Full Sermon Jesus Does All Things Well based on Mark 7:31-37

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sermon Text: Mark 7:31-37

Sermon Theme: Jesus Does All Things Well

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A lot of people in our world are searching for something or someone to make a difference in their lives. They look to the newest diet to make a difference for them. They buy the latest exercise equipment to make a difference for them. They buy the newest style of clothes to make a difference for them. They think a new relationship will benefit their lives.

Sometimes we put our hope in the wrong things and in the wrong people. We might think money is the answer to our troubles. We might think a political leader is the answer to our problems. We might think having more stuff is the key to lasting happiness. The friends of the deaf man who could hardly speak hoped that Jesus could make a difference in the life of their friend. Mark 7:32 tells us, “And they brought to (Jesus) a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.”

What a hard life that would be—to be unable to hear anything and to be barely able to talk. Life is challenging enough for people who can hear and are able to talk to others. The deaf man could not hear the beautiful sounds of the birds singing in the trees. The deaf man could not hear any of the soothing sounds of nature around him. The deaf man could not hear any of the stories people were telling about the healing power of Jesus. The deaf man needed his friends to get the attention of Jesus and ask Jesus for His healing touch. If the friends of the deaf man had not begged Jesus to help their friend, then the deaf man would never have been able to hear and speak like most people around him.

The way Jesus healed the deaf man who could hardly talk is very interesting. Mark 7:33-35 states, [And taking him aside from the crowd privately, (Jesus) put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.]

Since the deaf man was unable to hear Jesus, Jesus touched the man with His hands instead of talking to him. Jesus took the deaf man away from the crowd and then He put His fingers into the man’s ears. Instead of telling the man with words what Jesus planned to do, Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears to let the man know that Jesus planned to restore his hearing. Instead of telling the man with words what Jesus planned to do for him, Jesus spit and touched the man’s tongue to let the man know that Jesus planned to restore his ability to speak plainly. Jesus then looked up to heaven and sighed and spoke one word, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” Then the man could hear with his ears and the man was able to speak in a way that people could understand him. The deaf man was not able to ask Jesus for help on his own. His friends talked to Jesus for him. Jesus made a difference in the life of that man who had been deaf and unable to speak clearly.

Jesus is the One who makes a difference in our lives today. Jesus loves us with an everlasting love. Jesus died and rose to new life so that our sins—every last one of them—could be forgiven. Jesus has opened our ears so that we can hear the good news that Jesus is the One who opens up heaven for us and has reserved a spot for us in heaven. Jesus touches our tongues so that we can tell everyone what he has done for us on the cross and what he continues to do for us each and every day. Jesus makes a difference in our lives so that we can, with His help, make a difference in the lives of those who live around us.

Mark 7:36-37 concludes with the reaction of the people to the healing work of Jesus: [And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”]

Jesus did not want to get so popular that he would have trouble walking openly among the people of the towns and villages he visited. The more Jesus told the people not to tell anyone about what he had done for the deaf man who could not talk plainly, the more the people kept talking about what Jesus had done.

The people were overcome with amazement and wonder. They agreed that Jesus has done all things well. They possibly might have been thinking about the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah 35:4-6: [Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”] In the earthly ministry of Jesus and in today’s Gospel lesson in Mark 7 Jesus fulfilled part of Isaiah’s prophecy by unstopping the ears of a deaf man and by enabling a man with a mute tongue to shout for joy. In the earthly ministry of Jesus, the kingdom of grace came in all of that kingdom’s fullness.

My hope and prayer for each one of you here this morning is that you recapture some of that amazement concerning Jesus that the people of Jesus’ earthly ministry had. My hope and prayer for each one of you here this morning is that you can say with joy about Jesus and what he does in your life, “He has done all things well.” Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to wash away our sins for us in the water and promises connected with Holy Baptism. Jesus regularly works through the preaching of the Word of God to challenge and comfort us in our Christian living. Jesus daily calls out to people who need to hear about him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). Jesus wants people everywhere to hear the Good News about the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the world’s sins and wrongs. Maybe there is someone you know who has never heard the Good News about Jesus or seems to have fallen away from trusting in Jesus. You might bring that person to a worship service and encourage that person to read one of the Gospels, like Mark’s Gospel, so that he or she can be comforted by the powerful words of Jesus—the One who makes a huge difference in the lives of all those who believe in him for salvation and the One who does all things well.

A single candle in a dark room may seem like no big deal, but that candle’s light pierces the darkness and brings hope. Each person can be like that candle, bringing light and hope into the lives of others. Through small acts of kindness and compassion, we can make a big difference in the world.

Are you struggling to do something meaningful in life? Take a few minutes before bed to pray for each family member individually, asking God to bless them and guide them in their journey. Amen.

‌ The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.