Mark 7:31-37 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 20, 2009

Mark 7:31-37 (New International Version) The Healing of a Deaf and Mute Man 31Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.[ a ] 32There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. 33After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. 34He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ). 35At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. 36Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Is there something at which you are really good, something you can do really well? No one likes a braggart, someone who’s always tooting his own horn about all the great things he can do, and yet it is proper to acknowledge the talents that the Lord gives to us. For example, I know that there are members who are really good at baking, gardening, carpentry, painting, fixing cars, taking care of children, drawing pictures, playing instruments, singing songs, playing sports, being a good listener, or just a good friend. In fact, I know firsthand there is someone who’s really good at just relaxing.

Now let me ask you, “Do you know someone who’s good at everything?” There might be some people who think they’re good at everything, but there really is no such a person. That’s because we all make mistakes, even with the things at which we’re really good! Yes, even the best baker can ruin a pie from time to time!

No, none of us is good at everything, but there is someone who does everything well! And that someone is Jesus. That’s what we hear the people say about Jesus in our sermon text for today. And they weren’t talking about his baking or gardening skills. They confessed this truth in response to a miracle Jesus performed on a deaf man. “HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING WELL,” they said. What they said about Jesus is the truth--on which we base our hope for eternal life and from which we draw our comfort for daily life.

HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING WELL!

I. This is the truth on which we base our hope

for eternal life.

II. This is the truth from which we draw comfort for our daily life.

If you’ve ever had the chance to compare the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you would know that each has its unique features. For example, Matthew wrote for his fellow Jews to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah. That’s why you will find so many Old Testament Messianic prophecies quoted in Matthew. Luke wrote his gospel for a gentile by the name of Theophilus to assure him that Jesus was the Savior of all people, both Jew and Gentile. This is what is emphasized by Luke. John, shares many of our Savior’s beautiful discourses or sayings that are not only lengthy but also quite “meaty” when it comes to food for our faith. And so when reading John’s gospel, one must pause and reflect at almost every verse; but not so with Mark. His gospel is a book of action that rapidly proceeds from one incident to another. It pictures our Lord’s active ministry as he helps men and women in their distress, and then in his death carries out God’s good and gracious will to save us. Jesus was a man among men, but at the same time Mark's gospel opens our eyes to see that this man Jesus is also the very Son of God.

These truths about Jesus are clearly demonstrated by the miracle in our text. Why did Jesus heal that man who couldn’t hear and speak? Obviously, he did it out of compassion. Mark relates that in response to the people’s request Jesus took that deaf-mute aside and after touching his ears and tongue, he looked up to heaven, sighed, and then cried out in Aramaic, “Be opened!” At his command, Jesus did it well. He healed that man and such actions showed the Savior’s mercy for those in need and his almighty power to do it right.

But there was something more to that miracle than simply a demonstration of Christ’s compassion and power. That healing had something to do with the world’s salvation. Jesus not only performed miracles to help those in need, but also to demonstrate that he was who he claimed to be, the Almighty God, the promised Savior. As God he had the power not only to heal people but more importantly to save them! And he has! He led a perfect life without sin and as our substitute he died an innocent death that washed away all sin. He didn’t botch anything, he didn’t make any mistakes, he didn’t leave anything undone. He has done everything well.

Dear friends this is the gospel truth alone upon which we base our hope for heaven. Why is that? We might be able to win a blue ribbon at the county fair for the pies we bake, or get paid a lot of money for the cars we fix or the homes we build. We might get all kinds of compliments and accolades for the pictures we draw, or the games we win, or the kindness we show. Yes, we all have things we can do well in the eyes of men. But when it comes to earning our salvation, when it comes to keeping God’s law perfectly, none of us can do that well enough to earn heaven. We all fail; but not Jesus. When it came to keeping the Law, when it came to taking away sin, when it came to conquering the grave, when it came to reconciling us to God and opening heaven’s doors--Jesus has done it all for us.

And everything he did, he did well. Because this is so, you and I have the sure hope of being saved.

II. “He has done everything well.” This is not only the truth on which we base our hope for eternal life, it is also the truth from which we draw our comfort for daily life.

It’s quite obvious what miracle took place in this account--Jesus healed a man who couldn’t hear or talk. But did you notice the other miracle? The other miracle that took place was when the people responded with that beautiful confession--He has done everything well.” Now why would we say that? Christian faith is a miracle that God works in the hearts of sinners. To confess that Jesus does everything well does not come naturally to any human being. That’s the kind of miracle God has worked in our hearts. When we confess that Jesus has done everything well, we are confessing our hope for heaven in what Jesus has done--our sins--they’re all forgiven; death and the grave--Jesus conquered both; heaven--it is our home and Jesus is there preparing a place for us. He has done all things well! It is only by the miracle of faith that you and I know and confess this truth, just like the people in our text.

But are we always willing to accept and confess this truth when it comes to our daily life? What I mean by that is this--we are willing to confess that God has done everything well when it comes to eternal life, but in our sinful weakness there may be times we may not want to confess or even hear this truth when it comes to the struggles or sorrows of our daily life. Are there times when we have felt that God made a mistake or really botched things up in our lives? Are we upset at how we look or who we are? Have we ever accused God of making a mistake because he allowed an illness to enter our lives? Have we ever blamed God for the problems that may have arisen in our marriage or family, as though he’s the one at fault? Have we been angry with God because we felt that it was wrong for him to take out of this world a son or daughter, or husband or wife? As we see people lying in a nursing home with twisted and tormented bodies and minds, have we ever questioned God’s goodness in leaving these people in the world to suffer? Are we ever guilty of thinking that we know better than God does or could do things better than God, especially during difficult or painful times? My dear friends, when the sorrows and struggles of daily life come, there will be the temptation to accuse God of not ding things well! And when those temptations come, and they will, that’s the time for us to plead with God to open our ears and hearts to hear the truth, “He does all things well!” That truth will bring us the comfort we need, because its just another way of saying with Paul in Romans, “In all things God will work for good to those who love him, who are called according to his purpose,” and just another way of saying what we just sang in that him, “What God ordains is always good!”

We may not always understand God’s ways and at times the ways he chooses for us may be difficult and even painful. But dear friends, no matter what comes, believe this truth: He has and does everything well.” Believing this truth you have the hope for eternal life and you will find comfort in your daily life. Amen.