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1 Year Lectionary – Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity – Sunday, September 18, 2022 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	came in Saint Luke the 17th chapter
0:32	foreign
0:39	on the way to Jerusalem Jesus was
0:42	passing along between Samaria and
0:44	Galilee and as he entered a village he
0:46	was met by ten lepers who stood at a
0:48	distance and lifted up their voices
0:50	saying Jesus Master have mercy on us
0:54	when he saw them he said to them go and
0:56	show yourselves to the priest and as
0:58	they went they were cleansed then one of
1:00	them when he saw that he was healed
1:02	turned back praising God with a loud
1:04	voice he fell on his face at Jesus’s
1:07	feet giving him thanks now he was a
1:10	Samaritan and then Jesus answered we’re
1:13	not ten cleansed where are the nine was
1:16	no no one found to return and give
1:18	praise to God except for this Foreigner
1:20	and he said to him rise and go your way
1:22	your faith has made you well this is the
1:25	gospel of the Lord
1:27	in the name of Jesus
1:29	all right today’s Gospel text it’s a
1:32	little complicated we’re gonna have to
1:33	pull in a few other things from the
1:34	scriptures in order to understand what
1:37	is going on here we’re going to begin
1:39	with kind of a you know an easy one to
1:42	start with the idea is something like
1:45	this you’ll note that Jesus In Our
1:47	Gospel text has been giving sight to the
1:49	blind he’s been giving hearing to the
1:51	deaf he has been giving well the ability
1:54	to speak to those who are mute and
1:57	you’ll note that in so doing the
1:59	scripture is always kind of really
2:01	strongly suggest if not overtly tell us
2:04	in some cases that this points to a
2:07	bigger problem spiritual blindness
2:10	spiritual deafness spiritual muteness
2:15	you get the idea these themes go
2:18	together and then when we get to our
2:21	gospel text today then we’re dealing
2:23	with Leprosy leprosy back in the day was
2:27	pretty much a death sentence there was
2:29	no way to cure this disease back then I
2:32	think it’s called Hansen’s Disease now
2:34	there are ways to treat it but leprosy
2:37	is like if you would the quintessential
2:40	example in the physical of the
2:43	corruption that we experience because of
2:47	sin it’s a absolute devastating
2:51	perpetually getting worse disease that
2:55	results in a horrific smelly disgusting
2:58	long slow languishing death no cure it’s
3:02	a death sentence and if you were to
3:04	think of it this way
3:06	nobody takes you know issue with the
3:09	fact that when you say all right there
3:11	are two tables in the in God’s ten
3:13	commandments you’ve got the first table
3:15	that deals with our vertical
3:17	relationship with God you shall have no
3:20	other gods you shall not take the name
3:22	of the Lord your God in vain remember
3:23	the Sabbath day to keep it holy this has
3:26	to do with our vertical relationship
3:27	with God but the second table of the law
3:29	then deals with our horizontal
3:32	relationship with each other you shall
3:34	honor your father and mother and you
3:36	shall not murder you shall not commit
3:37	adultery you shall not steal you shall
3:40	not bear false witness against your
3:41	neighbor and then you get all the rules
3:43	regarding coveting as well this all has
3:45	to do with the horizontal and so you’re
3:47	going to note our theologians and
3:49	Christians throughout the Millennia have
3:51	noted that when you break one of The
3:53	Commandments in the second table of the
3:55	law you’re always also breaking the
3:58	first commandment
3:59	you’re always breaking two when you
4:02	break one of those does that make sense
4:04	so that being the case uh you know
4:06	you’ll note then that when we look at
4:09	diseases like leprosy which are a great
4:13	and horrible picture of well the
4:16	corruption of sin we come to a very
4:19	important well realization that all
4:23	physical ailments every single one of
4:26	them has their ultimate
4:29	beginning their Genesis in sin the wages
4:34	of sin is death and death comes to us
4:36	all and so many various and varied ways
4:39	but all that being said so we can say
