SERMON, PROPER 18B, MARK 7:31-37

Once upon a time there were two men who lived on different worlds. On the first world, there was a form of government that advocated the good of the social order. There were certain expectations placed on the citizens that required them to serve in capacities that maintained this highly developed system. People of the first world relied on other people of that world to do their part so that the health and vitality of the world was maintained. And the man of the first world did his part to ensure that the system was maintained for the benefit of his fellow man.

On the second world, there was a form of government that advocated the good of the social order. There were certain expectations placed on the citizens that required them to serve in capacities that maintained this highly developed system. People of the second world relied on other people of that world to do their part so that the health and vitality of the world was maintained. And the man of the second world did his part to ensure that the system was maintained for the benefit of his fellow man.

They both worked on their respective worlds oblivious to the fact that the other man was out there. And not only oblivious to each other, but oblivious to the fact that there was even another world that might possibly do things differently than what each of them considered the norm.

One day a man from a third world appeared. He looked at the first world and noticed that, while the people seemed to think everything was fine, there were several problems that needed to be addressed. And he looked at the second world and noticed that, while the people seemed to think everything was fine, there were several problems that needed to be addressed.

So he worked hard to bring the two world together in an effort to combine the best of both and create a system in which everyone benefited. The people of the first world thought that this was a great idea because, even though they worked hard, there were still some gaps in the system. It was thought that by bringing in people from the second world that their system could run much more efficiently.

The people of the second world thought that this was a great idea because, even though they worked hard, there were still some gaps in the system. It was thought that by bringing in people from the first world that their system could run much more efficiently.

As it turned out, it wasn't the ideal arrangement that everyone had hoped for. The first worlders began to resent the second worlders. The second worlders began to resent the first worlders. And before you know it, people from both worlds began to argue and fight and draw hard lines that clearly delineated who was in the right place and who was not, and some people simply suffered in silence.

It was into this mix that the two men from different worlds finally came to meet each other; and when they did, sparks flew. Sparks flew because, although each man believed that the plan of the third man was good in principle, they were both convinced that their system of doing things was ultimagely better than the other system.

The two men would spend years arguing back and forth, each convinced of his own rightness. Occasionally they wouldn't speak, thinking it was better to avoid each other altogether. And when they did speak, they would spend their time listening intently for fallacies in the other's arguments and ways to use the his words against him.

Then one day the third man came to visit each of the other two. To the first, he said, "Don't be so stubborn. Look around you and see how the people of the second world need your help and how they can help you in return. Be willing to listen to them, and be willing to speak without anger."

And to the second man he said, "Don't be so stubborn. Look around you and see how the people of the first world need your help and how they can help you in return. Be willing to listen to them, and be willing to speak without anger."

Then something amazing happened. Their ears were opened, their tongues were loosed and they were able to speak plainly. Not only were they able to speak plainly, but they were able to hear what the other was saying.

And that, my friends, is the real miraculous power of Jesus. Because both men believe strongly in the risen Christ, they were able to have their ears opened and their tongues loosed so that they could speak plainly to each other and hear what the other has to say. Each man still has to deal with the encroachment of the other man's world into his own, and each man still believes that his system is best.

But it is because they are both willing to submit in some capacity to Jesus that they now speak plainly to each other, listening intently without trying to find errors, and realizing that they are both better off with each other than without.

This story of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man is more than a miracle story from 2000 years ago. It is a miracle story from today; that is, if we are willing to have our ears opened. We need to listen. We need to listen. We need to listen. And then we need to speak plainly. Because we are better off with each other than without.