Deuteronomy 8:1-10; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; St Luke 17:11-19
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
They were supposed to be outside the camp. That’s what Moses wrote. That’s what the Lord had said. Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous. "You shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell" (Num 5:2-3). And of course this was the way it was always done. Because no one ever defies or disobeys a theocratic government.
The picture given to us in the New Testament or even the Old is different than we may suspect. It does not appear that lepers lived in colonies, isolated and completely cut off from the rest of society. Rather, they roamed around on the fringes, on the edge of civilization. They aren’t engaging in “normal” activities, but they don’t seem too far off, either. They were to go around with their robes torn and bareheaded. They were to cover their upper lip and cry out “Unclean, unclean,” if anyone came near.
They weren’t wanderers or cave dwellers. But they were certainly on the outside looking in. They were seen as the “living dead.” Cursed by God. Leprosy was an apt object lesson for sin. Much can be made of this. Sometimes too much. But at the least it is helpful to know that leprosy caused anesthesia of the nerves while the skin rotted away. In other words, the leper didn’t feel pain or hurt as his fingers and nose would become deformed and fall off. Sadly, such is the self-consuming nature of sin. It deadens the nerves and eats up alive. Sin makes us stupid. And it is often unfelt by the sinner until it is too late.
But mainly people didn’t want lepers around for fear of contamination and the fact that they bore in their own bodies the effects of sin. It was best to keep them out and keep your distance.
This might sound eerily familiar. We’ve created a new leprosy today. Its not just those infected with Covid. We treat everyone with suspicion and keep our distance. We’re all exiled from our communities. Everyone is told to cover his upper lip (and nose). We’re not living in colonies or caves, but we are roaming around on the fringes, isolated and alone.
And heaven forbid we or someone close to us contract the virus! Than everyone is labeled “unclean” and is unwelcome unto we’ve “gone and shown ourselves to the priests,” and done our 10-14 day ritual quarantine.
Apologies, my friends, for the foyer into politics. The Scriptures are supremely relevant, though. Anyway, its somewhat unavoidable when gathering for a holiday that is not an official commemoration or feast of the historic Church year. But all things created by God are good and are not to be rejected if received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (1 Tim 4:4).
But before you start patting yourselves on the backs for being in the company of the Samaritan, among the 10% who returned this evening to praise God with a loud voice and give Him thanks, hear the Word of the Lord through Moses: The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do.
We have not been careful to do all that the Lord has commanded. Not unlike Israel we have grumbled and complained. We have broken the Eighth Commandment against our rulers, for whom we are to pray, and against our brethren, whom we are to love. We have broken the Seventh Commandment against our employers as productivity falls while working from home. Living together in closer quarters than before, our tempers have flared, our spleens have been vented, and we have broken the Fifth Commandment against one another. We have broken the First Commandment against God, fearing, loving, and trusting in all sorts of other things instead of Him.
Remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Not. He has tested us these long months, dear Christians. He knows what’s in our hearts. We have failed. As we return this evening to give praise God and give Him thanks, repentance is needed. Now and always. This always the first move in approaching the Lord God to give Him thanks. Is this not how it is in the holy liturgy of the Divine Service? In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And then, boom, first thing, the confession of sins. Even the ten or less socially distanced congregation of lepers sang the Kyrie; Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Is this not how we are taught to pray the Fourth Petition? “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.” He leads us to realize this by bringing us to repentance and faith, confession and forgiveness once and again. Even to the eyes that don’t look to Him, He still opens His hand and feeds them in due season.
For forty years they disobeyed. The golden calf and its sexual immorality. Fear of the giants in the land and doubt of God’s Word and promise. They even complained that there was no food and they loathed the worthless food! And still the Lord their God fed them, clothed them, protected them, disciplined them, and brought them into a good land.
It is no different for us, dear friends. We have been disciplined. The preacher to the Hebrews proclaims, Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Heb 12:5-7, 11). Though we often and repeatedly fail, still He provides “food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors and the like.”
And if and where He removes or withholds any of these, it is is according to His wisdom in order to train you in righteousness. That is, to repent of covetousness and idolatry, and receive your daily bread with thanksgiving.
Thus does St Paul write to Pastor Timothy and all the Christians in Ephesus that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions. Even at the height of Nero’s rule, the guy who was using lashing burning Christians to posts and using them as street lamps in Rome, St Paul says to pray for him. For it is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
We are being disciplined, dear friends. God is treating us as sons. How shall we respond? Will we walk in His commandments, receiving our daily bread with thanksgiving, and bless the Lord our God for the good land He has given us?
For the truth is Christ didn’t shy away from those lepers. He cleansed them. Not just the one who returned, but the other nine as well. He gives daily bread to all people. He fed the Israelites and protected them, even though they did not walk in His Word or obey His ways. He did it for the sake of His promise. For the sake of the One who would be born in the Good Land. The One who would pass along between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem.
For there He goes to cleanse all people from their sins. Not just lepers or Israelites. But Samaritans and Gentiles too. When God decided to love you He didn’t love you from a distance. He didn’t keep away for fear of contamination. He sent His own Son into the flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. He became infected with the leprosy of our sin, breathed our poisoned air, submitted to the kings and those in high positions because it was pleasing to God. He kept the Eighth Commandment toward all, the Fifth Commandment toward all, the First Commandment for all. He kept all the Commandments for you. And then offered up His perfect Life as the final Sacrifice for all sin, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2).
The Father raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in order that He may spread His Table before you this evening. Behold here is His Eucharist, His Thanksgiving. You do not live by bread alone, but here you live by the Bread that is His Body and the Wine that is His Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Yeah, its the kid’s Table, for you, His dear children. But there is no better place on earth to be. It is a share in the Good Land the Lord your God has given you. Sing to the Lord as long as you live. Sing praise to your God while you have being.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
They were supposed to be outside the camp. That’s what Moses wrote. That’s what the Lord had said. Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous. "You shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell" (Num 5:2-3). And of course this was the way it was always done. Because no one ever defies or disobeys a theocratic government.
The picture given to us in the New Testament or even the Old is different than we may suspect. It does not appear that lepers lived in colonies, isolated and completely cut off from the rest of society. Rather, they roamed around on the fringes, on the edge of civilization. They aren’t engaging in “normal” activities, but they don’t seem too far off, either. They were to go around with their robes torn and bareheaded. They were to cover their upper lip and cry out “Unclean, unclean,” if anyone came near.
They weren’t wanderers or cave dwellers. But they were certainly on the outside looking in. They were seen as the “living dead.” Cursed by God. Leprosy was an apt object lesson for sin. Much can be made of this. Sometimes too much. But at the least it is helpful to know that leprosy caused anesthesia of the nerves while the skin rotted away. In other words, the leper didn’t feel pain or hurt as his fingers and nose would become deformed and fall off. Sadly, such is the self-consuming nature of sin. It deadens the nerves and eats up alive. Sin makes us stupid. And it is often unfelt by the sinner until it is too late.
But mainly people didn’t want lepers around for fear of contamination and the fact that they bore in their own bodies the effects of sin. It was best to keep them out and keep your distance.
This might sound eerily familiar. We’ve created a new leprosy today. Its not just those infected with Covid. We treat everyone with suspicion and keep our distance. We’re all exiled from our communities. Everyone is told to cover his upper lip (and nose). We’re not living in colonies or caves, but we are roaming around on the fringes, isolated and alone.
And heaven forbid we or someone close to us contract the virus! Than everyone is labeled “unclean” and is unwelcome unto we’ve “gone and shown ourselves to the priests,” and done our 10-14 day ritual quarantine.
Apologies, my friends, for the foyer into politics. The Scriptures are supremely relevant, though. Anyway, its somewhat unavoidable when gathering for a holiday that is not an official commemoration or feast of the historic Church year. But all things created by God are good and are not to be rejected if received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (1 Tim 4:4).
But before you start patting yourselves on the backs for being in the company of the Samaritan, among the 10% who returned this evening to praise God with a loud voice and give Him thanks, hear the Word of the Lord through Moses: The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do.
We have not been careful to do all that the Lord has commanded. Not unlike Israel we have grumbled and complained. We have broken the Eighth Commandment against our rulers, for whom we are to pray, and against our brethren, whom we are to love. We have broken the Seventh Commandment against our employers as productivity falls while working from home. Living together in closer quarters than before, our tempers have flared, our spleens have been vented, and we have broken the Fifth Commandment against one another. We have broken the First Commandment against God, fearing, loving, and trusting in all sorts of other things instead of Him.
Remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Not. He has tested us these long months, dear Christians. He knows what’s in our hearts. We have failed. As we return this evening to give praise God and give Him thanks, repentance is needed. Now and always. This always the first move in approaching the Lord God to give Him thanks. Is this not how it is in the holy liturgy of the Divine Service? In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And then, boom, first thing, the confession of sins. Even the ten or less socially distanced congregation of lepers sang the Kyrie; Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Is this not how we are taught to pray the Fourth Petition? “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.” He leads us to realize this by bringing us to repentance and faith, confession and forgiveness once and again. Even to the eyes that don’t look to Him, He still opens His hand and feeds them in due season.
For forty years they disobeyed. The golden calf and its sexual immorality. Fear of the giants in the land and doubt of God’s Word and promise. They even complained that there was no food and they loathed the worthless food! And still the Lord their God fed them, clothed them, protected them, disciplined them, and brought them into a good land.
It is no different for us, dear friends. We have been disciplined. The preacher to the Hebrews proclaims, Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Heb 12:5-7, 11). Though we often and repeatedly fail, still He provides “food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors and the like.”
And if and where He removes or withholds any of these, it is is according to His wisdom in order to train you in righteousness. That is, to repent of covetousness and idolatry, and receive your daily bread with thanksgiving.
Thus does St Paul write to Pastor Timothy and all the Christians in Ephesus that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions. Even at the height of Nero’s rule, the guy who was using lashing burning Christians to posts and using them as street lamps in Rome, St Paul says to pray for him. For it is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
We are being disciplined, dear friends. God is treating us as sons. How shall we respond? Will we walk in His commandments, receiving our daily bread with thanksgiving, and bless the Lord our God for the good land He has given us?
For the truth is Christ didn’t shy away from those lepers. He cleansed them. Not just the one who returned, but the other nine as well. He gives daily bread to all people. He fed the Israelites and protected them, even though they did not walk in His Word or obey His ways. He did it for the sake of His promise. For the sake of the One who would be born in the Good Land. The One who would pass along between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem.
For there He goes to cleanse all people from their sins. Not just lepers or Israelites. But Samaritans and Gentiles too. When God decided to love you He didn’t love you from a distance. He didn’t keep away for fear of contamination. He sent His own Son into the flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. He became infected with the leprosy of our sin, breathed our poisoned air, submitted to the kings and those in high positions because it was pleasing to God. He kept the Eighth Commandment toward all, the Fifth Commandment toward all, the First Commandment for all. He kept all the Commandments for you. And then offered up His perfect Life as the final Sacrifice for all sin, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2).
The Father raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in order that He may spread His Table before you this evening. Behold here is His Eucharist, His Thanksgiving. You do not live by bread alone, but here you live by the Bread that is His Body and the Wine that is His Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Yeah, its the kid’s Table, for you, His dear children. But there is no better place on earth to be. It is a share in the Good Land the Lord your God has given you. Sing to the Lord as long as you live. Sing praise to your God while you have being.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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