4:41	that sin is the actual culprit when it
4:44	comes to all elements now I’m not saying
4:46	a specific sin you know that you may
4:49	have committed we’re talking about Sin
4:51	in general and if you’re not sure if
4:53	you’re symptomatic for sin if you were
4:56	to think of it in terms of disease well
4:58	this is where our epistle text is quite
5:00	helpful we have a list of of well it’s
5:03	not an extensive list but it’s quite a
5:06	list of different well how shall I put
5:10	this ways in which it manifests these
5:13	are the symptoms of the sin sickness
5:16	that we have sexual immorality
5:19	impurity
5:21	sensuality idolatry sorcery enmity
5:25	Strife jealousy fits of anger rivalries
5:29	dissensions divisions Envy drunkenness
5:33	orgies you get the idea this is horrible
5:37	symptom list but that shows the absolute
5:41	Corruption of sin the leprosy if we
5:44	would the leprosy that we all suffer
5:47	from and so as we look at our gospel
5:49	text today note that on some level this
5:54	Samaritan that well comes back and gives
5:57	praise to God along with his nine other
6:00	fellows who were cured it shows us
6:03	Jesus’s compassion not only towards our
6:06	physical ailments but the actual root
6:09	cause itself which is sin the Samaritan
6:12	comes back and he Praises God and it’s
6:14	here where I have to also note we need a
6:17	little bit more context as to what’s
6:19	going going on here because if you don’t
6:22	get these details right then you end up
6:26	basically scolding people for not
6:28	thanking God enough and that’s not
6:30	really the point of this text so let me
6:33	explain
6:35	Jesus in The Gospel of John chapter 4
6:38	remember when he has that conversation
6:40	with that Samaritan woman at the well it
6:43	was noon when she came out and the
6:46	reason why is because she was kind of
6:48	the Town Pariah she was not exactly
6:49	known for her moral fortitude she had
6:53	had five previous husbands and was
6:55	currently shacking up with a fellow so
6:58	people might say she was a little loose
7:00	and so hanging out at the time when
7:02	people normally draw their water in the
7:05	cooler parts of the day would well she
7:07	would be subjected to scolding ridicule
7:10	and things like this so you’ll note that
7:12	Jesus is there at the well when she
7:15	comes at noon and he asks her for a
7:18	drink of water and they get into a
7:21	conversation and he he asked her to go
7:24	call your husband to come here and the
7:27	woman said to Jesus well I don’t have a
7:29	husband and Jesus said yeah you’re right
7:31	that’s actually true
7:33	when you write and saying you don’t have
7:35	a husband you have had five husbands the
7:38	one you have now is not actually your
7:40	husband so what you’ve said is true and
7:42	at this point the light goes on and the
7:44	woman says you know sir I perceive that
7:45	you’re a prophet you think all right
7:47	okay so and then she changes the subject
7:51	all together
7:53	and she gets to kind of like the big
7:55	conflict that exists between Samaritans
7:58	and Jews and she says our fathers
8:00	referring to her Samaritan fathers they
8:03	worshiped on this mountain and the
8:05	mountain that she was referring to is
8:06	Mount garazim where there was that
8:09	Ancient Temple complex that had been set
8:12	up by jeroboam son of nibat when the
8:15	northern kingdom and the southern
8:17	Kingdom were torn apart and they had set
8:19	up a really awful idolatrous Worship
8:22	Center on the top of Mount gerizim so
8:25	she says our fathers they worshiped on
8:27	this mountain
8:28	but you say you Jews say that in
8:31	Jerusalem that is the place where people
8:33	ought to worship and Jesus said to her
8:36	woman believe me the hour is coming when
8:38	neither on this mountain nor in
8:39	Jerusalem will you worship the father
8:42	you worship what you do not know we
8:45	worship what we know for salvation is
8:48	from the Jews but the hour is coming and
8:51	is now here Jesus said when true
8:54	worshipers will worship the father in
8:57	spirit and in truth for the father is
9:00	seeking such people to worship him God
9:02	is Spirit those who worship Him must
9:05	worship Him in spirit and in truth and
