalty for all your sin—He suffered the just punishment of God—the full and eternal death that rightly belonged to you and me—He took upon Himself and He swallowed it whole.
For though death thought it had Jesus—though death thought it had won—it found it couldn’t contain Him when on the third day He rose again in victory and triumph over all our worst enemies of sin, death and hell. “Where, O grave is thy victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” It is gone. Removed by the shed blood of Christ and His resurrected flesh. Body and blood that we eat and receive this day and each week we gather for the full forgiveness and pardon for all our sins—giving us life—true and eternal life—in the Son who was first raised to eternal life.
We now share in all His blessings—His righteousness—His love and mercy. Having been baptized into His name—we and all believers rejoice that death no longer has any hold over us. Death is but a shadow through which we pass on the way to new and everlasting life with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
What did the people shout out after Jesus raised the widow’s son at Nain? “God has visited His people!” Dear friends, God has truly visited you in His rich grace and mercy. Just as Elijah spread himself over the widow's son three times in the Lord's name to bring him life, so also when you were baptized into God's triune Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit, He placed His seal upon your brow with water—marking you as His own—marking you as one for life—not death. For He took your death to the cross and nailed it there with your sin—leaving you free from all suffering, sin, death, and hell. This gift He gives not just to you, but to all baptized believers.
He visits you again this day with His Word of absolution and with His own divine body and blood in bread and wine to strengthen this new life—this forgiveness—until life everlasting. Indeed, Jesus is a God who is ever with us and near us. Through all our suffering, grief, and trials. Through all our sorrow, heartache, and pain. Throughout our life—even into our death—He has come so that we might be safe in His loving arms forever.
And, as we look forward to gathering around His altar—His table—and receiving this food for the celebration of life and forgiveness that He has to give us through His own holy body and blood—remember that this day—and, indeed, every day—we worship not alone—but with all the saints in heaven and on earth.
Those who have gone before us in the faith. Those who have departed from this earthly life to the new and everlasting life the Lord Jesus promised and gave in His Baptism—those who await with us all the second coming of our Lord and the resurrection of their bodies to full and eternal life—they are here—gathered together with us—to worship the Lamb of God who has come among us to bring us life and light eternal. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus, the ultimate funeral crasher. Amen.
1 Kings 17:17-24 and Luke 7:11-17
Jesus: Funeral Crasher
1 Kings 17:22-24 “And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives.’ And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is true.’”
Luke 11:13-16 “And when the LORD saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has arisen among us!’ and ‘God has visited His people!’”
Dear friends in Christ, some years ago a popular movie came out called The Wedding Crashers. In this movie two men who were good friends impersonated distant relatives at weddings in order to gain access to the reception festivities and all the pretty women. These men rudely interrupted the planned activities of the receptions with their silly antics—partaking of food, fun, and fellowship to which they had not been invited. They “crashed” the wedding receptions, hence the title for the film.
Well beloved, in a certain way our texts deal with “crashers” of a different sort—ones that in the end, however—would be most welcome. We have in our Old Testament and Gospel readings for this day two of the most amazing accounts in all of Holy Scripture—two children—two boys—the only sons of their mothers—both die—one from some kind of illness—the other from unknown circumstances—and yet, miraculously, have their lives restored.
Tragedy can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. We have witnessed a host of tragedies in recent weeks and months: wildfires, riots, storms, hurricanes, pandemics, etc. Some of you have felt the terrible loss and heartache and sorrow that death brings with it. Some of you have stared death in the face like these two mothers and so you know the absolute devastation and pain the death of a loved one can and does bring into our lives.
Beloved in Christ, death is one of our greatest enemies. Death is something that affects us all—that afflicts us all. We are all—at this very moment—from the very youngest to the very oldest of us—dying. It is not something that we can escape—try though we may with vitamins, diet and exercise, and miracle drugs.
How many of us don’t long for a loved one who has died to be back with us once again? How many of us have prayed for God to have pity on us—to give us a miracle—as He gave to these two widows in our texts? How many of us wouldn’t love to see our beloved spouse, sibling, parent, child, or friend walk through the doors of this church right now and come in and sit down next to us and join us in worship? How many times have we prayed for this same miracle—and seemingly been turned down?
