Ephesians 5:1–9
St. Luke 11:14–28
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I’m afraid the account of the plagues of Egypt might hit a little too close to home right now. We’re certainly not at the same level of severity, but people are afraid; and when people are afraid, we see they can act very irrationally and selfishly. But, whether you’re nervous about sickness or not, will any of us be honest enough to recognize what the pagan magicians of Egypt recognized? They tried by their secret arts to produce gnats like Moses, but they could not… Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” They admitted that they could not solve this problem. This plague was God’s doing—a higher, more powerful God than any of their idols—more powerful than any of their spells, potions, or medicines. They didn’t love or trust this God, but they recognized His terrible judgment and they feared His power.
I am not saying that this Coronavirus or any other sickness is sent by the finger of God for this or that specific sin. I am not saying if you get sick, it is because God hates you and wants you to die and suffer forever in hell. We only know that God acts in specific ways when He sends His Word to explain what He is doing—when He sends a prophet along with the plague to declare God’s judgment and to show which way the finger of God is pointing.
But, every sickness, every virus, every cancer, every famine, every car crash, every destructive storm, every death—they all remind us of our sin and God’s judgment of sinners. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). You might not get Coronavirus. But you’re still going to die someday. And none of us know when that day will come.
So, when we see or experience death, for whatever reason, we must repent. Sickness, disaster, and death open our eyes to the condemning finger of God and bring us to repentance and prayer, whether it’s the season of Lent or not.
O Lord, have mercy.
O Christ, have mercy.
Be gracious to us.
Spare us, good Lord.
If God did not spare us, if He sent the plague that we truly deserve, if He did not have mercy or compassion on sinful mankind, then we would be lost in hell already. Without God’s rescue and help, we are the playthings of the devil, sin, and death. On our own, we are trapped in the devil’s kingdom of darkness.
Jesus’ little parable describes the problem well: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe. The devil is a strong man, a mighty being, the ruler of this fallen world. And by our sinful hearts and minds, we are the “goods” held captive in the devil’s stronghold. The devil’s armor is temptation, fear, and doubt. With these weapons the devil keeps us locked in prison. He entices us to stay by tempting us to sin. He beats us into submission by playing on our fear of danger and death. He chains us up with doubt so that we do not trust God’s goodness or grace. He wants to keep us fearful so that we believe every lie he feeds us. He wants us to believe everything we hear or dream up—believe everything except the Truth of God’s Word. And so left at his mercy, we languish, we agonize, and we die.
But when one stronger than the devil attacks him and overcomes him, the stronger man takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. As weak as we are in our sinful flesh, and as strong as the devil is in his wicked and tempting power, we have a champion, a stronger man, someone who fights for us and wins. Jesus is the true knight in shining armor who has broken down the doors of the devil’s castle and released us from the dungeon of death and hell. And so then Jesus takes away the armor in which the devil trusted. He forgives sin by His blood. He banishes worry and fear by His strong comfort. And He destroys doubt by His sure and certain promises in the Word and the Sacraments. You are no longer at the devil’s mercy, dear Christians. Take courage! At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
We trust in God as our only Fortress and Deliverer, our only great Physician and Savior, our only Comforter and Giver of Life. Jesus Christ has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… and with His wounds we are healed (Is. 53:4–5). Ultimately, it is sin that’s the root cause of all sickness and death. But with Jesus’ death as the payment for sin, His death has destroyed death. The holy blood and water that poured from His side fills the chalice and the font, granting the medicine of immortality to those who believe. And His resurrection from the dead is the guarantee that our corruptible flesh will also be raised incorruptible. You have everlasting life in you, right now, just waiting to be revealed at our Lord’s appearing. Nothing can ultimately hurt you or separate you from the love and life of God in Christ Jesus our Savior (Rom. 8:39).
So, with this death-defying faith, Christians have no need for worry or panic. Worry and desperation for this life only leads to fear, despair, and selfishness. Christian faith is freedom—true freedom for life with God and for love towards the neighbor. You are free from fear, even in the face of death. This is why the Christian martyrs can go to lions and to the flame with joy. This is why Christian doctors can serve in the midst of genocides and pandemics. This is why you can live a Christian life in every circumstance, no matter what news the next headline brings.
You are free in Christ, and death is no loss. As St. Paul said while stuck in prison: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain! (Philippians 1:21). Life is good, and eternal life is better. It’s not enough for us to say “God is good” when things in life are good. The Christian faith that has power over sin, death, and the devil means you can say that God is good even when things are bad. You are safe in your Father’s hands.
Now, I don’t mean to imply that death is nice or easy. Death is no child’s play. And the devil will still try to make you afraid of it; and afraid of your failures, and afraid of God, especially when you’re facing down that final hour. It’s tough, and once again, we wouldn’t have the strength to face it on our own. So, we don’t go looking for death. We don’t encourage it or glory in it or pretend that it’s ever really a good thing. It’s good and right to take what precautions we can. God expects that you stay alive by receiving the food and drink, the medicine and sanitation He provides by His loving care. Don’t tempt God. Don’t put Him to the test, thinking that He must save you without these good earthly gifts. So, we should wash our hands, and take our medicine, while also saying our prayers and trusting only in God, our good Physician. The CDC says we should wash our hands for at least 20 seconds. Saying the Lord’s Prayer is perfect timer—it takes at least 20 seconds at a nice normal pace. Plus, while you get clean hands, you’ll be asking your Father for a clean heart.
Besides taking care of ourselves, Christians have been set free in order to serve our neighbors. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, says St. Paul. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God… Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true). Faith in Christ not only bears fruit in prayer for God’s deliverance, but also bears fruit in the exercise of virtue. We are duty-bound to care for others, especially the weakest and most vulnerable among us. This is why Christians invented hospitals and took seriously works of mercy and care for the sick and poor. The Church has a long track record of guiding and serving communities during times of plague and disaster. And today we can still do what we can and take steps to minimize the ways we might adversely affect the lives of others. As Christians, we have the opportunity and command from God to be good examples for the world in how to trust God in patience and suffering, and how to take wise steps in caring for others.
Still, as much as we should care for the needs of this earthly life, we must never lose sight of the fact that this life is not all there is. Death is coming, and for those who receive the grace of God now there is a better life after this one. Even more than physical health, we must be diligent in caring for the spiritual health of ourselves and of others. So, Christians never stop preparing to die. We never stop praying for the faith that will withstand death.
This is why we still need the church. We can’t quarantine ourselves off from God’s saving Word. If you are sick, please stay home for your own good and the good of others, but let me know so that you can still receive the Means of Grace. If you have a family member who can’t make it to church, then find ways to bring God’s Word to them. And if you can’t come, or you feel uncomfortable coming with a high risk of exposure, please consider still sending your offering. Because we want our church to stay strong in hard times so that we can continue ministering to God’s people and to the world around us. As long as I can I will hold our regular services. God’s Word and the Lord’s Supper are the only things that can really sustain us in this life of sin and sorrow, and also prepare us for this life to end.
Jesus has promised: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Not only will He bless you in this life, even despite your sickness or fear. But finally, whenever your last hour comes, He will give you a blessed end, and take you from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven. Give thanks to God for each new day He gives you. But also, never forget each new day to look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Preached at Trinity, Clinton, IA & Immanuel, Charlotte, IA
