Jesu Juva

“Two Funerals, One Saviour”

Text: Matthew 9:1-8; Isaiah 35:3-10; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

In the Name of (+) the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There is a funeral taking place . . . tomorrow. It will be in a football stadium. There will be tens of thousands of people there. Many more who want to be there. Millions probably watching on TV and online. Important people will be there, too. To speak. To pay tribute.

And there is a funeral taking place . . . today. It is not in a football stadium. There are only a few dozen here. And of those who aren’t here, if we said the name Reinhardt Wing, they would not say, oh yes, but who?

Two funerals. The world looks at this and sees significant, insignificant. Important, unimportant. Someone who mattered, someone who didn’t matter. Someone who did great things, someone who couldn’t. Someone who will be missed, someone who won’t.

The world is wrong.

Not that Charlie Kirk isn’t all those things, and more. They are wrong about today. And they are wrong about Reinhardt. And I can say that not because it’s my opinion or your opinion or because of what Reinhardt did or accomplished in his life, but because there is really only one opinion that matters - and it’s not the world’s, it’s Jesus’.

Jesus looks at these two funerals and sees not how they’re different, but how they’re the same. He sees two sinful men, both in need of saving. Two men who no matter what they did or how they lived, could not save themselves. And so He did. First by ascending the cross and dying for their sins, and then second by baptizing them as His children. That He die with them, and they could rise with Him to life again. Because that’s what Baptism does. In Baptism, the once-dead-by-now-resurrected-Jesus takes us who are dead in our trespasses and sins and raises us to a new life. A life of faith. A life measured not by how much we do for God, but how much He has done for us.

And what Jesus has done for us, we heard a story about that today. A group of friends brought their friend to Jesus. A friend who was paralyzed. A friend who could do nothing, except maybe beg. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? And what does Jesus say to this man? Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven. And many people think: Well that’s not what they came there for! How disappointing that must have sounded! But I don’t know about that. Maybe it was what they came for. Because when something bad happens to you, or keeps happening to you, when God isn’t helping, what do many people think? Why God? Why aren’t you helping me? Why are you punishing me? Why are you doing this to me? So Jesus’ answer reassures this man. That while there is sometimes difficulty and hardship and unpleasantness in our lives, it is not because God hates us. His love remains constant and sure. He forgives us. It’s what He does. It’s what He came and died for. And it is the most important thing. Because while forgiveness may not improve our life here and now, it gives us the promise of eternal life, whenever and however our life here and now ends.

But still we would like healing. It’s true. We often pray for it. And did with Reinhardt. And God promised healing. We heard it today. Through the prophet Isaiah, God said that when the promised Saviour comes, Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. So how ‘bout it, Jesus? Talk is cheap. Back it up with some action.

And Jesus did. That paralyzed man, brought to Jesus on a mat, walked out of that place. He rose and went home.

But Reinhardt didn’t. He died as he lived for the last 20 or so years. But let us not forget - though Reinhardt died, Reinhardt is not dead. Today we will commit the body of Reinhardt to its resting place, but Reinhardt is already at rest with His Saviour. And he will be healed. With a healing even greater than that of the paralyzed man that day. For that man, who walked out of that house that day, would one day, sooner or later, find himself back in the same condition. Old, weak, unable to do anything but lie in bed. But when Jesus returns and Reinhardt’s body is raised, it will be with a healing that will not end. His perishable body will be imperishable, and his mortal body immortal. And his death swallowed up in victory. The victory of Jesus and His resurrection, which swallowed up sin and death forever.

Reinhardt heard those same words that man heard from Jesus that day. He heard Jesus say to Him, I forgive you all your sins. I spoke them to him. And Reinhardt will be healed. It was not God’s plan to do that here and now. I don’t know why. But more important than knowing why is knowing who - who Reinhardt’s Saviour is, who Reinhardt’s Good Shepherd is. His Good Shepherd who found him, cared for him, blessed him, and now has gathered him to Himself.

Blessed? Yes. Maybe not with health, but with blessings seated here today. And more.

Now, was Reinhardt a greater sinner than the rest of us? Some would say so. And some would consider him unworthy of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. But no one is too unworthy, no one beyond the reach of our Saviour. And if the apostle Paul considered himself the greatest sinner (1 Timothy 1:15), maybe we should, too. Maybe we should look at our own lives and realize, I need a Saviour just as badly as anyone else. Even more.

And the good news for us today, is that you have one. Just like Reinhardt. And so we have hope. Hope in this world that so often seems hopeless, and unfair, and cruel, and ruthless. Jesus wants to tell you, too, Take heart, your sins are forgiven. And to raise you, too, with Him, to eternal life. Not because you’ve earned or deserved it, because you haven’t. And not because there will be thousands at your funeral, and millions watching, because there probably won’t. But because to Him, whether your name is Charlie Kirk or Reinhardt Wing, He sees and knows His little lambs. His lambs that are significant, important, and who matter to Him. So much that He died for us. For you.

And when He comes again in glory, then this promise will be true for Reinhardt:

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
     and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
     they shall obtain gladness and joy,
     and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Sorrow and Sighing. Reinhardt did a lot of that these past few weeks, months, and years. And you have, too. Either caring for him, watching what is happening in our world, or because of what happened or is happening in your life. But it will not always be so. On that day, for all who are in Jesus, sorrow and sighing shall flee away. You shall obtain gladness and joy. Everlasting joy shall be upon your heads. And for one reason only: you will be with Jesus, your Saviour.

So while some men carried Reinhardt here today, it was Reinhardt who brought you here today. To hear the words of Jesus. Words of forgiveness and life. And hope. What he could not do in life, he did in death. So that you, too, hear, and hearing, believe, and believing, rise from this place in confidence. Confidence not in yourself, but in the words and promises of Jesus. That in Him there is forgiveness. In Him there is life. In Him there is resurrection to eternal life. For while you and your funeral may be small, your Saviour is big.

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Name of (+) the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.