Hail to the Lord’s Anointed – The Third Sunday after Epiphany

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed,
great David’s greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
to set the captive free;
to take away transgression,
and rule in equity.

Oppressed by sin, captive to the devil, and confounded by the world’s deceits is how we are born into this world. Boldly, loudly, unashamed, we “confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner” we reject, rebuke, denounce, and decry each of these enemies in our baptism to put on Christ and be filled by His Holy Ghost. (The Ministration of Publick Baptism of Infants, 1662 Book of Common Prayer).

Yet our verbal renouncing does not cast away our feeble bodies and broken will. No, we must learn to live this life by carrying and carrying the brokenness in the flesh while not giving into it. Therein lies the rub for we are weak.

But He is strong:

He comes with succor speedy
to those who suffer wrong,
to help the poor and needy,
and bid the weak be strong;
to give them songs for sighing,
their darkness turn to light,
whose souls, condemned and dying,
were precious in his sight.

On this third Sunday after Epiphany, we cry aloud to our Maker, “Almighty and everlasting God,” as a reminder that though we dwell in these broken tents, we cling to the everlasting and eternal. After all, He is the God whose Name is “I am” whose Name is “I will” whose Name is the only self “Existing One” and the one who mercifully reveals Himself through the Son, who bears His Name, the beautiful name, Jesus – “Yahweh saves.”

We need a lot of saving. Saving from error, transgressions, brokenness, sinfulness, pride, selfishness, idolatry, disease, death, and slavery to all the above. Therefore we join together as broken vessels to cry out to God, “mercifully look upon our infirmities.” In today’s Gospel, God does so much more than merely look upon our infirmities. He heals them. He answers the rest of our collect, wherein we plead “and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

God is a merciful God. He does not hold our chains as Satan does. He does not lord His power over us. He does not mock us where we sit in our suffering. Instead, He joins our suffering with His own Son:

“By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us.” (The Litany, 1662 Book of Common Prayer).

Many cry out in anger to God, perhaps you are one of them. You have a loved one who is sick. You have a beloved who has been bound by suffering for years. You yourself are near death’s door as you battle and are losing the fight against the darkness of disease.

Yet it is not the Lord God who binds you. He is the One who sets us free.

When Jesus comes down from the mountain in Matthew 8, He does not come like Moses with God’s Word written on tablets. Instead, Christ comes down having proclaimed God’s Word in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has taught upon God’s Law and far from making it easier, He has elevated just what it takes to “be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48, KJV). As Christ goes down into the valley, He encounters death. Moses also encountered death coming down from Mount Sinai. For Moses, it was the death of God’s people having broken the very commandment against idolatry in Moses’ hands, and Moses physically breaks the commandments as he throws down the tablets in anger and despair.

However, Christ goes down into the valley after centuries of His people breaking the commandments and after many centuries more of the Gentiles having deserted God for demon worship. Yet Christ is without anger or despair and instead takes this opportunity as He is followed by “great multitudes” to demonstrate God’s mercy and unfathomable grace. “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” (Gospel lesson, Matthew 8:2, KJV).

He shall come down like showers
upon the fruitful earth,
and love, joy, hope, like flowers,
spring in his path to birth;
before him on the mountains
shall peace, the herald, go;
and righteousness in fountains
from hill to valley flow.

Truly “righteousness in fountains” flows this day from the Sermon on the Mount down the “hill to valley” below where this leper greeted our Lord. This unnamed and unknown leper, unclean under the Mosaic law, boldly approaches the One who makes all clean, regardless of our infirmity. Even moreso, this leper sees what none of the “great multitudes” who were blessed with the Sermon on the Mount can see – this leper sees the Holy One of God “and worshipped him.” (Matt. 8:2).

The boldness of this leper approaching Jesus and the crowd without yelling “unclean, unclean!” is tempered by his sincere humility “saying, ‘Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.'” What unfailing faith. He fears not the crowd and their panic, rebuke, or worse – stoning – by daring to approach them despite harboring such a contagious disease. Further, in his bold approach, he humbly acknowledges that his request is out of faith knowing that God could heal Him, but only if it be in His will. This leper requests not with doubt, but with acceptance that regardless if he is healed or not, “thy will be done.”

