8th Sunday after Pentecost, 2008
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Matt. 11:25-30
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
On February 24, 1517, Martin Luther preached his sermon on today’s Gospel text. In that sermon, we are able to learn insights into his perspective on the selling of indulgences prior to the beginning of the Reformation. These pieces of paper were sold to the people assuring them that satisfaction has been made for the sins that they have committed. These crude certificates gave a false hope that they did not need to fear any punishment for such sins. Luther critics the indulgences noting that as the name implies indulgences lend themselves to be an excuse to indulge in sin. In his sermon, Luther points the hearers to Jesus who is the righteousness of God.
He ends his sermon with condemnation of the indulgence peddlers. He notes that they teach the people to despise the cross and suffering and that they are snoring priests. He speaks of the days in Germany at that time as worse than the darkness of Egypt. Now we know the rest of the story, in October of the same year, Luther posted the famous Ninety-Five Theses on the castle door in Wittenberg to debate the selling of indulgences. Little did Luther know that he would live the rest of his life under the cross and suffering for the sake of the Gospel.
It just so happens that in February of 1546, Luther preached his last sermon on this same text. He went on to glory just a few days later. He ends that sermon by commenting upon the misfortunes and the assaults of the devil. Likewise, he encourages the congregation to remain confident in the promises of Christ to come to Him for rest. Thus, until his last hour, Luther held to these words of Jesus who declares to us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 10:28 ESV) Let us continue to draw strength from these words throughout our pilgrimage. Let us find rest in Him.
Now when Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 10:28 ESV), take note, He doesn’t say only certain people but “all.” If you labor and are heavy laden you qualify. You are part of the all. In this life, we are constantly crushed by laborious tasks, heavy burdens, trying trials, and exhausting endeavors. These are wonderful words of comfort to the weak, to the downtrodden, to those who are tired and worn out, and to those who doubt if Jesus died for them.
Jesus doesn’t say, “Well just try harder. Here are five principles for making your life trouble free and prosperous.” No! He says, “Come to me.” Then He adds these refreshing words, “…and I will give you rest.” Jesus claims to be the One who can give you rest for your souls. With your well rested soul, you are able to endure the physical sufferings of this life. In Christ, you have peace with God which means that the current issues you face are momentary and in comparison insignificant. If God is for us, who can be against us? These things cannot be compared to the weight of glory to be revealed at the end of time. Jesus gives you rest for your soul through faith in His words of promise. At the end of time you will have rest for your body. If you are laboring and heavy laden in this life, you cannot give yourself rest. Only Jesus can give you rest. Again, we learn that salvation is by grace alone and not by human achievement or work.
He gives us His Word to reveal to us where He is hidden for us so that we know how to come to Jesus. We look for the place where He promises to be. We don’t need to walk a saw dust trail and dedicate our lives to Jesus. That is not rest, but work. He has dedicated His life for us. It was handed over to death. Now He hands over His body to us to eat and His blood for us to drink for the forgiveness of our sins. We come to Jesus, when we draw toward the table. We receive Jesus when we are given His body which was given for us and His blood that was shed for us. We come to His table to be refreshed and restored in both body and soul. Here He feeds us and nourishes us for our difficulties in this life. He promises to be with us and never forsake us. Rest in the Lord. Hide in Him. In the Lord’s Supper, we are given His words of institution and His words of promise. To the wise of the world, this makes no sense at all. But, to us who are being saved, it is a means through which God bestows His divine favor upon us. Jesus says, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” (Matt. 10:25 ESV) The wise and understanding are those who set their own intellect over the Word of God. They disregard the Word and disagree with it when it does not line up with their own fallen logic.
The religious leaders in the days of the first century did not see Jesus as the Messiah. They could not and they would not listen to Him. They rejected Him. They did not embrace Him; instead, they forced Him to death on the cross. It was both the religious scholars and secular political leaders who had no use for Jesus. From this account, we learn the folly of human reason. As we continue to listen to the voice of Jesus, we constantly learn to reject our own earthly wisdom when it conflicts with God’s wisdom. We are learning to take our rational thoughts captive by the Word of God. Through the power of the Gospel, our sinful desires are being replaced with the will of God in our lives.
It was the little children, the lowly, the despised who listened to Jesus with ears to hear. He did not look like a King, yet He was born the King of Israel. He did not overthrow the Roman oppression over the lives of the people, yet He overthrew the devil’s oppression over the souls of the people. He did not bring freedom from poverty, but rather freedom from sin. The crucified Christ appeared to be a defeated imposter. But, it was through the cross that He won the victory over the devil.
Jesus says, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Matt. 10:27 ESV) Here Jesus makes these unique claims. Jesus doesn’t say that the Father has given to Him some things or certain things. Instead, He declares that the Father has given to Him all things. No ordinary man could make this claim. Jesus further shows forth His divine nature by claiming that just as the Father reveals Jesus to the world; it is Jesus who reveals the Father to the world.
Jesus alone truly knows the Father. No ordinary human being can make this claim. At the same time, the only one who truly knows Jesus is the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father. Without Jesus a person does not have the Father. Without Jesus, God is not your Heavenly Father, but rather a consuming fire and the Supreme Judge.
To the so-called wise of the world, these claims of Jesus are outrageous. This truth is not gleaned from earthly intellectual pursuits. Rather, it is only obtained through the revelation of God’s Holy Word. The Lord works in mysterious ways. He hides Himself in ordinary things. He comes on a donkey, rather than in a military convoy. Our God is a God who hides Himself. He conceals Himself from the so-called wise who do not seek Him where He promises to be found. He promises to be found with His Word. It’s like when a person wraps up a gift for someone. It is wrapped up in order to be unwrapped. It is hidden, so that it can be revealed. When you give it as a gift, it is your word that assures the recipient that there is a gift inside.
In these simple words, we are taught that it is God who reveals Himself to us. It is by divine grace that we find God. It is not about the amount of head knowledge one has or the number of advanced degrees that bring a person closer to God. In God’s sight the wise are foolish, while the foolishness of the cross is divine wisdom. With childlike faith we cling to the simple text. It is God who does the revealing. He reveals the kingdom through His word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ. Salvation comes to the individual through means. Let us receive the gifts of God that come to us in ordinary means of ink, paper, water, bread, and wine. Amen.
