Miracles

Here is Intern Lori's sermon from Sunday. 

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new

wineskins, and both are preserved.”

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Amazing three stories we just read in the gospel today.

 

I want to talk about this story of where Jesus heals a sick woman. The woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. I love how Jesus said, “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” That is love. Wow….How Jesus spoke so tenderly to this woman. Jesus healed this woman through love not only physically but spiritually. How often do we show this kind of faith?  I see people say there’s not many miracles that happen today like the story in the Bible. I disagree. I see miracles around us all the time. It may not be what we expect it to be, but it is a miracle.

How many of you have heard of Joni Eareckson Tada? I have been following her and her ministry for a little while now. It was not until she was 17 years old in 1967 that she took a dive in a pool that left her a quadriplegic. She went through rehab and a lot of hard times. However, what admires me is her strong faith. Think about it, she was able to run, walk, jump, and do all kinds of things. Now she uses a wheelchair. She lost something that she had in the first place. She went on to marry her husband Ken

who is not in a wheelchair and travels all around the world showing people that God LOVES you even if your body is broken.

That is a miracle. Just understanding your worth and value in God, not society.

My friends, rejoice….

You are made an image of God.

Yes, my dear daughter, and son…

YOU

It took me a long time to really understand and accept that wholeheartedly with my broken ears and all. At home, I forget that I am Deaf. I have light that flashes to let me know someone is at the door, or an alarm clock that will shake the whole bed to wake me up with device that you put under the mattress (Sorry Curt). However, when I step out of my home to go out into the world it is then I remember oh yeah I am Deaf. When I try to check out at the grocery store and cashier will say something, or if I travel and I can tell you that airports ARE NOT Deaf friendly. I miss announcements of when it’s time to board. Deafness does not define me. It is a part of me, but it’s not all who I am. Same for Joni.

 Same for Katherine Wolf who at age 26 had suffered a massive brain stem stroke out of the blue. She’s a miracle. She was not supposed to live. God was not done with her yet. She went onto write books, start a ministry called, “Hope Heals.” She just recently gave birth in 2015 to another boy. Her story continues.

My friends…there are miracles happening all the time.

Many of you may know Pastor Dennis Koch who is a pastor at Good Shepard Lutheran Church in Hernando. He is also one of my internship supervisors. His son who is age 28 who has disabilities himself but was successful in walking, working, and living independently. This past April he had a massive stroke. He was not expected to live, but God was not done with him yet. He is now in rehab and working hard to come home soon. My friends, his body is still recovering but you should see the love he shares

with all those around him. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for him next.

We see stories in the bible that shows God’s love. God’s love has never stopped. It still continues today, tomorrow, and for eternity.

When things go well, we have no problems believing in God. However, when life gets challenging, we need to remember to hold onto our faith and loving look at Jesus in his

eyes as he says to you and me “take heart, your faith has healed you.” Amen.