A Devotion for Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

Sunday, October 20 (Trinity 21)

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The whole world is in Thy power,
And there is no man that can gainsay Thee.
For Thou hast made heaven and earth,
And all the wondrous things under the heaven.
Thou art Lord of all things.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way:
Who walk in the Law of the Lord.

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A writing for the Holy Gospel, John 4:46b–53:

To watch loved ones suffer is a remarkable distress with which we are all familiar. We have all seen friends and family suffer ills of body, mind, and soul. We have witnessed the progressive destruction of the body. We have all walked with loved ones on the dark road of spiritual affliction. Alas, we have all cried out to God on behalf of others that He would remove their suffering and grant peace and wellbeing to all whom we love.

Such was the case for an official from Capernaum who, knowing that Jesus was in Galilee, approached Jesus and begged Him to heal his son. The official’s son was gravely ill, as St. John notes, to the point of death. Here we see a distressed father whose son is near the inescapable point of death; a father who desperately desires his son to be made well. We see also a father who knows that Jesus’ healing touch is enough to sake his suffering child.

The official approached Jesus and asked that He would heal his son. Jesus plainly responded to the man, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Indeed, as Thomas would not believe unless he felt the mark of the nails and laid his eyes upon the open wounds of Christ’s body, so also this man could not believe unless he witnessed the signs and wonders which only Jesus could perform. A mere word would not suffice: instead, signs and wonders are necessary.

Yet the official responded in childlike fashion: “Sir, come down before my child dies.” By this, the official demonstrates Jesus’ point. He would not have asked Jesus to go to his child had he not believed that Jesus could perform the signs and wonders about which He spoke. Truly this man believed that Jesus could heal his son; truly he not only believed the signs and wonders that only Jesus can do, but He trusted Jesus’ words, for he believed the simple words of Jesus: “Go; your son will live.” His faith was apparent. He trusted that Christ could—and would—heal his son.

In this Gospel, we learn that the words of Christ are sufficient for this life’s needs. Whatever He speaks, whatever He says, whatever He proclaims: this is our daily bread. The flesh seeks signs and wonders—and these certainly are necessary in themselves. But this Gospel teaches that while we must believe that Jesus can and will perform the signs and wonders that He promises to do, we must also believe that His Word is enough. On Christ’s words our faith is founded.

Thus, we find in the Word great comfort, for it is the Word of Christ Himself. It cannot fail. Indeed, His Word never fails; it endures forever. Through Christ the world was spoken into existence. Through Christ salvation was promised to all. Through Christ the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. By Christ alone salvation was won. Yes, the Word made flesh alone procured our salvation.

The Word of Christ Himself is sufficient for life’s needs. Therefore, we take heart in the words of Jesus, for they are true. They are perfect. They are eternal. All that the Father commands is done, and all that the Son speaks is fulfilled. Thus, His Word is in itself a sign and a wonder. It is that on which faith is founded, in which faith is secured, and by which faith is fed and nourished. Without it, we could not and would not believe. It is the sign by which our faith is assured of its salvation, the wonder to which we cling in every need, every trial, and every affliction.

Help us, Lord Jesus, to trust and to believe Your promises! Amen.

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Luther on John 4:46b–53:

This is a pure and strong faith, that requires the individual to cast away all sense, understanding, reason, eyes and heart, and sink himself into one little word and be satisfied with and feel secure in it. Christ says, Thy son liveth, so he says to himself: It is certainly true, I shall find it so. Thus faith does not remain idle or quiet, but progresses and rises higher.

24. So Christ also deals with us and permits us to be tried, in order to strengthen our faith. If at the close of our lives, when our time comes to die, we shall have a spark of such faith, it will be well with us; as Christ said to his disciples in the Gospel, Matthew 17:20, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.” A mustard seed is very small, but he who has such faith, shall certainly be saved. The truth lies not in the fact that faith is small; but in that the mustard seed remains and is not destroyed by the birds; that the devil cannot tear faith out of our hearts. It does not matter how insignificant faith may be; but the power lies in seeing to it that faith be not overthrown.

—Martin Luther, “Sermon for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity.”

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Hymn of the Day for Trinity 21 (LSB 607):

1. From depths of woe I cry to Thee,
In trial and tribulation;
Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,
Lord, hear my supplication.
If Thou rememb'rest ev'ry sin,
Who then could heaven ever win
Or stand before Thy presence?

2. Thy love and grace alone avail
To blot out my transgression;
The best and holiest deeds must fail
To break sin's dread oppression.
Before Thee none can boasting stand,
But all must fear Thy strict demand
And live alone by mercy.

3. Therefore my hope is in the Lord
And not in mine own merit;
It rests upon His faithful Word
To them of contrite spirit
That He is merciful and just:
This is my comfort and my trust.
His help I wait with patience.

4. And though it tarry through the night
And till the morning waken,
My heart shall never doubt His might
Nor count itself forsaken.
O Isreal, trust in God your Lord.
Born of the Spirit and the Word,
Now wait for His appearing.

5. Though great our sins, yet greater still
Is God's abundant favor;
His hand of mercy never will
Abandon us, nor waver.
Our shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow.

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Collect of the Day for Trinity 21:

Lord, we beseech Thee to keep Thy household the Church in continual godliness; that through Thy protection she may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve Thee in good works, to the glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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