What Do You See?

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus has been invited to a dinner at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees. Maybe you have been to a dinner like this one: the important people are all invited, each person for a specific reason and according to a specific protocol. The mix of people there is carefully crafted to elicit the desired social result. Jesus is there because they want to see how He behaves in this setting. Can our Lord behave Himself? Will He eat nicely and be gracious to His host, or will he cause an upset and a scene, as He is wont to do in more public places?

Jesus is invited to this dinner as a test. Well, actually three tests, if you will. The Pharisees are seeking to test Jesus, and they expect Him to fail. But Jesus will turn the tables, and show them their failings instead. For the Pharisees act only out of love for themselves, but Jesus looks in love at all those around Him, and He gives of Himself for their benefit, and not for His own gain and purposes.

First, the Pharisees tested Jesus by including a man with dropsy on the guest list. Knowing Jesus' penchant for mercy and compassion, they no doubt were expecting Him to help this man. But it was the Sabbath, and healing is work, and work is proscribed on the Sabbath. Would Jesus do it or not?

But Jesus puts them to the test: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” The Pharisees present have already framed this question in their minds, and they answer “No.”

There are six days when it is lawful to work, and then comes the Sabbath. The Pharisees have no problem telling someone desperately sick and in need to shove off and come back tomorrow, when the Law says that we can help you. After all, the Law is forever, and sickness is temporary.

The Pharisees saw this man, and they acknowledged his pain and suffering. If they had not, they would not have set the stage for him to meet Jesus like this. But that is all they saw. An icon of pain and suffering that they could not change, even if they wanted to. And an opportunity to use this poor man as a pawn to test Jesus and hopefully trap Him into transgressing the Law.

The Pharisees did not see a person beloved by God and created in His image. They did not see someone whom they were called to love and to serve as their own flesh. They did not see an opportunity for faithful service to the neighbor in God's name. They simply saw someone in need, someone who was a bother.

Their actions may seem cold and calculating to you, but that is only because the sick man is not sitting before you, in your dining room. The correct question about this man is not whether it is legal to heal him on the Sabbath, but whether it is legal not to heal him. Is this a person worthy of your love? Is this a person worthy of your compassion?

When you look at those around you in need, what do you see? It is all too easy in this world to see those in need as a never-ending line-up of outstretched hands, of mouths open like baby birds, cheeping for a morsel. When you see the needy, do they represent emotional weariness? A drain on your physical and mental resources? People who want a handout but not real assistance? Do you find yourself rationalizing that you do not have to help them because you have already paid your taxes or given to this or that charity, or that you do not want to enable unhealthy behavior – when really the issue is that you fail to love your neighbor as yourself?

The Pharisees want to trap Jesus with the Law, but He slices through their pretense, and cuts back with the Law of love. What would they do for their own son? Would they want Jesus to heal their sons on the Sabbath? Who would not haul his son out of a hole?

When it is someone you love in need, will you be slow to act? Can you come up with some excuse, some bluff of the law? When you see someone only as theoretical, it is easy to shrug off his needs.

But Jesus does not see a theoretical person. He sees a man beloved by God. Someone created by the Father. Someone for whom Jesus has come to die. Someone desperately in need of Jesus' mercy. Someone whom He loves. So He heals the man immediately, then sends him away from this house of horrors. Jesus does not delay in healing this man; nor does He delay in forgiving any of His people from all that would disfigure and destroy your soul.

The second test comes as the Pharisees and guests are seating themselves for the dinner. How do they arrange themselves around the table? Of course, there is the usual jockeying for position as close to the host as possible. Everyone wants to be near the important people. The cool people. The popular people.

As Jesus will soon point out, this is a reflection of their relationships with others. They are in it for themselves. They want to be seated in the places of honor, and so they wrangle for the good spots. But the writer to the Hebrews puts it bluntly – you will look stupid when the host tells you to move over and make room for someone more important than you. So sit in the cheap seats, and then he might tell you to move up.

