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Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor

Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost 

Option One: Rev. Kelly Bedard

"A Trinity Of Miracles"
Isaiah 35:4-7a

A. Of the soul (verse 4): sustained in and delivered from godless busyness

B. Of the body (verse 5-6): healing pointing ultimately to spiritual sight/hearing/walking/speaking

C. Of nature (verse 7): a type of The Resurrection--past, present and future

Notes:

1. "Fearful" (verse 4): mahar {maw-har'}, with the basic meaning of "to hasten, to be hurried, anxious, impetuous," perhaps one of the major sins of today's "I'm-so-busy" society, "with a heart fluttered with agitation" (Jamieson et al).

2. "Strong" (verse 4): chazaq {khaw-zak'}, "to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support"; not necessarily to become less busy--especially if it's God's busyness--but, instead, to be sustained in its midst and, ultimately, to be delivered from it.

3. The above is borne out by yare' {yaw-ray'} (verse 4), a different fear than the previous one, meaning to "fear, revere, be afraid."

4. "Retribution" (verse 4): gamuwl {ghem-ool'}, "dealing, recompense, benefit."

5. "Save" (verse 4): yasha` {yaw-shah'}; one meaning is "to save from moral troubles."

6. Verses 5-6: figuratively, descriptive of the joy felt at the deliverance from Assyria and Babylon; literally, true of the antitypical times of Messiah and His miracles and, beyond that, of the Gentiles' reception of the Gospel.

7. Verse 7a: the mirage (sharab, "the sun's heat") shall become a (real) lake; where once there was no water, water shall abound.

8. "Our inheritance is peace, love and joy. Inwardly we are to have those no matter what the world around us is like. If we feed upon the riches of truth given to us and live in daily fellowship with the Lord who is our present possession, then those refreshing graces will possess our hearts." (Ray Stedman)

9. Though the cause of evil prosper,
    Yet 'tis truth alone that's strong.
    Truth forever on the scaffold,
    Wrong forever on the throne.
    Yet that scaffold sways the future,
    And behind the dim unknown,
    Standeth God within the shadows.
    Keeping watch above his own. 
                    James Russell Lowed


Option Two: Rev. Wayne Dobratz

"He Hath Done All Things Well"
Mark 7:31-37

Introduction: One of our most familiar table prayers is "O, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good...." You may not realize it, but not everyone shares this the Psalm Writer's belief that God is good. Some are angry at God, because of an illness, or the death of a family member or a friend. It's enough of a problem that the great British Christian Writer C. S. Lewis wrote a book called God in the Dock.

The "dock" in this case is not a place to park a boat, but the place where an accused person stands in a British court room. God stands accused of many things today. You'll find it even in our insurance policies. Natural disasters are called "Acts of God."
It is a breath of a fresh air to hear the people of today's text voice their praises for the Lord Jesus. We join them as we say: 

"Praise the Lord! He Has Done All Things Well..."

1) In what He has saved us from...
2) In what He has saved us for...

He Has Done All Things Well...

I. In what He has saved us from...

A. He gives healing and relief from illness, disease and handicaps, as in
the text, vv. 31-35

B. He heals spiritual disease--sin and its results

1. As in Ps. 103:1-3
2. As in Mk. 2:17
3. As in Ps. 41:4, Isa. 53:5, Jer. 3:22, Hos. 6:1 & Rev. 22:2

C. He saves from death

1. As it is written in 2 Tim. 1:10
2. As in 1 Cor. 15:26

II. In what He has saved us for...

A. While Jesus forbade the sharing of this Good News, God's people today are under no such restriction. We are directed to:

1. join their voices of praise--"He has done everything well....", v37 (also Ps. 9:11, 18:49, 35:28, 47:6, 147:1; Rom. 15:11, Heb. 2:12; 1 Pet. 2:9).

2. By praising him with your life

a. as in Matt. 5:16
b. as in Lk. 17:15-18
c. by living in Christian love, as in Rom. 15:7ff

3. With acts of Christian love...

a. as in 2 Cor. 9:13
b. as in Phil. 1:9-11
c. as in Eph. 2:10

Richard Lenski writes: "Mark explains the action of the people. He uses the strong imperfect passive: They were thrown into a condition of amazement and remained there.... Being in such a state, they could not restrain themselves. Matthew reports that they glorified the God of Israel--that indicates that they were Gentiles. Mark tells us exactly what the people said: 'Excellently He has done all things well!', referring to the past acts which continue in the present...both the deaf he makes to hear and the speechless to speak...These people rightly conclude that Jesus can at any time ( they use the present tense) make the deaf (any of them) to hear and the speechless (any of them) to speak. Close the Book and also praise God."

