The Signs Are Clear: The Gospel Alone Saves :: Matthew 8:1-13

[Jesus said,] Amen, I tell you, with no one have I found such great faith in Israel. Now I tell you many from east and west will come and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness. There, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (vv 10b-12).

Did you know there are only two religions in the world? Some say there are 4,000, but there really are only two. The most prominent of these two says you must do something in order to be saved. To be sure, there are some 3,999 varieties of this religion. But all of those have a most important trait in common ... the words “if you will.” In other words, if you will bathe in the sacred river, you will receive the forgiveness of sins ... if you will obey the Law, God will bless you ... if you will give your heart to Jesus, you will be given a new life. They all hinge on you.

I don’t know why anyone would want to follow the religion of “if you will.” I know of no religion that leads to more despair than that one. When you fail at “if you will,” you are destined for the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (v 12). But most people love to play a role in their salvation. Is it any wonder why the “Nones” are growing so rapidly?

That said, brothers and sisters in Christ, you need to know that there is only one true religion in the world ... the religion of those who hear and see the Gospel. The word Gospel derives from the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον, which literally means “good announcement.” There is good news for all of mankind: Your sins are forgiven ... You have been declared innocent because of the work of Jesus Christ. The kingdom of the heavens awaits those who hear and see this Good News! 

Sadly, not everyone can hear and see the Gospel. As the Lord tells Isaiah, some of us simply don’t and won’t (Isa 6:9). Hearing and seeing the Gospel isn’t something you do on your own. It is not an “if you will.” Instead, the Gospel comes only from God. There is not another (Gal 1:7). 

THE SIGNS OF THE GOSPEL ARE CLEAR: JESUS ALONE SAVES.

This is our theme. 

I. All the signs in our readings today are pointing to this truth that the Gospel saves.

Remember, that’s what the season of Epiphany is about: Jesus showing us the Gospel through signs he provides, the signs that reveal he is God hidden in human flesh and blood ... that he alone saves, and there is nothing you can do to bring this about.

The leper recognized this truth. He recognized that Jesus is Immanuel. That’s amazing! Though he had been ostracized by society for being unclean, he had true faith, relying on the Gospel alone to save him. His actions in this text prove he knew without question that the good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer. As Jesus walked down from the mountain where he preached his famous sermon, behold, [this] leper came before him and began to worship [Jesus], saying, Lord, if you will it, you are able to cleanse me (vv 1-2). So Jesus did, because he wills it. He desires all to be saved (1 Tm 2:4).

In a similar way, the same thing happened as Jesus entered Capernaum. Although the centurion there didn’t explicitly fall at the feet of Jesus, he too knew that God’s will is done when he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let his kingdom come. Lord, he pleaded, you don’t have to come to my house to do your will. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed (v 8). 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, behold these wonderful examples that only the Gospel saves. Both the leper and centurion didn’t even ask Jesus to save them. They believed the Gospel that Jesus could and would. And they ultimately were vindicated when he did.

Scripture gives us a number of other examples of the Gospel doing that. A couple weeks ago, we heard about how the Magi came from the East to worship Jesus as the King of Kings (2:1-11). They had been drawn by the Gospel, the brightest star that is still shining, leading men to Jesus. And let’s not forget today’s Old Testament reading, which recounts how Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria, heard the Gospel and was saved by it (2 Kgs 5:1-15). As Naaman proved, this confidence of faith or knowledge of the goodness of Christ never would have originated by virtue of his own reason ... you know, the religion of “if you will.” Instead, he recognized how kind, gracious, and merciful God actually is ... how eager and ready to comfort and counsel everyone. 

II

So where and when do we hear and see the Gospel? You know the answer ... In the Divine service ... God’s service to us ... the place God comes to us. God's Word and holy sacraments always have the power to convert those who hear and see that God’s will is done through his means of grace. His Word and sacraments show us the Gospel. They preach the Gospel. Without the means of grace or a faith rooted in the means of grace, the Gospel that is for you becomes something you make for yourself ... you know, if you will. 

Is it any wonder why so many of you have faith like the leper and centurion? 

Though error is preached in heterodox ... you know, the if-you-will churches around the world ... the Gospel with its means of grace still retains its divine, converting, and comforting power. No matter how the Gospel is preached, God is able to use it to save all who hear it. 

So listen up, each of you who are plagued with sin ... each of you who think you aren’t worthy enough to have Jesus come to your house ... each of you who long to be cleansed of whatever ails you ... each of you who submit yourselves to adultery, despair and other great shame or vice ... each of you who presume that God must forgive you ... hear what your Lord Jesus is telling you today ... Repent and believe the Gospel. That is to say, take account of the sin in your life, mourn it, confess it, and believe like the leper and centurion, that God will save you. When you recognize your sin and your need for a savior, and that you have faith in him to do his will for you, you have all the marks of repentance. And in this way God enables you to see and hear the Gospel!

III

The Gospel is God’s greatest sign. It is the great Epiphany that God opens eyes and ears to the truth that the Gospel has everything to do with what Jesus did, does, and will do ... for you ... in this and every place. 

First, Jesus was born without sin ... and then he lived his life without sin. After submitting to the baptism of sinners ... the great sign at the beginning of this season ... Jesus carried all of our sin to the cross. There he ensured that your sin would die with him, that your sin would receive its due punishment ... death on a cross. God poured out all of his wrath upon Jesus on account of your sin. Jesus suffered in your place. He died in your place. He was buried in your place. And he took your sin to the grave where it will never be heard from again. Then in great glory, Jesus rose into eternal life, showing the world his greatest sign: Sin and death have no power over you any more. Your sin was drowned with Jesus in your baptism. You, the baptized children of God, were baptized into his death and given eternal life. Jesus now lives in you and you in him. And he is calling you to the feast that doesn’t cease: the Lord’s supper. 

Like the leper, you are now clean and can now present yourselves at the altar to receive the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And like the centurion, you now believe that this is the will of God for you. As Jesus said, Amen, I tell you, with no one have I found such great faith in Israel. But I tell you many from east and west will come and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens (vv 10b-11). And together we will all celebrate the Lord’s eternal feast ... his celebration of the Lamb in his kingdom. That truly is Good News! We should celebrate this Gospel every Lord’s day. 

IV 

God’s word and sacraments point us away from ourselves and to Christ, who is the Gospel.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, heterodoxy ... a word which literally means, other teaching ... or we could say the religion of “if you will” ... is quite dangerous. Saint Paul wrote an entire epistle about it to remind us to listen to and look for the Gospel (Galatians). It alone saves. 

Our regular participation in the sacramental life of the church is essential to maintaining our faith and pulling us back from the despair caused by the if-you-wills of the world. Our life of faith is maintained not by our religious experience or our decision or our imagination ... you know, the if-you-wills ... but by the concrete participation in the sacramental life of the church. 

Though God can make the poison of false doctrine of heterodoxy so that it does not destroy the souls of his disciples, we have every reason to pray that he keeps us steadfast in the truth of orthodoxy ... that is, the right teaching about hearing and seeing the Gospel through Word and sacraments. As Jesus says, go, let it be done for you as you have believed (v 13).

We have the whole truth of God in its purity and enjoy an advantage over others who have been subjected to error from the day of their youth. Let us not be satisfied with mere membership in an orthodox church. Instead, appreciate the doctrine your church teaches. ... Cling to it. ... Guard it against false teaching. ... Treasure it. And express your thanks for God’s spiritual gifts. Show it in deeds of love ... for I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rm 1:16). That's because many will come from East and West and recline at the table with our Lord. 

Blessed are you who hear and see this truth in Jesus’ name.  Amen.