Pastor Sullivan's Blog

“ From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear. ” ( Matthew 11:12-15 ) With the preaching of the Baptizer the kingdom of God comes near. In baptismal water promising the remission of sins, what had long been foretold by seers and proclaimed by prophets is here at last. The Gospel of faith in God’s promises, specifically faith in the coming Messiah, had been hindered and hidden by the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees. The Law of Moses was never meant to give life to God’s people. It was given to show men the depth of their sin and the mercy of God is providing atonement for their sin. God never gave His Law so that by doing the Law men might gain their salvation. Yet this is what the Scribes and Pharisees had done. They turned the Gospel ...

What has Jesus said that causes Him to explain it with the parable we hear today? The Gospel lesson begins in the middle of something. That is plain from the first word, “Therefore.” The parable that we have appointed for today is an illustration of what has just been said. Jesus has been speaking about how to deal with an errant and sinful brother in the church. Jesus says in Matthew 18:15-17, “ Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector .” Jesus explains a godly process for retrieving an errant brother from a specific sin. Someone sins against you, you go to him alone and show him his fault. Christ w...

The Lord Jesus is always wanting to strengthen our faith. He is not content to give us a degree of faith and let it be. We see this in today’s Gospel lesson. A nobleman from Capernaum approaches Jesus in faith. Capernaum was close to Cana in Galilee where Jesus performed His first miraculous sign, turning water into wine. Having heard of this miracle and the preaching of Jesus, this man makes straightway for Jesus. His plight? His son lies at home sick, at the point death. Most parents would have rather stayed at the bedside with their dying child. But this man’s faith is such that he must approach Jesus. He believes that Jesus, who has at this point in his ministry only turned water to wine, has power over death. This man is confident that Jesus has the ability to heal his son and the desire to heal his son. This man has great faith, for faith alone approaches Jesus. He implores Jesus to “ come down and heal his son. ” The man’s request is one but it has two parts. He wants Jesus to...

The kingdom of heaven is like a marriage that a king arranges for his son. The King’s son is our Lord Jesus Christ. His bride is the church, whom He purchased and cleansed with His own blood as St. Paul expounds in Ephesians 5. In this kingdom He daily and richly forgives sins. In this kingdom, in this marriage to the heavenly Bridegroom, life is bestowed on those who are spiritually dead. In this kingdom, the Bridegroom takes all that is wretched, wicked, and wrong with His bride and gives to her His perfect righteousness, which He earned by His perfect obedience to God the Father and the Divine Law throughout the days of His humiliation. This marriage is marvelous. The Bride brings nothing with her yet receives everything she needs to be perfect, spotless, and holy bride of her beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is because the Father has prepared so rich a marriage that He sends messengers out to proclaim it and call those who He had invited. The Lord “desires that all men be saved a...