9:09	then the most amazing thing ever happens
9:11	Jesus actually speaks quite boldly about
9:14	who he is so the woman said to Jesus
9:16	well I know that when Messiah when he
9:18	comes he who is called the Christ he
9:21	will tell us all things Jesus said to
9:24	her I who speak to you I’m he just
9:26	straight out said it okay to us American
9:29	woman right now that’s kind of a little
9:32	bit of the context here now there’s a
9:34	little bit more to the context and this
9:37	requires us to do a little bit of
9:39	rabbinic study in Torah all right and
9:42	there are two chapters in The Book of
9:44	Leviticus that just make me break out in
9:48	a rash pun intended Leviticus 13 and
9:52	Leviticus 14. it is all about the what
9:56	the Mosaic Covenant requires regarding
10:00	diagnosing
10:02	leprosy
10:05	I am so glad that as a New Covenant
10:07	Pastor I do not have to look at people’s
10:10	skin rashes I I would be finding a
10:12	different job I can just tell you that
10:14	right now so 13 is all about the rules
10:17	for a priest to look at and examine skin
10:21	rashes to determine whether or not it’s
10:23	leprosy and if it is leprosy the person
10:27	is declared to be
10:29	unclean and the Mosaic Covenant is very
10:32	specific about what a leper must do once
10:36	you are declared unclean you’re not
10:38	welcome in town you’re not you have to
10:41	live in leper colonies you got to live
10:43	outside of the city Gates and if anyone
10:46	is approaching your general vicinity
10:49	well God required that you mask up yeah
10:53	long before covid there was social
10:54	distancing they had to mask up and they
10:57	were required to put their hand over
10:58	their mouth and say unclean unclean
11:03	that’s what they were required to do
11:05	right right
11:06	so you’ll note this is part of what our
11:09	story is but there’s a little bit more
11:11	to the story and that is is that
11:14	Leviticus 14
11:16	anticipates that some lepers would
11:20	actually be cleansed that they would be
11:24	healed so not every leper is going to
11:28	experience the death sentence of leprosy
11:30	and there is a whole set of rules for
11:34	what somebody who is under the Mosaic
11:37	Covenant is required to do should they
11:42	be healed of their leprosy let me read
11:45	the details Leviticus chapter 14 verse
11:48	1
11:50	Yahweh spoke to Moses saying this shall
11:54	be the law of the leprous person for the
11:57	day of his cleansing he shall be brought
12:00	to the priest and the priest shall go
12:03	out of the camp and the priests shall
12:05	look
12:06	and if the case of leprous disease is
12:09	healed in the leprous person the priest
12:12	shall command them to take for him who
12:15	is to be cleansed two live clean birds
12:18	and Cedarwood and Scarlet yarn
12:23	and hyssop
12:26	hmm so one of these birds is going to
12:29	die their blood is going to be used for
12:31	something that kind of prefigures
12:33	baptism but Cedarwood that kind of
12:36	Harkens to the cross
12:38	Scarlet yarn reminds me of rahav the
12:41	prostitute of Jericho remember the the
12:44	one who hid the spies and she wanted to
12:47	live and they told her that she had to
12:49	put a scarlet cord outside of her window
12:51	and that when Israel sat Jerusalem that
12:55	if they if all of her family members
12:57	were in her house and she still had that
12:59	cord out of her window that Scarlet yarn
13:02	they would all be saved and they were
13:04	and then hyssop hmm you know yeah it
13:09	kind of reminds me of David’s Psalm 51
13:12	where he says cleanse me with hyssop and
13:15	I shall be clean and hyssop shows up
13:17	only a few times in scripture Psalm 51
13:20	being one of the places but also the
13:22	cross so you’ll know each of these
13:24	little things kind of in our mind in
13:26	some way or another connects us back to
13:28	the gospel so the priest then will
13:31	command them to kill one of the birds
13:33	in an earthenware vessel over fresh
13:37	water
13:38	okay so fresh water kill the bird over
13:41	that and then he shall take the live
13:42	bird with the cedar wood and the Scarlet
13:45	yarn and the hyssop and then dip them
13:48	and the live bird in the blood of the
13:51	bird that was killed over the fresh
