Have you ever noticed that things often come in threes- like sneezes, the third time is the charm, bad things happen in threes? Since we are sitting in Church, let’s consider God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Luke’s’ gospel there are three important events in Jesus life that are framed and sourced by the Holy Spirit. The first is during his baptism, after Jesus comes up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends upon him in bodily form like a dove. The Spirit of God plays a vital role in declaring Jesus as God’s Son with whom God is well pleased.
Then following his baptism, Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit but this time it is not to celebrate his relationship with God but rather his time of testing in the wilderness. Luke writes, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Jesus was questioned three times about his loyalty to God, the kingdom of heaven and testing God to save himself. Thank God he was filled with the Spirit, for imagine being hungry and tired, wandering for 40 days and then to have the greatest challenges of your life. Of course Jesus met these challenges with confidence in God and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit, but then we get to the third telling of Jesus being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, as we read our gospel lesson as it comes to us from Luke.
Imagine being in Church, part of worship is having large handmade scrolls, with hand written words, and beautiful artistry displayed and read for your hearing. Each one has the words of the Prophets, the psalms and the law entrusted on these parchments. As a way of hearing the Word of God a leader would take out a sacred scroll, unroll part of it and then continue their reading. This was the custom of the Temple in Jesus’ time. Here at the beginning of his ministry, having just completed his time in the wilderness, Jesus starts teaching in the synagogues. Each time he was getting closer to his home town of Nazareth and each time being received with great praise. When he reaches his home town, he goes to the temple on the Sabbath to worship. He is handed the holy and ancient scroll of Isaiah and chooses this text. For Jesus is not just reading a passage like he has done many times before, Jesus is setting the tone of his ministry, he is declaring his mission statement, the purpose of his coming.
If Jesus were to come today, my guess would be that these words would be on his website or blog, this would be what he is declaring to the world he is about and what he will do. Jesus has taken the very powerful words of the prophet Isaiah, familiar words and radical words to set the agenda for his ministry on earth. Interestingly, Mark tells of this event, but places it much later in Jesus’ ministry, but Luke positions it at the start like a sign post for all who want to know what Jesus is about. Robert Parham summarizes Jesus’ intent this way, “Jesus said the gospel was for the poor and oppressed, speaking to those at the margins of society. Jesus was announcing that he came to liberate from real oppressive structures the marginalized- the impoverished, the war captives, the poor in health, and the political prisoners. Jesus came to turn the economic structures upside down, instituting the year of Jubilee when crushing debts were forgiven and slaves were freed.”
We continue to struggle with the exact same concerns that Jesus declared he came to address over 2000 years ago. Homelessness, refugees, people without health care; poor in spirit and in health. Does that mean we should give up, throw in the towel? Certainly not! Rather we hear Christ’s words as our calling to help move us to the place of Christ’s vision.
Yesterday at the Presbytery meeting Joey Lee the Executive Presbyter gave a state of the Presbytery address, as the 31 churches discern their purpose and mission. In it he quoted Alice Mann saying, “Vision is the meaning we make together” (Holy Conversation). Our vision at St. Andrew is the meaning we make together, meaning we make in worship and fellowship. Our tangible ministry of taking food to the Recuperative Care Center and hygiene kits to the homeless in our community is our action to be part of Christ’s solution. Walking with the people in El Salvador – people rich in Spirit, yet poor in means is a way of standing with those Christ calls us to love. Celebrating and supporting the Immanuel House Refugee ministry partners us with those Christ came to serve. This is meaning we make together living out Christ’s mission.
Yet this is also a personal mission for Christ, begging the question do you have a personal mission too? Yesterday we also heard a woman’s calling to the ministry starting with a call and waiting two years to act on it. Now she is finishing seminary and will soon be ready for a call. So I ask you, have you ever heard the Spirit of the Lord whispering to you, tugging on your heart? That vision or dream you have that will not let you go? For some you have already accomplished your mission and you can recall all you have done. For others there may still be a book to be written, a business to start, a child or grandchild to rear, a relationship to mend, a final wish to be enacted. You may have a dream for your life, but until you claim it, say it out loud, you might not have the courage to move forward. Jesus shared his mission with his home church, partnering with the Holy Spirit. Partner with the Holy Spirit seeking to hear God’s will for your life.
Seen in the light of a personal call, maybe part of Jesus’ temptation was ruling out all things that Jesus did not claim. The things the world might expect him to want, things we are still tempted by today: power, place and praise. Saying no to those gave him courage to say yes to his purpose. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus had the strength to stay true to his purpose. God through the Holy Spirit was with him. When we are tempted or tried by life it can often feel like God is not with us, but that is not true. God is always with you. Maybe we have the trial so that we can claim our true purpose much like Jesus did. A purpose he soon shared with his home town of Nazareth.
Once we figure out our purpose one of the hardest things is going home and sharing with the people closest to us. Claiming your mission might be hard if that means going home to the family farm declaring you want to become a pilot; or explaining to your family in the Midwest that you have made your life in California; or you leave a good job, because you feel called to a second career. It is hard to be true to your calling, your purpose. Jesus modeled that for us with his bold declaration in the temple of his home town. He was leaving the family business of carpentry and becoming a servant of God.
If you are searching for the next thing for your life, rest, cling, and attend to the Holy Spirit as you try to sort that out. Seek God in prayer; ask others to pray for you. God is with you! Don’t get caught up in the temptations, rather find what speaks to you. God is with you; especially as you seek to make meaning in your life.
Jesus proclaimed his radical mission to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and liberation to the oppressed proclaiming the year of the Lord. I can just see the crowd standing there with their mouths wide open, shocked by his authority and power, wondering to themselves who is this guy. Or more to the point isn’t this Joseph’s son the carpenter where does he get off making such bold statements? Our fears are that people will say that to us. The answer comes from Jesus’ closing words, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” At this moment, Jesus is no longer the boy they watched grow up, Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Claiming the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus lets everyone know the wait is over; the Messiah has come, and is standing right in front of you. Jesus through the Spirit of the Lord is standing right in front of you now! The Spirit of the Lord was there at creation, Spirit of the Lord was there at the advent of Jesus ministry, and Holy Spirit is with us now! Feel the wind of God’s spirit. Amen.
