The Benefits of Faith
Pentecost 11, August 24, 2025
Isaiah 58:9b-14
Psalm 103:1-8
Hebrews 12:18-29
Luke 13:10-17
If someone were to ask you, “What is the benefit of faith?” how you would answer the question? Another way to ask that question is, “Why are you a Christian?” I am pretty sure you have thought about this question off and on throughout your life. There has been a movement, if you will, in our church these days to offer a time in the worship service for members to stand up and testify to each other explaining why they are a Christian and what their faith has done for them. Don’t worry, I’m not going to start that today. Although I would like you to think about what you would say if I called on you to do so. (I imagine that if I did so you may surprise me and yourself by your answers.)
Our psalmist knows his answer. God forgives all our sins, heals our infirmities, redeems our life from the grave, and crowns us with mercy and lovingkindness. That is because God is slow to anger and of great kindness. Unfortunately we did not read the whole psalm. If we had you would have noticed that the psalm has 22 verses. If you remember that’s the same number as the letters in the Hebrew alphabet which means the psalmist saw his psalm as being whole or complete in its testimony to God’s care for us.
The writer of Hebrews is also reminding us of what it means to be a Christian. In this text the writer is comparing the Old Testament accounts of encounters with God with the new account of Jesus. Before it was through the shaking of the earth, fire, gloom, and a tempest. All which brought fear. Now it is through the mediator Jesus that you encounter God. Then the approach to God was with fear and trembling, now it is being surrounded by love. We get the same message from our gospel text. The contrast is between Jesus and the leader of the synagogue. That leader was so incensed about Jesus healing on the Sabbath that he criticized him. For the leader, there was a list of what you could and could not do. If you follow that list you were one of God’s chosen people. If you did not, then you were condemned. But Jesus changed that. Jesus has set us free from bondage to sin. Before him we had the Law, after him we have God’s love.
This brings us to another way of asking our opening question, “What are you doing with the freedom Christ has given you?” You do not have to stand up in front of a group and speak to testify how Jesus has changed your life. You can show it by other means: With a smile, words of encouragement, help picking up something someone has dropped, or giving of your selves, time, and possessions. By helping others you are testifying that God has given you all that you have, watches over you, and gave up his son so you may be freed to share the great gifts that God has graciously showered upon you.