13:53	water and he shall sprinkle it seven
13:55	times on him who is to be cleansed of
13:58	the leprous disease I think this is a
14:01	foreshadowing of baptism right but
14:02	you’re going to note something here that
14:04	when we look at rules like this in the
14:06	Torah these are the laws regarding the
14:10	right worship of Yahweh these are acts
14:13	of faith done these are done in faith in
14:16	obedience to God and they are acts of
14:18	worship so there’s a big rigmarole to go
14:21	through if you are actually cleansed of
14:23	your leprous disease then he shall
14:26	sprinkle it seven times on him as to be
14:28	cleansed of his leprous disease seven
14:30	times you guys remember Naaman the leper
14:33	the the commander of the armies of Syria
14:35	in second Kings chapter five how many
14:37	times times did Elisha tell him to dip
14:40	himself in the Jordan River
14:42	seven times all prefiguring baptism then
14:46	he shall pronounce him clean and then
14:48	shall let the living bird go into the
14:50	open field and he who is to be cleansed
14:53	shall wash his clothes and he shall be
14:55	clean and after that he may come into
14:58	the camp but live outside his tent for
15:01	seven days and then on the seventh day
15:05	he shall shave off all of his hair from
15:07	his head his beard and his eyebrows that
15:10	has got to look weird then he shall
15:13	shave off all of his hair and then he
15:15	shall wash his clothes bathe his body in
15:18	water and then he shall be clean and on
15:22	the Eighth Day the day of the
15:23	Resurrection The Day of the new Earth
15:25	right he shall take two male Lambs
15:27	without blemish one you lamb a year old
15:30	without blemish a grain offering of
15:33	three tenths of an epha a fine flower
15:35	mixed with oil and one log of oil and
15:38	then the priest who cleanses him shall
15:41	set the man who is to be cleansed and
15:44	these things before Yahweh at the
15:46	entrance of the tent of meeting and the
15:48	priest shall take one of the male Lambs
15:50	offer it for a guilt offering along with
15:53	the log of oil wave them for a wave
15:56	offering before Yahweh and then he shall
15:58	kill the lamb in the place where they
16:01	kill the sin offering and the burnt
16:03	offering in the place of the sanctuary
16:05	for the guilt offering like the sin
16:07	offering belongs to the priest it is
16:09	most holy the priest shall then take
16:11	some of the blood of the guilt offering
16:12	and the priest shall put it on the lobe
16:14	of the right ear of him who is to be
16:16	cleansed and on the thumb of his right
16:19	hand and on the big toe of his right
16:21	foot and then the priest shall take some
16:24	of the log of oil pour it into the palm
16:26	of his own left hand dip his right
16:28	finger in the oil that is in the left
16:30	hand sprinkle some of the oil with his
16:33	finger seven times before Yahweh and
16:36	then some of the oil that remains in his
16:38	hand the priest shall put on the lobe of
16:40	the right ear of him who is to be
16:41	cleansed and on the thumb of his right
16:43	hand and on the big toe of his right
16:46	foot on the top of the blood of the
16:48	guilt offering and the rest of the oil
16:50	that is in the priest’s hand
16:53	he shall put on the head of him who is
16:55	to be cleansed then the priest shall
16:58	make atonement for him before Yahweh the
17:00	priest shall offer the sin offering to
17:02	make atonement for him who is to be
17:04	cleansed from his uncleanness and
17:07	afterwards he shall kill the burnt
17:09	offering and the priest shall offer the
17:11	burnt offering and the grain offering on
17:13	the altar thus the priest shall make
17:15	atonement for him and he shall be
17:18	cleansed
17:19	now that’s a lot of detail right this is
17:22	you’ll note that the nine that didn’t
17:26	come back this is what they were heading
17:28	to Jerusalem to do right keep that in
17:32	mind keep that in mind so that’s our
17:35	context now that we have our context
17:37	let’s take a look at the gospel text
17:39	itself so on the way to Jerusalem Jesus
17:43	was passing along between Samaria and
17:47	Galilee he’s like in no man’s land he’s
17:51	not in Samaria he’s not in Galilee he’s
17:53	kind of between the two and I think that