Copyright 2000 Ministry Health, LLC 
All Rights Reserved
http://ministryhealth.net
Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Director

A. Of the soul (verse 4): sustained in and delivered from godless busyness

B. Of the body (verse 5-6): healing pointing ultimately to spiritual sight/hearing/walking/speaking

C. Of nature (verse 7): a type of The Resurrection--past, present and future

Notes:

1. "Fearful" (verse 4): mahar {maw-har'}, with the basic meaning of "to hasten, to be hurried, anxious, impetuous," perhaps one of the major sins of today's "I'm-so-busy" society, "with a heart fluttered with agitation" (Jamieson et al).

2. "Strong" (verse 4): chazaq {khaw-zak'}, "to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support"; not necessarily to become less busy--especially if it's God's busyness--but, instead, to be sustained in its midst and, ultimately, to be delivered from it.

3. The above is borne out by yare' {yaw-ray'} (verse 4), a different fear than the previous one, meaning to "fear, revere, be afraid."

4. "Retribution" (verse 4): gamuwl {ghem-ool'}, "dealing, recompense, benefit."

5. "Save" (verse 4): yasha` {yaw-shah'}; one meaning is "to save from moral troubles."

6. Verses 5-6: figuratively, descriptive of the joy felt at the deliverance from Assyria and Babylon; literally, true of the antitypical times of Messiah and His miracles and, beyond that, of the Gentiles' reception of the Gospel.

7. Verse 7a: the mirage (sharab, "the sun's heat") shall become a (real) lake; where once there was no water, water shall abound.

8. "Our inheritance is peace, love and joy. Inwardly we are to have those no matter what the world around us is like. If we feed upon the riches of truth given to us and live in daily fellowship with the Lord who is our present possession, then those refreshing graces will possess our hearts." (Ray Stedman)

9. Though the cause of evil prosper,
    Yet 'tis truth alone that's strong.
    Truth forever on the scaffold,
    Wrong forever on the throne.
    Yet that scaffold sways the future,
    And behind the dim unknown,
    Standeth God within the shadows.
    Keeping watch above his own. 
                    James Russell Lowed


Option Two: Rev. Wayne Dobratz

"He Hath Done All Things Well"
Mark 7:31-37

Introduction: One of our most familiar table prayers is "O, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good...." You may not realize it, but not everyone shares this the Psalm Writer's belief that God is good. Some are angry at God, because of an illness, or the death of a family member or a friend. It's enough of a problem that the great British Christian Writer C. S. Lewis wrote a book called God in the Dock.

The "dock" in this case is not a place to park a boat, but the place where an accused person stands in a British court room. God stands accused of many things today. You'll find it even in our insurance policies. Natural disasters are called "Acts of God."
It is a breath of a fresh air to hear the people of today's text voice their praises for the Lord Jesus. We join them as we say: 

"Praise the Lord! He Has Done All Things Well..."

1) In what He has saved us from...
2) In what He has saved us for...

He Has Done All Things Well...

I. In what He has saved us from...

A. He gives healing and relief from illness, disease and handicaps, as in
the text, vv. 31-35

B. He heals spiritual disease--sin and its results

1. As in Ps. 103:1-3
2. As in Mk. 2:17
3. As in Ps. 41:4, Isa. 53:5, Jer. 3:22, Hos. 6:1 & Rev. 22:2

C. He saves from death

1. As it is written in 2 Tim. 1:10
2. As in 1 Cor. 15:26

II. In what He has saved us for...

A. While Jesus forbade the sharing of this Good News, God's people today are under no such restriction. We are directed to:

1. join their voices of praise--"He has done everything well....", v37 (also Ps. 9:11, 18:49, 35:28, 47:6, 147:1; Rom. 15:11, Heb. 2:12; 1 Pet. 2:9).

2. By praising him with your life

a. as in Matt. 5:16
b. as in Lk. 17:15-18
c. by living in Christian love, as in Rom. 15:7ff

3. With acts of Christian love...

a. as in 2 Cor. 9:13
b. as in Phil. 1:9-11
c. as in Eph. 2:10

Richard Lenski writes: "Mark explains the action of the people. He uses the strong imperfect passive: They were thrown into a condition of amazement and remained there.... Being in such a state, they could not restrain themselves. Matthew reports that they glorified the God of Israel--that indicates that they were Gentiles. Mark tells us exactly what the people said: 'Excellently He has done all things well!', referring to the past acts which continue in the present...both the deaf he makes to hear and the speechless to speak...These people rightly conclude that Jesus can at any time ( they use the present tense) make the deaf (any of them) to hear and the speechless (any of them) to speak. Close the Book and also praise God."

Copyright 2000 Ministry Health, LLC 
All Rights Reserved
http://ministryhealth.net
Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Director

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