Get Up, Get Up, Get Up

St. John’s Lutheran Church
30 June 2024 + Lectionary 13b
Mark 5:21-43
Rev. Christopher Hoyer

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This is a sermon is about Jesus. It asks three questions in three parts:
Part 1: What did he say? Part 2: What does he say? Part 3: What will he say?

What did he say?
“Get up.”

Jesus said it to the little girl.
“Talitha cum.”
“Little girl, get up.”
And the child, restored, got up from her death bed!

He MUST have said THE VERY SAME THING to the hemorrhaging woman.
“She came with fear and trembling, fell down before him,
and told him the whole truth.”
Did Jesus say, “Cum. Cum. Cum.” “Get up.” Get up. Get up.?
And the woman, healed, got up.

Jesus PROBABLY said it to Jairus as well – one of the leaders in the synagogue –
who (not for nothin’) would have been praying Psalm 30
(the one WE just prayed)
repeatedly
as he sought out the Savior …
“O Lord, be my helper!” …
and then “fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly,
‘Come lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’”

AND WHAT DID JESUS SAY?
“Get up. Get up. Get up.”? … and then he said:
“Do not fear, only believe.”

And what of that morning in the garden outside Jerusalem? …
“where they had laid him” but a few years later …
following his death on the cross the Friday before.
On the first day of the week. Before the rising of the sun.
Did our Father in heaven
address his only begotten Son
with the voice of the angel sent to the place where he lay …
with those same words: “Get up. Get up. Get up.”?

And did that angel encourage the first witnesses of the resurrection
(the women laid low with grief before the empty tomb)
with the same divine imperative?
WHAT DID HE SAY?
“Get up. Get up. Get up.”
“Do not fear.” “Only believe.”

This is a sermon is about Jesus. It asks three questions in three parts:
Part Two: WHAT DOES HE SAY?
And in our day … in our life …
WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?

Ask this question first: What weighs you do?
A sense of shame? Lingering regrets?
The sin committed long ago
that continues to cast a long shadow over your life still?
What weighs you down?
Illness? Financial worries?
What weighs you down?
A sense of cynicism about the fate of the nation? The fate of the world?
What weighs you down?
Anger? Resentment? Jealousy?

Now ask: WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? …
“Get up. Get up. Get up.”
“Do not be afraid. Only believe.”

Sisters and brothers …
Each morning, early:
recalling your baptism – reclaiming God’s promised forgiveness –
remembering that your name is written on the palm of God’s hand …
hear the voice of our savior, Jesus
hear the voice of our brother, Jesus
hear the voice of our friend, Jesus
say: “Get up. Get up. Get up.”
regardless of what weighs you down.
“Do not be afraid, only believe.”
What did we read in Lamentations not 10 minutes ago:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning!”

Can you hear the voice of the Lord Jesus
right now? this morning? right where you sit?
as we anticipate his appearance, his healing in this Holy Supper?
WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
“Get up. Get up. Get up.”
Come to the table.
This is my body broken for you.
This is my blood shed for you, for all, for the forgiveness of sin.
“Do not be afraid, only believe.”

This is a sermon is about Jesus. It asks three questions in three parts:
Part Three: WHAT WILL HE SAY?

If we think what we have heard is good …
good news … Gospel! …
just wait.
It only gets better. I promise.
No, more to the point, our Lord promises.
It only gets better because the Lord Jesus has promised that
we shall hear his voice once more.
We shall hear these same words of divine, direct address
at the very hour of our dying.

AND WHAT WILL JESUS SAY?

In that moment of the drawing of our last breath on earth
the Lord Jesus will extend his nail-scarred hand to us
each and every one of us
and whisper,
“Get up. Get up. Get up.”
“Do not be afraid. Only believe.”