The Lutheran Hour
-
"I Have Called You by Name"
- No Sermon MP3 No bonus material MP3
-
Text: Matthew 9:35-10:8
-
Opening Prayer: Almighty God, You have sent Your only Son to reveal Your compassion and saving love to all people, and through Him have invited us to call you “Father.” Amid the changes and chances of life in an increasingly impersonal world, make us to know and believe, by Your grace, You have written our names in Your Book of Life. For the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.
We know the 12 apostles by name. We do not know the names of the people in the crowds Jesus saw, much less the neighbors that may live right across the street from us. Nevertheless, Jesus has compassion on us all and calls us His “harvest.” As He told the 12 to pray and sent them to proclaim the kingdom of heaven, even so He commands and sends His church today to tell people everywhere the Good News: “I have called You by name.”
It struck me in considering this text today to ask why St. Matthew chose this point, some 10 chapters into his Gospel, for the first time to list the names of Jesus’ 12 disciples (who he now calls apostles). Of course, part of the answer is that the Gospel is not about them–not about the followers–but about Jesus Christ. At the same time it is about them, but only insofar as they have been called by Him. They are given authority from Him and sent to be His voice and hands and feet in bringing and proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom to the anonymous crowds of people Christ came to save.
Our text begins with Jesus going about all the cities and villages of Galilee. His work is summarized in those three main activities of teaching, preaching and healing. Of course you can only teach or preach to a certain number of people at a time, and healing happens one person at a time. Somewhere along the line, with these different groups of people coming and going and milling about, St. Matthew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ mind and soul, telling us that “when He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” It is estimated that at that time there were only between 170 to 400 million people in the world, and certainly less than that just in the region of the Holy Land. All of which is certainly far less than the estimated 6.2 billion people in the world today (U.S. Census Bureau, POPClock).
We are told the names of Jesus’ 12 apostles. We are even told a few of the names of the larger group of His first disciples. But we don’t know them all. Though each one of us knows only a few of the billions of people in the world today, still, certain things can be said about us all.
Each person has a unique identity, a personal place in a family tree, diverse intelligence and abilities, interests and opportunities, limitations and needs–and names! In the world today we can categorize people in larger groups by vocations or stations in life, by national, ethnic, racial or religious distinctions. But for all our differences at least three things can be said about all human beings. First, they are all individual and unique creations of the God who gives life in the first place. Second, all are sinners, separated from God because of our inherited sinful nature. Third, all together they make up “the world” which we are told with some authority, God so loved that He sent His only Son, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
It would take only one, perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world to free the whole world from its bondage to decay and death–the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God, that happened once for all on the bloody cross of Calvary. But because this deliverance from sin, death and the devil is to be apprehended by individual faith, this Good News of salvation needs to be communicated, preached, proclaimed, heard and believed by individuals. It was because of the enormity of this task that Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:1-3).
Jesus not only rationalized but felt deeply the emotion of compassion. You’d think there would be very few of us who have never felt compassion. When we see or hear of people–without even knowing their names–who have been devastated, whether because of a war or of a natural disaster, such situations deeply move our humanitarian age. People respond with amazing generosity when they see others in need. Relief organizations can be found throughout the world in attempt to provide victims of disasters with the basic needs of life. Likewise, the love and compassion of God is not merely a feeling or emotion, as if God were saying (as maybe some of us too often say), “Isn’t it too bad? All these people suffering so,” and then not lifting a finger to help.
No, the love of God, like His creative, saving Word, is a living and active thing. It moves into action to help, to heal and to save regardless of how loveable the one in need is, regardless of whether they have asked for help or even are aware of their real need. That’s what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. …God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6,8).
It was the love of God that caused His only Son to come into the world, born under the Law, living in perfect obedience to God’s Law, and yet raised up on the tree of the cross, to suffer and die for the life of the world. And it is this same love and compassion that moved Jesus to tell His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest, and also to be ready, as a result of their prayer, to be sent out themselves. The “harvest” is not just those who happen to be seeking salvation and help, or those who have become aware of their need for forgiveness of sin and deliverance from death. The harvest is all people whether they are looking for God or not. That’s part of our sinful condition, you know, not only that we are lost “like sheep without a shepherd,” but we quite often don’t even have a clue that we need a shepherd or there is one out there somewhere for us.
It was St. Paul who reported the words of Isaiah, saying that God was “so bold as to say, ‘I have been found by those who did not seek Me; I have shown Myself to those who did not ask for Me.'” Isn’t it interesting these words happen to be in the very same chapter of his letter to the Romans where he outlines how “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:20,17). The invitation to salvation is for everybody. This Word, however, needs to be preached by authorized preachers who have heard, and been called and sent. They are real people who can be named and identified–people like Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John Zebedee, Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, James Alphaeus and Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, and even one called Judas Iscariot. You remember him–the one who betrayed Jesus. Even he was called and authorized and sent to preach. Remember him the next time you might be tempted to think, “One rotten apple spoils the whole bunch.” Preachers, maybe more than anyone, are (or should be) aware they are sinners just like everyone else; in need of the same forgiveness and salvation they have been called to proclaim and give out to others. Again, it was none other than St. Paul who said, “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5,7).
