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Departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on the man. And Jesus took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into the man's ears, and He spat and touched the man's tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Immediately the man's ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and mute to speak.”(Mark 7:31–37)
Does God really understand my suffering? Where is He when I need Him? Is God really able to help me? Perhaps you have asked these questions before. In the midst of suffering, trial, and tribulation, we often wonder whether God really understands our situation; whether He is around when we need Him; or whether He is really able to help.
We will learn today that our Lord deeply cares about you and me.
I'm sure that the deaf man in our text for today went through a lot of suffering. He could not hear music. He could not hear his family members when they were talking. He could not hear the birds singing.
More than 55 million people in the world today are deaf or hard of hearing. In the United States alone, there are 11 million deaf and hearing impaired children and adults.
Does God care about their suffering? Yes He does. He cares by sending an interpreter to help them hear with their eyes. In our Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, there are 63 deaf congregations and about 200 congregations with some kind of interpreting ministry. Yes, God cares about them.
Does God care about you? Yes, He does. We suffer with crippling diseases, accidents, cancer, mental illness, aging, the loss of a love one, the loss of a job, financial stress, marriage and family problems, drought, natural disasters, physical problems, and the list goes go on and on.
We go through all kinds of suffering, trouble, misery, sickness, and death, because Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. Into their ears went Satan's lies and into their mouths went the forbidden fruit. Then, out of their mouths, came lies. Adam tried to blame God and his wife.
Adam and Eve's sin affected all of us. With the ear, we love to hear gossip, and with the mouth, we love to spread gossip. We are all, by nature, deaf toward God. Our sinful nature wants to despise preaching and God's Word. Our mouths want to curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, and deceive by God's name. What are you listening to on the radio, the iPod, or the Mp3 player? Are you listening to Satan's lies?
Satan tempts us to think that God does not care about us. Satan tempts us to think that God is far away and cannot help us. Satan tempts us to think that God is not powerful enough to help. But nothing is further from the truth. We see in our text that Jesus does care about us.
There was a man who couldn't hear and who had a speech impediment. His friends brought him to Jesus. They believed that Jesus could help. So, Jesus took the man aside. He put his fingers into the man's ears and, after spitting, touched the man's tongue. Then, Jesus looked up to heaven and sighed.
That little phrase “Jesus sighed” says a lot. In other words, Jesus groaned over the one who could not hear or could not speak. Jesus was expressing His agony over the physical suffering of this man. Jesus grieved over the falleness of creation. Jesus mourned over the ruin and the suffering that sin and Satan had brought into the world. Here, in our text, we witness the sympathy of our Lord over all earthly troubles, including times when we suffer.
This wasn't the only time when Jesus laments over the fallen condition of mankind. When Lazarus had died and Jesus saw Mary and Martha weeping, John 11 says that Jesus “groaned” and “was troubled”. Then, Jesus wept. He groaned within Himself and He wept, because it was Adam and Eve's sin which caused Lazarus to die. From all of this, we see that Jesus is truly human. Yet, He is also the Son of God.
Throughout Jesus' ministry, we see Him having mercy and compassion upon others. One day, Jesus had compassion on the multitude, because they were with Him for three days and had nothing to eat, and so, He miraculously fed them (Mark 8:1–9). On another occasion, He was moved with compassion because the multitudes were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd (Matthew 9:36). He even cared about little children, and so, He held them in His arms and blessed them (Luke 18:15–17). Jesus often cared about the sick, the paralytic, the leper, the blind, the deaf, and the demon possessed. Jesus spoke the Word, and they were healed.
Jesus even cared about the man in our text, and so, after having His fingers in the man's ears, Jesus said, “Ephphatha,” that is “Be opened.” And the man's ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. This miracle, along with all other miracles, proves that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah.
When we are having a bad day, when we suffer from trial and tribulation, we, too, look up to heaven with a deep sigh. We, too, groan over the misery of our fallen world and over the suffering of our own sin. We cry out, “O Lord, do you really understand my suffering?” The answer is “Yes.” Jesus came down from heaven, took upon flesh, and entered our world. Our God is not a far away God who knows nothing about suffering. Isaiah 53:3–6 says of Jesus, “He is…a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He was despised and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.”
Again, God is not a far away God who knows nothing about suffering. While on earth, He lived in the muck and filth of our world, and He headed straight for the cross. On Good Friday, Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified upon a cross. Jesus' hands which once were put into the man's ears are now pierced. Jesus' mouth from which once came healing saliva is now parched and dry. Jesus asks for a drink, because there is no moisture left in His mouth.
This is your Jesus, covered with your sin and mine. We have all suffered much, but Jesus has suffered more than any of us have ever suffered. He even bore the wrath of God in our place. But don't be offended. Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sin. Jesus upon the cross is the answer to our dilemma of sin and death.
On the cross, words come out of Jesus' mouth. Words such as “Father, forgive them,” and finally, Jesus cried out, “It is finished.” These are words like, “Be opened.” In other words, “Father, now that I have given myself as a ransom for many, may your mercy be opened to all sinners.” Three days later, the words “He is risen” are like the words “Be opened.” Christ's death and resurrection means that heaven is open for you, me, and all believers in Christ.
So, does our Lord really understand our suffering? Yes! He understands, because He has suffered for us and in our place upon the cross.
When we are having a bad day, when we suffer from trial and tribulation, we, too, look up to heaven with a deep sigh. We, also, cry out, “O Lord, where are you when I need you?” He says to us, “Lo, I am with you always.” He also says, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” Again, God is not a far away God, but He is present among us this morning. He is among us forgiving our sin. The words of forgiveness enter our ear and our mouth. We hear His life giving Word and, through the mouth, we receive His precious body and blood from this altar.
Jesus' words are always life creating and powerful. His words are waters, living. His words are bread, life giving. His words are our light. His words guide us through the deary night. When His words are preached, faith is created and nurtured. When His words are connected to water, bread, and wine, powerful things take place. His mercy and forgiveness are present among us this morning.
When we are having a bad day, when we suffer from trial and tribulation, we, too, look up to heaven with a deep sigh. We, also, cry out, “O Lord, are you really able to help me?” The answer is “yes.” If God can create the world, if God can bring an Easter out of a Good Friday, then, God has the power to help you and me. Our prayers may not be answered in the way we want, but we are assured that He causes all things to work together for good to those who love him (Romans 8:28). He invites us to pray to him in time of need. Jesus, who is gentle and lowly in heart, says, “Come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Romans 8:35–39 says that no amount of suffering “will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:18 says that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us. In the end, we know that God will deliver us from the evil of this world and bring us to eternal life in heaven. There, He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
We don't know the names of those who brought the deaf and mute man to Jesus, but they brought him to the right person. Bring your children to the baptismal font. Bring them to Sunday School and to worship. Come yourself so that you may read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest Christ's life saving word. Bring your friends to the Divine Service so that they can see, hear, and believe in Christ.
Jesus does all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. He died upon the cross and rose from the dead. His Gospel is preached. Ears are opened, and the impediment of our tongue is loosed. The Word enters your ear. Christ's body and blood enter your mouth, and then, your mouth shows forth praise and thanksgiving toward God. We give Him thanks with our voice and in prayer for all that He has done for us.
Does our Lord care about you? Yes! He is with you in the midst of suffering. He is with you today. He is your refuge and strength — a very present help in trouble. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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