“And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be thou clean.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matt. 8:3, KJV).

Have you approached Christ with your sickness? I know the question offends you, but rethink your answer before you say, “of course!” and rehear the question: Have you approached Christ with your sickness? Our sickness is not what bodily ails us, but what makes us unclean: Our inward heart, our selfish pride, our malice are truly what is killing us. Such are what divides us from God’s peace, separates us within the Church body, and keeps us enslaved by Satan. For our bodies are as good as dead, and yet … should we dare to die before our death then we shall live today in the resurrected life.

This is the beautiful truth of life in Christ. The miracle of the leper’s healing is much more than God showing He will heal us all – for truly He shall. In the resurrection of the dead, those who clung to Christ in this life shall rise with new bodies like Jesus. But the important question is are we clinging to Christ in this life? Like the leper, do we faithfully approach the unapproachable God? With faith, do we dare to ask God to make us clean? For if we dare, then we shall shockingly discover the God who took on flesh walks down the mount not to merely see us, but to “put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, “I will; be thou clean.”

We learn in today’s epiphany that Christ comes down from the mount not to condemn us, but to redeem us. He healed the leper not merely to destroy the man’s physical illness, but to destroy mankind’s far deadlier disease. No longer was this leper rendered permanently unclean and unable to worship God in the temple or synagogue. Now, this man, and we too who cling to Christ are made clean, to “go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” (Matt. 8:4, KJV).

Sinner who has been made into a tabernacle of the Holy Ghost, have you shown yourself to others and offered up a testimony to others in your life? Our faith is not dead, our faith is living for we have encountered and believe in the Living God who is God of the living. Our Lord and our God has made you clean. We can approach Him because Christ has approached us with an open hand upon our dirty soul and body.

Kings shall bow down before him,
and gold and incense bring;
all nations shall adore him,
his praise all people sing;
to him shall prayer unceasing
and daily vows ascend;
his kingdom still increasing,
a kingdom without end.

Epiphanytide, like life, is a journey, a sojournering. It takes us to unexpected places. Typically, right when we think we have figured our Lord out – He surprises us. And what a joyful surprise it always is. Our Lord Jesus has taught upon the mount that God’s Law is far greater and more demanding than we ever dreamed and reminded us that the standard remains to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. And right when you think you understand the new and greater Moses, He shocks us. He descends the mount to encounter perhaps the most unclean person a Jewish person could think of in that day and age – a leper. Jesus touches Him and more than merely touching, He pronounces and indeed truly makes the man clean!

Yet others are just as unclean, if not even more so to the Jewish mind during this time period. Namely, those who are born outside the covenant. Those who are Gentiles.

“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.” (Matt. 8:5, KJV).

Jesus descends the mountain and enters Jewish Capernaum only to be hounded by a Gentile – and not any Gentile – but by a despicable Roman army officer! This is likely the thought running through the crowd following Jesus from the mount. However, Jesus shocks, surprises, and presents us with another epiphany when without a beat “Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.”

Although we have lost the shock of these words, give heed that this would have dumbfounded and offended many in the “great multitude” following Him. There is a sweet irony that Jesus uses a military man to pull a “shock and awe” scenario for all to see. For Jesus has already healed the untouchable Jew – a leper, and now He dares to heal the unclean Gentile oppressor’s servant!

Many in the Church need to be reminded that no one, no man, no woman, no child, no human made in God’s image is too young, old, sinful, sick, or from the “wrong” tribe, tongue, or nation who is not loved by God and whom the body of Jesus is not called to preach the Gospel, bring a cup of water, and stretch out our own hands as Christ has done so for us. Forsake not the opportunity to bear your testimony to others – they are fellow souls who are secretly and quietly dying to know how you encountered Jesus and that He is willingly stretching out His hand towards them.

