[Sermon for 16th Sunday after Pentecost, Sept. 28, 2003]

MARK 7:31-37  (English Version for the Deaf)
    Then Jesus left the area around Tyre and went through Sidon.  Jesus went to Lake Galilee.  Jesus went through the area of the Ten Towns.  While he was there. some people brought(bring) a man to him.  this man was deaf and could not talk.  The people begged Jesus to put his hands on the man to heal him.
    Jesus led the man away from the people to be alone with him.  Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears.  Then Jesus spit and touched the mans tongue.  Jesus looked up into the sky and made a breathing sound.  Jesus said to the man, "EPHATHTHA!"  This means, "Open!"  When Jesus did this, the man was able to hear.  The man was able to use his tongue and spoke clearly.
    Jesus commanded the people not to tell any person about what happened.  Jesus always commanded people not to tell other people about him.  But this only cause(made) the people to tell about him more and more.  The people were really amazed..  The people said, "Jesus does everything in a good way.  Jesus makes deaf people able to hear.  And people that can't talk -- Jesus makes them able to talk."

------------------------------

That's a famous story.    We in deaf churches enjoy that story.   We make pictures about that story.  Some deaf churches put that in their church window.  Other deaf churches use that picture for their news-letter.

We often use the word EPHATHTHA as a name for deaf church organizations.  Our Lutheran Church in Chicago has the name EPHATHTHA.  Lutheran pastors in deaf churches have a meeting every-year -- their meeting is name EPHATHTHA.

We like this story.  Why?

Hearing people like this story, because Jesus made the man able to hear clearly and speak clearly.

But deaf people like this story because a deaf person met Jesus, and Jesus gave-attention to that deaf man.   Jesus used sign language to communicate with the deaf man.

And it doesn't-matter that his deaf ears can hear and his deaf mouth can speak.  That man met Jesus!

How???  How did that deaf man meet Jesus?

A little history may help us understand this story better.    The story about the deaf man is in Mark chapter 7.  But the story really begins in Mark chapter 5.

First, we see that the deaf man is not Jewish!  Today we maybe call(name) him an ARAB.  He didn't live in Israel.  Jesus traveled east out from Israel to meet this man.  

Jesus traveled to this same area once before.  The first time Jesus went to the area of the Ten Cities, out from Israel, all the people told him to go-away.  They didn't like Jesus.  They were afraid of Jesus.

Only one person from that community trusted Jesus.  And that man wanted to go back to Israel with Jesus.  But Jesus told him, "No!  You stay here and tell your people - your family and your friends.  You tell them how God showed mercy to you."  Then Jesus left to go back to Israel.  And the first Arab man that Jesus helped became a missionary to his people.  

That first man had a wonderful story to tell.  He was sick - crazy.  Evil spirits controlled him and tried to kill him.  But Jesus saved that man and healed him.  And Jesus made the man stay to tell his story, while Jesus went-away.   

That man had no training.  He couldn't go to seminary.  He wanted to learn more from Jesus, but Jesus told him, "No.  You stay and tell your story about God's mercy."

In chapter 5 all the people told Jesus to go away.  But in chapter 7, Jesus came back to the area of the Ten Cities Now.  And all the people welcomed Jesus!

Why did they change?    That first man who met Jesus told his story.   And now people changed their fear to joy.  And the people asked Jesus to stay and help another man -- a deaf man.

Recently our friend, Pastor John Reinke, visited deaf Christians in Ghana, Africa.   Pastor Reinke says that deaf people really like this story from Mark chapter 7.  Why?   Because the way deaf Christians in Africa tell this story, deaf people led that deaf man to Jesus!

You know, that same thing is true for all of us.  Deaf, hearing, it-doesn't-matter.  We are the same.  Another person must lead each of us to Christ.  Maybe your parents led you to Jesus in Baptism.  Maybe a Sunday School teacher or pastor near your deaf school.  Maybe later when you were an adult, someone told you about Jesus.  


Now, notice in our story, Jesus helped the deaf man where?  Alone.  Jesus led the deaf man away from the crowd of people.  Jesus led the deaf man away from his good friends who loved him.  Jesus stood alone with the deaf man.

We need the same thing.  Jesus touches us individually.  Jesus saves us individually.  Some people think that they are Christians because they go to church with their friends.  Some people think they are saved because their parents go to church.   Many people name themselves Christians, or Lutherans, but they don't-yet know Jesus.   

And if we already know Jesus, we still need time alone with Him.  Church fellowship is important, yes.  But time alone with Jesus, reading His word, the Bible, and praying -- we need that every day.


And notice, how Jesus communicated with the deaf man:  Sign Language.  
Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears.  Then Jesus spit and touched the mans tongue.  Jesus looked up into the sky and made a breathing sound.
Maybe that was Arab Sign Language.  Or maybe home signs.  We don't know.  But Jesus did not make the man first learn another language.  Jesus communicated with that deaf man on his level, in his language.

And God continues to communicate with us a language our tiny-pea-brains can understand.
First, God communicates His plan for us with normal human language in the Bible.  And in the Bible we see the most wonderful communication for God's love in His Son, Jesus Christ.   God came-down to our level, became human, same-as us.  He lived among us, and then died for us.

We all know the ASL sign for "I Love You" -  ILY.  Do you want to learn God's Sign for ILY ???  Look there (point to the cross).  

There, on that cross, with love for you, Jesus spread-his-arms on rough wood, and let his wrists -nailed.

There, on that cross, with love for you, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them."

With love for you, Jesus' cold body lay in the grave.

With love for you, God our Father told that grave, "Open!"

With love for you, Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you.  I will come again, and bring you home with Me."  (John 14:1-4)

Jesus communicates His love for you every time you open the Bible and read His love letter to you.

Jesus communicates His love for you every time you come to the Lord's Supper, remembering His death, the price He paid for your salvation.


Jesus says to us today, "EPHATHTHA!  OPEN!"  
    Open our hearts to receive
        His love,
        His forgiveness,
        His peace,
        His power.  
    Open our hands to give Him our praise.  
    Open our joy to tell the story.  What story?   Jesus wants us to tell our friends and families our story how God showed mercy to us -- and they can desire to meet Him, also.


Jesus told the deaf man in our story "Open!"  After that, the man could hear and understand a new language.

Jesus tells us, "Open!"  for us to understand His Word, and through the Bible, "hear" his voice in our hearts.

Jesus told the deaf man in our story "Open!"  After that, the man could speak a new language.

Jesus tells us "Open!" and He speaks His Word through us to other people.


We pray:

"Lord Jesus, please speak that word EPHATHTHA to us.
Make our hearts open for time alone with You in Bible study and prayer.
Make our hearts open for Your voice speaking to us in Your Word.
Make our hearts open for our deaf friends and family, who still don't-yet know Jesus.  Help us lead them to You, for Your healing touch, and through us, you also tell them:  EPHATHTHA!  OPEN!"

Amen.