PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
Luke 4: 16-30
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’ ” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was a severe famine over all the land, 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many with a skin disease in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Context is important. This passage is unique to Luke, especially in its detail. When Jesus is baptized by John, he commits himself (the Baptism of repentance) to a life of obedience to God. The heavens open up and Jesus is blessed: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” But what did it mean to answer God’s call? Jesus is driven into the wilderness to struggle with that question. Jesus contends with three universal temptations to turn away from God. He was offered a way to have his physical hunger assuaged; he was offered a supernatural exception from the laws of gravity and finally offered worldly power and control. Jesus responded with scripture at each turn—” Man shall not live by bread alone”; “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”, and “Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.”
Every church and every Christian must struggle with the basic question: “What does it mean to answer God’s call?” The answer has varied greatly over the centuries. We live in the same wilderness as the 1st century Jesus. Will our faith lead to service and regard or will it lead to self service? Answers have ranged from the ascetic life of the Church Fathers to modern day ‘Christian Nationalism’ and the “Prosperity Gospel”.
This brings us to our text. Jesus returns to his home synagogue and is given Holy Scripture to read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” These words outline the core of Jesus’ ministry and his understanding of his call. Jesus confidently announces that these words of Scripture were now fulfilled.
He is well received until Jesus anticipates his being misunderstood. “ He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” Jesus/Luke is foreshadowing the consequences of the most common misunderstanding of the Messiah. The people were pleased to hear ‘home town boy makes good’ but far less pleased to be told his purpose was not to make their lives better. In today’s parlance, “There ought to be some advantage to being a Christian.” Isn’t the Messiah supposed to relieve us of the hardship and suffering of life? This is the not so subtle entitlement embedded in much religious thinking. The listeners in Nareth did not want to hear that God’s care was not special to them.
God loves as God loves—not by our expectations or claims to exclusivity. Our Messiah promises to be present with us. He is not a Messiah who ‘fixes’ things. Just as in the 1st century, this is profoundly disappointing. As it turns out, disappointment kills. The reaction of Jesus’ neighbors was rage and murderous intent— “They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.” Isn’t it amazing how angry people get when someone suggests that God’s love is inclusive.
Jesus’ entire ministry is foreshadowed in this single incident. Initially he is well received and celebrated but then his listeners discover he was not going to do what they expected. They kill him. But he still walks with us. Our world is chaotic, polarized and retaliatory. We too are called “to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Our voice is one of faith and hope. Our calling is service, mindfulness and presence—no matter where we find ourselves and regardless of the circumstances of our lives.
Our church is celebrating its 200th birthday this weekend. We began as a tiny, rural congregation in Nowhere, USA. Most people in this town have little or no idea how this church has served outside of its walls. We gave birth to multiple new congregations, we helped found a major women’s college, helped build a world renowned hospital and have faithfully answered the same call Jesus answered. We face the same questions and disappointments as those first listeners to this new Messiah—but we live in the faith that He lives.
Our responsibility is the same. Follow Jesus. Learn from Him. He is our past, our present and our future. Serve the Lord with gladness. Be mindful of others. Be present. That is how Jesus loved. It is how Jesus saves. Let it be so.