17:56	geography has something to do with kind
17:59	of the big Point that’s going on here
18:01	and so Jesus entered a village and he
18:04	was met by ten lepers who stood at a
18:07	distance which they were required to do
18:10	but rather than crying out we are
18:13	unclean unclean unclean instead they
18:16	lift up their voices and they cry out
18:19	Jesus is Master have mercy on us
18:23	this is a version of what we prayed
18:26	earlier today Lord have mercy right hmm
18:29	that’s a good prayer and I think they’re
18:32	praying it to the exact right guy they
18:33	should be praying this to and so when
18:36	Jesus saw them he said to them note he
18:38	doesn’t touch any of them he says Go and
18:41	show yourselves to the priests
18:44	now one of them is a Samaritan nine of
18:47	them are Jews will the Samaritan be
18:50	welcomed at the temple in Jerusalem
18:54	no
18:56	no no no no no no he will not be
18:58	welcomed he is in an awkward position at
19:02	this point right go show yourselves to
19:05	the priests and so you’re going to note
19:07	here despite the fact that he is not
19:09	going to be welcome there he heads off
19:12	with the remaining
19:14	lepers who are all Jews
19:17	and then the miracle happens as they
19:22	went they were cleansed
19:25	and you can just see what’s going on
19:27	here now now a little bit of a note
19:30	the nine who are heading to Jerusalem
19:33	they’re still under the Mosaic Covenant
19:37	the Mosaic Covenant has not been
19:39	abrogated yet because Christ hasn’t
19:40	fulfilled it in its entirety they are
19:43	under the Mosaic Covenant every bit as
19:45	much as Jesus is under the Mosaic
19:47	Covenant and you’ll note that they are
19:50	going to do exactly what Jesus told them
19:53	to do and they know full well from their
19:56	training in the Torah as children that
19:59	the what is required of them is it when
20:02	it relates to their worship and their
20:04	Thanksgiving as it comes to their
20:06	healing as lepers
20:08	in fact they may have spent a little
20:10	time kind of re-reading that section
20:13	praying about it and you’ll note this
20:15	requires an atonement a sin offering for
20:19	their cleansing
20:21	this is where leprosy and sin come
20:24	together and you can see it in scripture
20:26	but this well the Samaritan he’s stuck
20:30	he has nowhere to go he can’t continue
20:35	so where does he go so one of them when
20:39	he saw that he was cleansed he turned
20:41	back
20:42	praising God with a loud voice he fell
20:45	on his face at Jesus’s feet giving him
20:48	thanks
20:51	hmm
20:54	that’s exactly where he should have gone
20:56	and you’ll note at this point things
20:58	start to crack a little bit
21:01	and what I mean by this is that now we
21:04	conceive just as Jesus had told that
21:07	Samaritan woman at the well God is
21:09	seeking those who worship Him in spirit
21:11	and in truth and where they worship
21:14	doesn’t matter
21:15	in Jerusalem Mount gerizim that doesn’t
21:18	matter where they worship that that is
21:21	immaterial who they worship and who they
21:24	worship and how they worship in spirit
21:25	and in truth here a Samaritan is
21:28	worshiping Christ in spirit and in truth
21:32	just as Christ has said and that’s the
21:35	point see salvation is from the Jews for
21:39	sure but Salvation is not limited to the
21:42	Jews and here salvation has come to the
21:45	Samaritan not only did Jesus heal his
21:49	physical leprosy he also healed his
21:53	spiritual leprosy and this fellow now
21:57	has come to his real high priest Jesus
22:00	because Jesus is our high priest in the
22:03	order of Melchizedek but you’ll note it
22:05	is required of him then an atonement
22:07	offering be made for his sins that he be
22:10	forgiven well it just so happens that
22:12	Jesus is also his sacrifice Jesus is
22:16	also the atoning sacrifice who will go
22:18	to the cross and bleed and die for this
22:20	fellow sins and so you’ll note already
22:22	by chapter 17 Jesus is now on his way to
22:26	Jerusalem for the purpose of bleeding
22:28	and dying for your sins and mine so that
22:30	you and I can be healed of our leprosy
22:34	and here Jesus ah it’s just absolutely
22:38	beautiful this Samaritan comes to Jesus
