Daily Lectionary: Exodus 38:21-39:8, 22-23, 27-31; St. Luke 8:1-21
“He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” (St. Luke 8:10)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. The kingdom of God is a mystery even we Christians sometimes have a hard time grasping. The Almighty God comes down in human flesh and dies, exchanging His life for the life of sinners. Death for all through the sin of one man? Life for all through death of one man? It seems so contrary to human perception. But it is truth!
Even our Lord’s disciples didn’t grasp the fact that their Savior had to suffer, die, and on the third day, be raised from the dead, despite the fact that He told them numerous times in His teaching. But after He rose from the dead, Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
The language of faith is strange to the ears of unbelievers. Though faith comes from hearing the Gospel, some close off their ears, or let it go in one ear and out the other. By their own sinful and worldly obstacles, they cut themselves off from the saving truth of salvation in Christ.
So to them our Lord speaks in parables. He speaks the truth, veiled in mystery, so that those who see cannot see and those who hear cannot hear. The prophet Isaiah spoke thus about the hard-hearted people of Israel when they refused to take to heart the Word of the Lord. Our Lord speaks thus about those who may hear His Word and see His miracles, yet refuse Him.
It is not a lack of grace on God’s part. He has given His Son to die for all sinners. The prophets of old pointed the way. From their time to ours, people have continually thrown out obstacles, mainly their own ideas of who the Messiah should be, remaining oblivious to the mystery revealed in the Christ of Holy Scripture.
As the Gospel of Christ is preached into our ears, the Lord works a mystery in us. By His grace and mercy He awakens us to faith. Faith clings to the mystery which is Christ – His suffering, His death and His resurrection for us. Faith gives you new eyes and ears. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” (St. Luke 8:8). In the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Almighty God, Your Word is cast, like seed into the ground; Now let the dew of heaven descend And righteous fruits abound.” (LSB #577, verse 1)
Easter 2007 Reflections were written by the Rev. Joel Fritsche, Admissions Counselor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.