2021-09-12 — Jesus Still Calls to Us, “Ephphatha,” – “Be Opened!”
16th Sunday after Pentecost: Date: September 12, 2021
– THE SERMON: Mark 7:31-37
Theme: Jesus Still Calls to Us, “Ephphatha,” – “Be Opened!”
I. Were We Really Spiritual Deaf — Mutes?
II. Jesus Opens our Hearts to Hear with Faith
III. Jesus Loosens Our Tongues to Confess His Name.
SERMON TEXT: Mark 7:31-37
Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” (NKJV)
PRAYER; THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN: A Wretched man, Both Mute and Deaf
Author Unknown – Tune of TLH 371
1. A wretched man, both mute and deaf,
Was brought to Jesus for relief;
He came to know the Savior’s pow’r,
When he received a wondrous cure.
2. The Savior used but simple means,
Such as the haughty world disdains;
When He first took him from the throng,
To make him hear and loose his tongue.
3. His “Ephphatha,” His sigh and look,
Through all the pow’rs of darkness broke;
He loosed the devil’s dreadful chain,
The man could hear and speak again!
4. Are we not also deaf and mute,
And wretched creatures from our youth?
We cannot speak the Savior’s praise,
Until we hear His Word of grace:
5. The chain of sin our Savior broke,
Our guilt upon Himself He took;
He died that we might now be free,
And with Him live eternally.
6. When we are taken from the crowd,
And with this light and grace endow’d;
Then by His Word we come to know,
Our Savior’s wondrous healing, too.
7. Now of His wonders we can tell,
And testify that all is well;
Then grace on other hearts will break –
The deaf will hear, the mute will speak!
BENEDICTION
C: Amen.
HYMN 50:1-2 Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
1. Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing, Fill our hearts with joy and peace.
Let us each, Thy love possessing, Triumph in redeeming grace.
Oh, refresh us, Oh, refresh us, Trav’ling thro’ this wilderness!
2. Thanks we give and adoration For Thy Gospel’s joyful sound.
May the fruits of Thy salvation In our hearts and lives abound;
Ever faithful, Ever faithful To the Truth may we be found
( Pastor Theodore Barthels )
Bulletin: Read Bulletin
Sermon: Read Sermon
THE ORDER OF SERVICE: (p. 22 Worship Supplement 2000)
THE EPISTLE LESSON: James 1:17-27
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