22:41	who his who is truly his Temple who is
22:45	also his atoning sacrifice and his high
22:49	priest and so Jesus asked the question
22:51	we’re not ten cleansed of course that’s
22:54	true where are the nine they’re doing
22:56	exactly what you told them to do Jesus
22:58	and that Moses requires but you’ll note
23:01	that in asking in asking the question
23:03	this is not Jesus saying well when good
23:05	things happen to you you better be sure
23:07	to give thanks and praise to God who
23:09	wouldn’t okay that’s not the point the
23:12	point is is that you have a Samaritan
23:15	giving praise to God a Samaritan being
23:18	the recipient of God’s mercy his grace
23:21	and his cleansing and that’s the big
23:23	Point here and then Jesus says these
23:26	words rise and go your way your faith
23:30	has made you well and here again I come
23:33	back to the late Dr Norman Nagel who
23:35	continue to describe Faith as eyesight
23:38	Faith always has an object that it’s
23:40	looking at and you’ll can you can you’ll
23:42	note here that you can rip place the
23:45	object of his faith that you can replace
23:47	the word faith with the object of his
23:49	faith and it doesn’t change the meaning
23:51	of the text at all so the text says Rise
23:54	and go your way your faith has made you
23:56	well but his faith the Samaritan’s faith
23:58	is in Jesus so note Watch what it says
24:02	Rise and go your way your Jesus has made
24:04	you well
24:05	and indeed he has in fact he’s saved you
24:10	and that’s the big Point here so
24:13	brothers and sisters
24:15	your Jesus has healed you he has made
24:18	you well he has taken your sin and your
24:22	leprosy and your corruption in his own
24:24	body bled and died in your place he was
24:28	the one who went derelict as a result of
24:31	your sin and mine in his own body on the
24:34	cross so that you and I can finally be
24:36	made well and he is today forgiven Us in
24:40	pardon us of all of our sins and he’s
24:42	promised us that when he returns in
24:44	glory to judge the living and the dead
24:46	he will raise us again and our bodies
24:50	will never again experience sin
24:54	experience the corruption of sin and its
24:57	diseases and all the things that come
24:59	along with our Rebellion against God
25:01	instead we will be raised in perfect
25:05	health in a World Without End no
25:08	suffering and no pain and in the
25:10	meantime you’ll note that our epistle
25:13	text tells us that God Christ has also
25:16	given us something very important he’s
25:19	given us his holy spirit the Holy Spirit
25:22	dwells in each of us who have been
25:24	baptized into Christ and the Holy Spirit
25:27	is the one who gives us strength now to
25:31	not gratify the desires of our corrupted
25:34	leprous sinful flesh and you’ll note
25:37	your your leprous sinful flesh still
25:41	desires sexual immorality and impurity
25:44	and sensuality and idolatry and sorcery
25:47	and enmity and strife and jealousy and
25:50	fits of anger and rivalries and
25:51	dissensions and divisions in envy and
25:54	drunkenness and orgies yes this is what
25:56	your sinful flesh desires but we have
25:59	the Holy Spirit because Christ has sent
26:02	him who gives us the power to not
26:05	gratify the desires of our sinful flesh
26:08	and to mortify our sinful passions so
26:11	that in this life rather than
26:14	producing the symptoms of this leprous
26:17	sin disease instead we bear the fruit of
26:20	the spirit whom the spirit now produces
26:23	in us love and joy and peace and
26:26	patience and kindness and goodness and
26:29	faithfulness gentleness and self-control
26:32	those who belong to Christ and you do
26:35	they have already now crucified the
26:37	flesh with its passions and its desires
26:39	and you are not required to obey its
26:43	desires the holy spirit will give you
26:45	the strength to say no and so what a
26:48	great thing we see here we come to Jesus
26:51	leprous crying out to him for Mercy he
26:54	gives us Mercy cleanses us heart and
26:57	soul promises to cleanse us also in body
27:00	when he returns so rise go your way in
27:03	peace today your Jesus has made you well
27:06	in the name of Jesus Amen

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