Trinity XXI- John 4:46-54

The Gospel for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity comes from John 4:46-54.  A "nobleman" or "official" wants Jesus to come and heal his critically ill son. Perhaps surprisingly, our Lord does not agree to come. Instead, He comments on the excessive popular desire for outward signs and assures the man that his son will be healed and live. 

There are many different ways that God's healing power and grace work through Jesus Christ.  On this occasion, our Lord makes a striking point. He notes the excessive human dependence on signs and wonders. Of course, Jesus Christ does perform many signs and wonders, and they are a real and important expression of His work. However, human beings have tendencies to become too focused on dramatic externals and to ignore the underlying essentials: the power of the divine word and the response of faith. In this healing, there is simply a word from Jesus, a declaration that the father's prayer for his son is answered.  To this word, the official responds in faith. This encounter serves to teach us that God in Christ can use various means to reach out in His grace. And sometimes, as in this case, we simply need to have faith in Christ and His word.

 

Trinity XX- Ephesians 5:15-21

The Epistle for this Sunday is from Ephesians 5:15-21, and it is part of a series of readings from this letter during this part of the church year. All of these selections have a two-pronged emphasis: sound doctrine about Christ and a devoted Christian way of life. These two points are not separate because, as the Apostle teaches repeatedly, a truly Christian way of life is a result of basic beliefs about God's redeeming work in Christ.

Ephesians 5:15 says, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise...." Here St. Paul begins an emphasis on wisdom. (This is similar to certain points in Colossians 4:5 and 3:16-17). This wisdom is not some generic humanistic wisdom; it is the wisdom of the Christian walk or way of life. It stands in contrast to the general wisdom of the pagan world, which is really foolishness. The Christian wisdom that the Apostle promotes is based on the divine wisdom manifested in Jesus Christ.

Walking in such wisdom, Christians will be "redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:16). The world is fallen and corrupt, and Christians are to make the best use of the time we have here. So in Ephesians 5:17, Paul exhorts, "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." The way to true wisdom is not through some pagan philosophy or some mysterious cult; the way to true wisdom is to know and follow God's will revealed in Scripture and most especially in His Son Jesus Christ and His redeeming work.

The will of the Lord is true wisdom. So let us focus on this true wisdom found through faith in Jesus Christ and living according to His teachings. Through Christian faith and life, we do our small part in redeeming our time in a fallen world.