Bloghardt's Reflector

St. Luke 11:14-28 - Oculi 2010
St. Mark Lutheran Church - March 7, 2010
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Happy Lent!  In the name of Jesus. Amen.  Oculi means “eyes.”  It’s the theme for the third Sunday of Lent. From today’s Psalm, “My eyes are ever on the Lord for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.”

But, when you look at the Gospel lesson - everyone has their eyes on something other than the Lord - their different perspectives, their view points, and how they feel about Jesus.  

Now, the mute who has the demon cast out of him, he has the eyes of faith.  He receives Jesus.  With our eyes on what Jesus did for him, we see how wonderful and merciful God is.  He cares so much for His people as to rescue them from every evil - spiritual, physical, and personal.  The people see the miracle - the mute man speaks and the Gospel says they all “marveled.”

But, the next verse spoils that.  Some didn’t believe.  They fixed their eyes on everything but Jesus.  Testing, asking for greater evidence, accusing Him of doing things by some other means other than God.

St Matthew 15:22-32 - Reminiscere 2010
St. Mark Lutheran Church - Feb. 28, 2010
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Happy Lent!  In the name of Jesus. Amen.  Yep.  He called her a dog.  The more I read this Gospel lesson, the more it stuns me.  Jesus called this woman a dog.

Not "little" dog.  Not "cute-little"lap dog.  "Dog" dog.  Like - "woof woof" dog.  Like female dog.  That word in English that no young man should call a woman ever.

Dog - Canaanite dog.  Racial slur.  Kinda like the slurs we use for other cultures - words which mock the color of “skin” or how someone got into America.  

So Jesus is saying, “I’m not for you.  You are just a.... Canaanite dog”

 Now, Jesus didn’t begin by calling her that.  No, first, He ignored her.  She screamed “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”  And He answered her not a word.

The sound was so loud that finally the disciples pleaded with Him to send her away.  Do something...  I mean, it’s .. embarrassing.  The shame of this woman pleading and no one answering... Awkward.

  “I was not sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  He responds to them, not her.  After all, dogs aren’t worth talking to.

 The lost sheep of the house of Israel.  He’s sent for the stray wandering sheep of God’s people.  Israel’s kids.  Sons of Jacob, the guy who wrestled with God in our Old Testament lesson.  

 Jesus was sent to save the children of promise, not some Gentile Canaanite dog woman and her demented tormented puppy.

Past Ash Wednesday Sermons..

St. Matthew 6:1-6 - Ash Wednesday 2009

Joel 2:12-19 – Ash Wednesday

St. Luke 8:4-15 – Sexagesima 2010
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Feb. 7, 2010
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In the name of Jesus. Amen.   Do you have a Savior? Are your sins forgiven? Have your deep dark deeds been answered for? Is there truly nothing left between you and God that Jesus has taken upon Himself?

Are you truly a saint – not the “who dat?” variety. But holy, pure, loved by God. God's own dear child.  Is that who you are?

Is heaven yours? Yours? As yours as your car, as yours as your house, as yours as your pew? You have it, you're in it, someone else actual owns it (like the bank), but it's where you lay your head.

Do you have a true Father – a heavenly Father who loves you not because you are you, but because He has given up His Son for you. Who gives you everything – your body, your soul, your eyes, your ears – everything. Who takes the good that you do and forgives it and takes the evil that you have done and makes it good in His Son.

St. John 11:23-26 - Funeral of Mary Gene Yeager
St. Mark Lutheran Church - January 22, 2010

 In the name of Jesus. Amen.  “Your brother will rise again.”  Jesus told Martha about her brother Lazarus.  Can it be that simple?  Can Jesus just speak with such certainty?  

Mary and Martha were devastated by the death of their brother.  Jesus had seemed late - missing the hospital call and then the funeral.  Now, their brother had been in the tomb for four days.

“If you had just been here, Lord.  If you had just made it in time... Then maybe.....  But even now, if you just ask, God will give you what you ask.”