In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Kyrie Eleison. Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.
These are God's Words. We pray them in worship. These are the words used by the faithful in scripture when they came to the Lord in need of Help.
In the Psalms, “Hear the voice of my cries for mercy” (Psalm 28.2)
In the Gospels, those who were sick, blind, demon possessed, and just generally in need, they would come find Jesus and cry out to him, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Kyrie Eleison. Christe El eison, Kyrie Eleison.
Today, we pray this prayer. Jesus Son of David, have mercy on us. Have mercy on us because we need your help. We are suffering and we don't know what to do.
Our Lord tells us that we are the Body of Christ. And when one member of his body suffers, every member suffers along with it. As a body, as the Body of the Lord in this place we are suffering... because a member of our body is suffering... because a family from our family is suffering... and we suffer along with them.
This past Wednesday a member of our family was killed suddenly in a tragic accident . Debbie was a friend of ours, a classmate, maybe even a blood relative, but more than that she was our sister in Jesus. Jesus called her and us to be Christians together. Jesus called us all to be Christians here in this community. We knew her and loved her and cared for her. Likewise we know her husband, her children. We love them and care for them. To see them suffer with this horrible loss causes us to suffer. We are, after all, members together of Christ's Body.
It's just like your body. When you stub your little toe, you limp. Your whole body limps because even this smallest member of the body suffers. When any member of Christ's body here at St Paul Chuckery suffers, we all suffer together.
Yet our little community here is not alone in our suffering. We are not the only ones and this is not the only reason. Debbie was traveling with her friend, Lynn Whattly. And while Lynn might not have been a member our church she had many connections here, many friends and loved ones. Many who are grieving her loss, together with the loss of Debbie. This grief stretches far, into many homes and into many communities.
But let us remember that we are members of Christ's Body. And Christ says that when one member suffers the whole body suffers, and that means that Christ who is our head also suffers. Remember, we are not the only ones. Christ is a part of this body too. And he suffers with us. He is not far away, detached or removed and therefore not caring or understanding our grief. He is very much a part of it. He suffers right along side us, even with groans too deep for words to express. He knows our hearts are heavy. He knows our sorrow is great. He knows it because he feels it too. Our God, the God to whom we pray and in whom we place our hope feels this sorrow together with us.
And so Jesus, our same-suffering Head, invites us to pray to Him “Lord Have mercy” He invites us to call out to him for help. And he will answer that prayer.
He answers this prayer with faith. What a wonderful answer. What a comforting gift.
After all, our Lord tells us that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the assurance of things not yet seen.” Faith is the assurance given by God that even when things seem at their worst, he is near and he has provided the help we need that will accomplish our salvation. This is a good gift.
Sometimes we think that having faith means being strong, being able to hold on and hold it together, even when things get tough. But sometimes our suffering and grief brings us to our knees and for those times, such a faith seems more like a task master and a bully than a friend or a comfort. We feel like God is commanding us to trust him, like he is daring us not to.
When we are faced with tragedies like this we are always faced with questions we can't answer. Why? Why her? Why now? Why not someone else? We don't know why. God hasn't given us the answers and we would drive ourselves crazy trying to find them.
And at times like this it often seems that faith can turn in to a bully, or a task master commanding us to believe, commanding us to trust, when believing and trusting seem so difficult. Sometimes faith doesn't seem like it's much help. After all, what kind of a faith is it, if it leaves you hollow and empty when you really need it? What kind of a God is the Lord if he abandons you when you need him most and only responds by saying “Trust me. That should be enough.” That doesn't help much, does it?
Suffering is real. Grief is real. And it challenges us and it causes us to struggle. But that does not mean that God has left us in the lurch. Faith is not blind. Faith does not hold on to nothing. Faith is assurance it is confidence in God, who is our Lord, who is our Savior, and who is our friend. Faith is being sure that the God who is nearby hears our prayers and responds to our prayers and that he has greater things in store for us.
Look at our Hebrews text. Abraham. Isaac. Moses. God didn't send any one of them off on their own and coldly require of them that they follow him blindly. He gave them his Word. And His Promise. God is a god of his Word. He is a God who always makes good on his promises.
We are used to people who don't keep their promises. We think of politicians who tell you what you want to hear, or shifty salesmen who shine up the good and hides away the bad so that you don't find out you bought a lemon until you are a few miles down the road. This is not how God works and this is not what God does.
When God gives us faith, he gives to us all of the promises of His Word. His word is filled with promises. And God always keeps his promises. God promises that He loves us. God promises never to leave us or forsake us. God promises that when we are suffering, when we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death he will comfort us with his rod and his staff. He promises us that our sins have been forgiven. He promises that for the sake of His Son Jesus he will bring us to heaven. He promises us that even if we die, we shall live. He promises that on the last day he will raise up all those who have died in Christ to live with him in everlasting glory. God has given to us all of these promises. Faith means we can return to these promises and still hold on to them even in the face of tragedy and know that God has not reneged, he hasn't taken his promises away nor has he turned a blind eye to our suffering. Faith means we know these promises to be true and we can hold on to every one of them even in our grief.
Faith in God and in His Word also means that we know what God is up to. We don't know every detail and we don't have every explanation to everything that happens, but we know where things are headed.
We know this world is broken. Faith teaches us that this world is filled with sin so that it behaves like that lemon sold to you by the car salesman. In spite of all his promises of what great car she was supposed to be, she isn't. Her wheels don't turn just right. Her ignition key lets out a cloud of smoke. Her climate control system leaves something to be desired.
And our God and Lord wouldn't have us stuck here like this. He would have us with him in heaven where we will be before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple;
where he will shelter us with his presence. So that we never hunger or thirst any more, so that even the sun doesn't burn but only gives warmth and light. So that he can be our Good Shepherd who leads us to drink from cool streams. So that he can set before us a banquet table with an eternal feast.
A few moments ago we quoted that scripture passage from 1 Corinthians 12 where our Lord tells us that when one member of the body suffers the whole body suffers with it. We forgot the second half of that passage. It says, when one member rejoices, the whole body rejoices together with it. At this moment there are many who are suffering. Suffering with grief and sadness, from this situation, perhaps from another. But there are also those who are rejoicing. Two in fact, who are rejoicing right now. Their joy, the cause of their joy actually began at the same moment as our grief. Wednesday afternoon. They went to be with Jesus. They are before his throne, under his care, he has cleared their eyes of every tear and he has set for them a seat at his banquet table. They are rejoicing in heaven.
And, since when one member rejoices the whole body rejoices, Christ who is our head is rejoicing. Indeed, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. He is delighting to see them before his throne and seated at his table. He is delighted to see their joy. He himself is over joyed to be with them and speak with them face to face and to get them reacquainted with past friends, to introduce them to new ones. Heaven is abuzz with celebration.
The day is coming when we will join that celebration and our joy will be as full and complete as theirs.
In the mean time we pray. “Lord Have Mercy.” “Lord we need help.” These days are more for us than we can handle. But you have given us exactly what we need.
Amen.
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