We all know what groaning is, right? There are the moans and groans that our kids make when we ask them to do something that they don’t like doing, whether its chores or homework, although… actually adults can be that way too. Or there is the groaning that takes place when someone is suffering pain and anguish. These are not words as much as sounds. These can be the groans of a woman in labor, or anyone as they labor and suffer under the weight of physical exertion or pain and mental and spiritual anguish. Who can understand the meaning of these groans other than the one going through them?

The Gospel for this day places before us a man who most likely groaned under the burden of his physical impairments. The first issue is that he’s deaf: he couldn’t hear. While he could see the world around him, he couldn’t hear what was going on in the world. He couldn’t hear the birds of the air, children playing, or the voice of a loved one. Not only was the man deaf, he was also mute. He couldn’t properly form words; probably because he could not hear. In order to communicate with others, he likely had to try to make hand signals or he had to grunt some sounds which to those listening were more like groanings and barkings rather than words. Remember this was in the days before any formal sign language was established. Being both deaf and mute, this man was virtually cut off from the world around him.

Yet, God be praised, this man was not entirely cut off from the world, for we are told that he had friends, people who cared for him and had compassion on him. And in this compassion, they sought out Jesus who was returning to the region of the Decapolis – the Ten Cities. Jesus was in this gentile territory – southeast of the Sea of Galilee – a place that He had previously cast out the demon from the man and sent the unclean spirit into a heard of pigs. Likely hearing of that previous miracle, these friends brought the deaf/mute man to Jesus, and “they begged him to lay his hand on him”.

Yet, Jesus does more than lay his hand on the man. “And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting, touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed…” (Mark 7:33-34). However, the Greek word for Jesus’ action after looking into heaven was that “He groaned”. Jesus literally “groaned” as part of this miracle.

Now as I introduced earlier, a real groan isn’t a small exhale of air, like a sigh. A groan is something deeper and louder. A groan is an involuntary response that escapes from someone who is in pain, who is suffering.

Fellow redeemed, what do you groan over? Do you groan over the aches and pains of your body? Do you groan over the pain and suffering a loved is going through? Do you groan over your own disappointments in this life or the events going on in this country and around the world? Do you groan over seeing people falling away from the faith? Do you groan when you yourself feel weak and heavy laden by your own sinful shortcomings, sins, and worries?

Ultimately, this groaning is a reaction to sin. When God created the heavens and the earth, He said that it was very good. Yet, through one man’s disobedience, sin and death entered into the world. Creation itself was subjected to futility, not willingly. And as a result, all of creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now, as St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans chapter 8. And not only creation, but we ourselves groan inwardly because of the curse of sin upon us and the longing for an end to it (See Rom. 8:20-23).

Yet, when Jesus groaned, he wasn’t groaning over any sin within Himself. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was preserved from sin that one normally inherits from their father. And yet, in human flesh and blood, Jesus groaned. He groaned over sin and its effects that had come upon this man, and also the suffering that has come upon this earth and all humanity. That is the very reason why Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth. He came for the sake of mercy and the groanings of this sin tainted and weary creation. He came to relieve you and me in our groanings.

Unlike our groanings, Jesus isn’t helpless to do something about it. As the Son of God – the Promised Messiah – the Second Adam – He comes to confront sin, its effects, including its wages of death and misery. So, this miracle shows us the attitude of God to our suffering and how He handles it. Jesus speaks, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And [the man’s] ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

As we hear and read the accounts of Christ’s healing miracles, there’s always a temptation to think that Jesus heals people in an effortless and detached way. Almost as though He is above our problems, and it doesn’t really affect Him, like He just waves His hand and the problems go away. Like a magic trick. We need to get away from this mentality. Healing actually costs Jesus something. He suffered for us and with humanity. Therefore, He’s not just groaning with sorrow at the man’s sin and infirmity. He’s groaning because He’s taking the man’s sin and all of his infirmities upon Himself at this moment of healing all the way to the cross.

This is why we confess that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. It’s because He really bears, in His flesh, your sin and mine. And not just your sin, but all the illnesses and diseases and death that flow from that sin. He bears your sin and carries it to the cross. He offers up His perfect life in death on your behalf. And in His cry and groan, “It is finished,” He proclaimed that this ultimate rescue for you from every evil of body and soul has been completed. The wages of your sin have been met and paid for in the death of the Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus Christ. When you repent and confess your sins, they are cast upon Christ crucified where He bears them for you, so that you don’t have to bear them any longer.

So take your groanings, your burdens, and sorrows, to the Lord. Take your worries, anxieties, your guilt, your fears, and unload them in prayer and confession unto the Him. He will not look down on you for being weak. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15)

In the midst of our groaning here in this life, our crucified and risen Saviour comes to us here in Word and Sacrament. He invites us to come to Him and receive. He says, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He comforts you in your groaning with the reminder that your sin is paid for and the effects of sin have an end. He brings you His strength over sin, death, and the power of the devil, so that you may live by faith in His strength and not dwell in the limitations of your own weak flesh.

Be renewed in His baptismal promise when He first came to you, casting out your unclean spirit, replacing it with His Holy Spirit. Daily, by remembering Holy Baptism and His promise of new life in Christ, you can be comforted in your groans and your daily tasks. Your groans to Christ are turned into praise and joy. In Christ, you may see each day of life as an opportunity to serve and praise Him, with tongues loosened to speak clearly the wonders of God’s gracious mercy and salvation.

Then we are gathered here as God’s people by His Spirit, to confess and receive forgiveness of sins. To have our ears cleansed, closed, and deafened to all the messages of the world, but instead be opened to hear the voice of our loving Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ beckons that we take and eat of His body which was given into death and raised to “take and drink the blood” which has been shed for you to pay for your sin that these bodies which groan under that curse of sin will be raised to new life at the last day.

Then shall come to pass that which was spoken of by Isaiah in today’s Old Testament lesson: “The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.”

The Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ came to earth, paid the price, and has suffered and died, groaning for you, so that your groanings, and your sin, may be taken upon Himself. And His joy, the joy of God’s grace is returned upon you as one who has been forgiven and healed in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas