Sermon: St. Matthew Day (Gospel)
The Feast of Saint Matthew
21 September AD 2014
Theme: Your Attending Physician
Summary: The world finds many ways to ridicule the Church and us “weak” and “foolish” Christians. It dares us to throw off the shackles of Christianity, to stand up on our own two feet, and to stride bravely through life, overcoming the odds and prevailing over all.
The problem? This scenario only works as long as we think ourselves to be hale, hearty, and intrinsically good. Only when we think that we’re already righteous do we miss seeing the need for a righteousness that comes from outside ourselves.
As the Lord said, it’s the sick who need healing — and Scripture teaches us just how unwell we are by nature. Indeed, we are sick unto death and unable to heal ourselves. We need the constant ministrations of Jesus Christ, our Attending Physician, who allowed Himself to suffer death that He might bring us everlasting life. The healings that He worked during His earthly ministry testify to the still greater healing that is ours by faith in Him.
Christ comes, both as our Healer and, in Word and Sacraments, as our Medicine. The balm of Baptism washes us clean and brings healing. He fills our ears with health and peace in the Absolution and in Gospel preaching. He is the very medicine of everlasting life as we eat and drink His body and blood in Holy Communion.
Text: As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:9-13
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Your Attending Physician.
Other Readings: Psalm 119:33-40; Ezekiel 2:8-3:11; Ephesians 4:7-16
Notes: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.
Ecclesiastical line art by Ed Riojas. His Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store. Painting Cristo Consolado por los Ángeles by Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz (1713 – 72). Oil on copper, 25 3/8 x 33 5/8 inches (64.5 x 85.5 cm). Pinacoteca Virreinal, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Mexico.
Tags: Saint Matthew | St. Matthew | Matthew | Levi | apostle | evangelist | Lectionary | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | disciple | tax collector | publican | physician | doctor | healing | sickness | cancer | sin | death | Baptism | Absolution | Communion | Law | Law and Gospel | Gospel | 21 September 2014 | September 21, 2014 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Matthew 9 | sermon | text | theme | topic | Your Attending Physician | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
21 September AD 2014
Theme: Your Attending Physician
Summary: The world finds many ways to ridicule the Church and us “weak” and “foolish” Christians. It dares us to throw off the shackles of Christianity, to stand up on our own two feet, and to stride bravely through life, overcoming the odds and prevailing over all.The problem? This scenario only works as long as we think ourselves to be hale, hearty, and intrinsically good. Only when we think that we’re already righteous do we miss seeing the need for a righteousness that comes from outside ourselves.
As the Lord said, it’s the sick who need healing — and Scripture teaches us just how unwell we are by nature. Indeed, we are sick unto death and unable to heal ourselves. We need the constant ministrations of Jesus Christ, our Attending Physician, who allowed Himself to suffer death that He might bring us everlasting life. The healings that He worked during His earthly ministry testify to the still greater healing that is ours by faith in Him.
Christ comes, both as our Healer and, in Word and Sacraments, as our Medicine. The balm of Baptism washes us clean and brings healing. He fills our ears with health and peace in the Absolution and in Gospel preaching. He is the very medicine of everlasting life as we eat and drink His body and blood in Holy Communion.
Text: As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:9-13
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Your Attending Physician.
Other Readings: Psalm 119:33-40; Ezekiel 2:8-3:11; Ephesians 4:7-16
Notes: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.
Ecclesiastical line art by Ed Riojas. His Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store. Painting Cristo Consolado por los Ángeles by Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz (1713 – 72). Oil on copper, 25 3/8 x 33 5/8 inches (64.5 x 85.5 cm). Pinacoteca Virreinal, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Mexico.
Tags: Saint Matthew | St. Matthew | Matthew | Levi | apostle | evangelist | Lectionary | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | disciple | tax collector | publican | physician | doctor | healing | sickness | cancer | sin | death | Baptism | Absolution | Communion | Law | Law and Gospel | Gospel | 21 September 2014 | September 21, 2014 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Matthew 9 | sermon | text | theme | topic | Your Attending Physician | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
posted by Xrysostom | 11:00
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