We hate death—it hurts us very deeply—and no wonder! It isn’t natural. It goes against all of God’s good creation—a creation that He made for the purpose of life. Death is the destruction and corruption of everything good that God has made. Death is the ultimate result for our sin. How do you know you live in a sinful and fallen world? Look at the flowers in your garden that are dying or already dead. How do you know that people are sinful and unclean? Look at the obituary column in the newspaper—go take a walk through the cemetery—go talk to the doctor and ask him or her how many years you might have left to live—all these things will tell us that we, too, will one day die—and so, we too, are sinners.
What did the widow cry out to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” She understood. She got it. She saw the deep connection between sin and death. Can you imagine how these poor women felt? How frustrated, angry, and hurt? I’m sure many of you can.
And yet, notice how God graciously responds in both of our texts for this day. In the first, His chosen prophet, Elijah, beseeches the Lord to restore the life of the son—and the Lord of life (the pre-incarnate Christ) listened and gave the life of the son back to him. In the Gospel reading, Jesus (the Incarnate Christ) comes upon a funeral procession already in progress. All the arrangements had been made—all the food had been prepared for afterward—all the family and friends had gathered as they went on their sorrowful march to bury the recently departed. And then Jesus comes on the scene and crashes the funeral—with a few words He brings life in the face of death—brings joy in the face of sorrow.
In each case, after suffering a terrible and heart-wrenching loss—against all hope—against all human reason and understanding—death is reversed and life is restored! Can you imagine the joy? Can you imagine the tears of sorrow being replaced with tears of great happiness? The food that had once been prepared for a mournful occasion—now is celebratory food! It’s party time! For Jesus has entered into the picture and brought light and life for all!
Dear friends in Christ, the Good news for you this day is that this hope—this victory over death is yours as well—it belongs to you already! For by faith in the Son of God—who willingly embraced death—all death—yours and mine and all sinful humanity’s—into His flesh on the cross—has triumphed over the grave. He paid the full penalty for all your sin—He suffered the just punishment of God—the full and eternal death that rightly belonged to you and me—He took upon Himself and He swallowed it whole.
For though death thought it had Jesus—though death thought it had won—it found it couldn’t contain Him when on the third day He rose again in victory and triumph over all our worst enemies of sin, death and hell. “Where, O grave is thy victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” It is gone. Removed by the shed blood of Christ and His resurrected flesh. Body and blood that we eat and receive this day and each week we gather for the full forgiveness and pardon for all our sins—giving us life—true and eternal life—in the Son who was first raised to eternal life.
We now share in all His blessings—His righteousness—His love and mercy. Having been baptized into His name—we and all believers rejoice that death no longer has any hold over us. Death is but a shadow through which we pass on the way to new and everlasting life with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
What did the people shout out after Jesus raised the widow’s son at Nain? “God has visited His people!” Dear friends, God has truly visited you in His rich grace and mercy. Just as Elijah spread himself over the widow's son three times in the Lord's name to bring him life, so also when you were baptized into God's triune Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit, He placed His seal upon your brow with water—marking you as His own—marking you as one for life—not death. For He took your death to the cross and nailed it there with your sin—leaving you free from all suffering, sin, death, and hell. This gift He gives not just to you, but to all baptized believers.
He visits you again this day with His Word of absolution and with His own divine body and blood in bread and wine to strengthen this new life—this forgiveness—until life everlasting. Indeed, Jesus is a God who is ever with us and near us. Through all our suffering, grief, and trials. Through all our sorrow, heartache, and pain. Throughout our life—even into our death—He has come so that we might be safe in His loving arms forever.
And, as we look forward to gathering around His altar—His table—and receiving this food for the celebration of life and forgiveness that He has to give us through His own holy body and blood—remember that this day—and, indeed, every day—we worship not alone—but with all the saints in heaven and on earth.
Those who have gone before us in the faith. Those who have departed from this earthly life to the new and everlasting life the Lord Jesus promised and gave in His Baptism—those who await with us all the second coming of our Lord and the resurrection of their bodies to full and eternal life—they are here—gathered together with us—to worship the Lamb of God who has come among us to bring us life and light eternal. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus, the ultimate funeral crasher. Amen.