Perhaps your prejudice is not towards others but towards yourself. You hear the lies of Satan that you are not worthy. You hear the deception of the world that God could not save you. You hear the deceits of the flesh that you are too sinful. Cast those lies into the pit, into the abyss, into hell where they belong, and cast yourself upon the promise of Christ Jesus whose words are, “I will come and heal him.”

The beauty of Jesus’ healing the centurion’s servant is that this Roman oppressor seeks the One who can break the chains of oppression upon his servant. Further, we see that this outsider sees the One who can let him into the covenant of redemption.

The faith of this Roman invader does something incredible. It causes our Lord to “marvel” as this Gentile understands far better and has greater faith than any in Israel, so says our Lord. (Matt. 8:10, KJV). This centurion knows – truly knows and completely believes – that Jesus can heal his servant from afar, by merely giving the word. This Roman sees the Word of God and believes that Jesus’ mere word is effectual. “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” (Matt. 8:13, KJV).

The great epiphany we receive in this encounter is that the Jewish Messiah is for the world: Jew and Gentile alike – yes even a Roman occupation soldier. This should not come as a shock to us and yet if we are honest with ourselves, we too are like the blind Chosen People of Jesus’ day who forget just how far God’s grace extends.

Jesus reminded His people – both Jews of yesteryear and Christians today – “That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 8:11, KJV). The boundaries of Jesus’ victory are unknown for they know no bounds. Christ has conquered and is taking dominion over all things. There is not a neighbor nor a stranger who is not worthy of hearing the Good News that Jesus is victorious over every single foe – sin, the world, and the devil. Yet do we believe this?

O’er every foe victorious,
he on his throne shall rest;
from age to age more glorious,
all blessing and all blest;
the tide of time shall never
his covenant remove;
his Name shall stand for ever,
his changeless Name of Love.

May we never forget and ever be reminded that Jesus is victorious and “his Name shall stand for ever” because His Name is God saves. It is a promise, it is a reality, and it is Truth itself. Let us take heed and be faithful bearers of the Holy Ghost, and trust in the foolishness of God and not in ourselves, less at the Judgment we find ourselves “children of the kingdom” who “shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 8:12, KJV).

We need not fear, should we simply receive our Lord who approaches us from the mountain. Take the present, receive the gift, and believe you have been purchased from slavery by the blood of the Lamb. Sojourn this Epiphanytide towards New Jerusalem and do not dwell in the flimsy and temporary tents in the wasteland of the wilderness. Instead, be renewed in your broken body, be rejuvenated in your spirits, and become indwelt by the Living God who makes His home within you – where you are. These flimsy tabernacles are being refitted into temples of the Holy Ghost now and in this present age.

For He has made His home within you because God is clinging us to Himself. He is touching our brokenness to bring us closer to Him, by becoming part of the very body of the only Whole and Holy One – Jesus Christ. We as the body of Jesus, the Church, need to heed today’s epistle lesson, and “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not the high things, but condescend to men of low estate.” (Epistle lesson, Romans 12:16, KJV). In a world that applauds self-promotion, “be not wise in your own conceits” nor “[r]ecompense to no man evil for evil.” (Romans 12:16-17, KJV). Instead, as Christ lived, so may we too “live peaceably with all men” – not some, but with all. (Romans 12:18, KJV).

Remember as we sing, “O’er every foe victorious” that Christ is our avenger, therefore “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19, KJV). Therefore, our enemy is not truly our enemy, for God shall judge justly. In this life, our enemy is a neighbor and our neighbor is who we are called to love and called to testify that because Jesus has reached out and healed us, so too are we called to reach out in Jesus’ Name, because “his changeless Name of Love.” “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” (Romans 12:20, KJV).

In this confused and hostile world, heed the Word of the Lord and through prayer, supplication, and the empowering of the Holy Ghost: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, KJV).

Dearly beloved in Christ, many of you are afflicted by evil. Take heart in the One who overcomes it. Little flock of the Lord, many within the Body are suffering – go to them and carry alongside their sufferings with hope from the One who suffered for you. Lost sheep of Israel, return home to your Master, for He bore your burden and is even now walking down the mount to find you.