The Pharisees are good at arranging people according to their appearances, their wealth, their power and fame. They love themselves, and so they arrange themselves into the places of honor. They want to push others into the crummy seats by the kitchen door.

They simply see themselves in relation to others. Am I better than this guy, or worse? Should I rank above him, or below? They do not see others as someone to love as God loves them, but someone with whom to compete, someone to be better than, to surpass.

However, Jesus points this out to them almost as an Achilles' heel. They will arrange themselves in the order they think they deserve, but then the host will tell those arrogant so and sos to get out. They are not loved by the host. Someone better, more honorable has come. Get out. Move down. Make way.

This is not just a demotion. This is complete humiliation. This is going to the back of the line, to the lowest rung of the ladder – waiting outside for a hope of coming into the banquet hall. They have loved themselves and not others, and now they are outside, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The proper way of things is not to love yourself, but to love others and to put others before yourself. Then the master of the house will come and call you up from the ash-heap and seat you in the place of honor, clothing you with the garments of the royal Son. This is the story of Jesus' love for you. He thought equality with God not something to be grasped, but worth laying aside to become the lowest form of servant to all mankind, being subjected to all manner of shame – even death – that He might be called out of the grave by the Lord of Hosts and raised to new life, seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

Finally, the last test is from Jesus to the Pharisees. When they see their friends, when they see the beautiful people, the rich and famous, the powerful sorts – what do they see? Who are these people, and what do they mean to the host of the party? When you give a party and you stack the guest list in a certain way, what are you expecting to come of it? Of course, you expect to get good social standing, to get invitations to good events in return.

Jesus may seem like He is insulting His host, but the host has no real interest in Jesus. Jesus' presence does not promote the host's social standing, unless He were to grant some sign of favor. But that would infuriate the Jews and denigrate the host in the sight of the rulers of the Pharisees. He wants Jesus to make a scene, to be able to say that Jesus finally lost His marbles in this guy's house.

The host is acting in such a way that he shows his love for himself over and above his guests. He only invites those whose presence benefits him in some way. They love him, in the shallow and superficial way of the world. And they will return the favor, inviting him to the cool kid gatherings that they will host. But this is anti-love, a mockery of true love.

This sort of love is something you know full well. This sort of love says, “if you love me, you will do this.” This sort of love hangs perilously on the edge of the cliff, held only by the good feelings and social graces that make things pleasant for the time.

You love your children, but it is easy to confuse love and manipulation. Guilt trips are the tool of parents the world over. If they loved you, they would come see you more, live their lives according to your plan, date more acceptable people.

You love your spouse, but you are not above emotional manipulation. How do you get what you want? Husbands, do you love your wives as Christ loves the Church, always ready to lay down your life for her? Wives, do you submit to your husbands out of honor and respect, loving him as one who has given himself to you as Christ laid down His life for His bride?

You love your pastor, but what about when he says something uncomfortable? What about when he chooses hymns you do not like? What about when he says no to your loved ones who do not share our common confession? What about when he does not think like you, or talk like you, or dress like you?

However, Jesus' love includes no manipulation. He loves you because He created you. He loves you such that He gave His life for you. He loves you not because you can help Him, not because you can further His cause, not because you can do anything for Him. He loves you because it is the Father's will. He expects no reward, no congratulations, no great service.

Jesus expects to die for you, for the forgiveness of your sins. He expects what has been planned since the foundation of the world. He expects that He will become nothing to give you everything. He expects to pour out His love for you in water and blood and Spirit, so that you may well up with unending springs of His love and mercy and joy.

This is the love of God that caused Him to send His only-begotten Son into the flesh to bear your sins and be your savior. This is the gracious, all-sufficient love from which you can never be separated. This is the love that saves you from disease and distress, from illness and persecution, from disaster and calamity, and from the condemnation due for your sins. You are healed; go in peace.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.