What were they–and we to this day–commanded to proclaim? “Proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand,'” that is, it has come to you today. The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, is this gift of His rule of love and compassion–salvation from sin and death through the forgiveness of sins for the sake of the innocent, bitter, suffering and death of Christ. It comes to you when you hear it–breaking through the harassment and helplessness of life. It comes to us in the midst of our distress: the terrorism on our own shores, the unprecedented conflicts between nations, the dissolution of marriage and the family, and conflicts and scandals even in the church that contribute to our feelings of fear, isolation and maybe even cynicism. Add to that our private tragedies–the death of a loved one, our addictions, hopelessness, loneliness or feelings of inadequacy. Though these be all the common sufferings of those who tread the dusty trails or burning pavement of everyday life in this impersonal world, this one, saving Word is meant for each and every person, coming from the only personal God who created you and formed you, and who now says to you, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1). That’s why in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism the pastor asks, “And how is this child to be named,” or “How are you named?” For, when the time came for worldwide evangelization, Jesus told His apostolic ministers to make disciples by “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” It is in the name of the Triune God that our names are written in the Book of Life.
Of the billions of people in the world today, each of us knows only a handful by name. But God knows each one. God knows everything about you. And He loves you nonetheless. Therefore, come to where He promises to be for you–the Shepherd and Overseer of the souls of those once straying like sheep (1 Peter 2:25). Come to where His Word is preached and we receive and live in the forgiveness of sins He has promised. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins. For Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). “I have other sheep. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16).
Indeed, the harvest is even more plentiful than ever today, and the laborers are still too few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest–and be ready, as a result of your prayer, to be sent yourself. For He has called you by name.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for June 16, 2002
ANNOUNCER: What’s the difference between grace and luck? I’m Mark Eischer and joining me by phone is Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher, professor of homiletics at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind. Dr. Fickenscher, what is the difference between grace and luck?
FICKENSCHER: Obviously, we speak of luck as something that is simply by chance, something that happens without any real cause we can explain. Frankly, nothing is quite that way because God is in control of everything and God’s grace is His love for us that gives us so many wonderful things we don’t deserve.
ANNOUNCER: So, really the first difference between grace and luck is that one of them exists and the other does not?
FICKENSCHER: Absolutely. It’s as simple as that, frankly.
ANNOUNCER: Author R. C. Sproul in his book “Not a Chance” says the mere existence of chance is enough to rip God from His cosmic throne. If chance exists in any size, shape or form, God cannot exist. Why is that?
FICKENSCHER: Well, because God, as the Bible describes Him, is omnipotent. He has all power. He is also omniscient. He knows everything. That means nothing escapes God’s awareness and nothing could elude His power. If it’s something that’s happening anywhere, it is well within God’s awareness and if it’s something happening of any significance, in fact anything we would even deem insignificant, it’s not without God’s will. This is why, for example, in Romans chapter 8, St. Paul says, “God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God.” Even when really disastrous effects of our sin touch our lives and the lives of others, somehow God in His grace is still always bringing about good results in the big picture for us.
ANNOUNCER: In a sense good fortune could be a gift of God’s grace. So, whereas luck doesn’t exist, fortune could.
FICKENSCHER: Right. If it is understood as being something God has given.
ANNOUNCER: Let’s relate this to the puzzling question of theology. Someone could say by God’s grace on account of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, I am saved. I’ve been brought into the church. Perhaps my parents brought me to the baptismal font, and here I am, through no effort or merit of my own, a redeemed child of God. Is that luck? Am I a lucky person compared with everybody else in the world?
FICKENSCHER: That is certainly one area where we, as Lutherans, have a very helpful Biblical understanding. We realize that the Bible does not explain Gods’ answer to the question: Why some are saved, not others. But we do realize God has atoned, and Christ has atoned for all sins in His death and resurrection. God is reconciled to all mankind. God fully intends everyone to be saved and in the means of grace in baptism–in the preaching of the Word and also Holy Communion–He truly does give fully the gift of salvation to everyone. Now, some people don’t believe the preaching of the Word and the Word of Christ which they perhaps have heard, that they really are saved. They don’t believe the Word is really true for them and tragically, therefore, many people God truly desires to be saved, are lost. But when we recognize that God’s full intention is for the salvation of everyone, we would then never attribute that to luck, to luck by birth, luck being born into a Christian family or lucky circumstances in which we heard God’s Word at just the right time or in just the right circumstance.
ANNOUNCER: We’ve been talking with the Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher, professor of homiletics at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind. Dr. Fickenscher, thank you for being with us.