January 23, 2022
First Lesson Luke 4:14-21
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 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 let the oppressed go free,
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.”
Second Lesson Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
If you could choose the words that might encapsulate who you are, the only words that would communicate the essence of yourself, your life, your commitments, what would they be? How would you describe yourself to the fullest? Ponder that for a moment. Today Jesus used a few words taken from Isaiah to describe himself, his life, his ministry and purpose. Some might say this is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. But God’s Word is more than words. God’s word is the totality of scripture, the arch of human history, the promise of hope, a covenant with God’s people. When we think of God’s word we go to the opening of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” So God’s word is both Holy Scripture and our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
We just read the very first act in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus had just fended off temptation in the wilderness before returning to Galilee and his hometown of Nazareth. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ first action doesn’t start with a miracle, or a healing or sign, rather Jesus’ ministry starts with a sermon. Starts with these words from Isaiah. Isaiah used them to define his ministry and now Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise, the fulfillment of God’s word. Filled with the Sprit, Jesus defines his mission as proclaiming good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. Then he shares the shortest sermon ever, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (21). I know sometimes you wish I could be so brief.
The art of preaching is one that starts with God’s word, Holy Scripture, to then be interpreted for those who hear it. Jesus just did that. Ezra also did that. Start with the word of God and bring it to life with explanation, story and insight. Nehemiah declares, “they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading” (8). Fortunately, you usually don’t weep or mourn after my sermons. But did you notice the people of Israel did? Some believe that they felt convicted in their intermarrying with other faiths or their sinfulness. You see Jerusalem was once again a walled city for the first time in generations and it was a time of restoration, both as individuals and as the people of God. It was a time of returning to God’s ways. A good sermon can often convict you of something that needs changing. It can be a time to reflect on behaviors or thoughts that can be made straight by God. You have an opportunity to repeat and return to God. Yet here in the Old Testament we see the joy of God’s forgiveness even before the arrival of Jesus. Even as they are remorseful and crying, the people are told to eat, drink, because this day is holy to the Lord. God’s holiness is more than enough to make things right, to give you a second chance, if you decide to repent. It even goes on to remind you that as you change your ways, and you might not feel strong enough to make the shift, but to remember that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (10). You have strength in trying a new way, because God is more powerful than any shortcoming you have.
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous works the same way. When you want to stop drinking and move into the way of sobriety, the first three steps say, I can’t, God can, I think I will let God. The joy of the Lord is your strength.
Several things to note here. First it was fiercely inclusive; women and men are able to hear God’s word! That did not happen in the Jewish tradition, genders were separated, and women remained in the outer court of the temple. Instead, this sermon was at the Water Gate a place all were welcome, and all were included. Secondly, they stood for 6 or 7 hours listening to God’s word. That is why I asked you to stand today for the scripture reading. Aren’t you glad I let you sit for the sermon. But they didn’t have Bibles, they couldn’t read and they were hungry for God’s word and gathered to hear it read and interpreted. Are you hungry for God’s word? Finally, upon hearing God’s word they reply, “Amen, Amen.” Because it has been translated into Hebrew, Latin, English, and Greek as the same word, it has been called the best-known word in human speech. Amen is directly related to the Hebrew word for “believe” (aman), or “faithful.” Thus, it came to mean “sure” or “truly,” an expression of absolute trust and confidence. When one believes God, he indicates his faith by an “amen.” When God makes a promise, the believer’s response is “amen” “so it will be!” When we pray according to His Word, we know God will answer, so we close with an “amen.” Amen is even a title of Christ Himself. The last of His letters to the seven churches in Revelation begins, “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14) (Sermons.com).
Jesus starts his ministry proclaiming the word of God, Ezra lifts God’s word for all the people to see as they are finding their way back to God in a time of restoration. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, the fullness of the divine will embodied within one man. God’s word is both Holy Scripture and our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians we are also God’s word living in the world. People see what we do and how we live, and it bears witness to our faith in God. St. Francis of Assis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Our lives preach what we believe, even when we think no one is watching. Will people say Amen, so be it, as they watch you live your life?
The story is told of Shah Abbis, a Persian monarch who loved his people very much. To know and understand them better, he would mingle with his subjects in various disguises. One day he went as a poor man to the public baths and in a tiny cellar sat beside the fireman who tended the furnace. When it was mealtime the monarch shared his coarse food and talked to his lonely subject as a friend. Again and again he visited and the man grew to love him. One day the Shah told him he was the monarch, expecting the man to ask some gift from him. But the fireman sat gazing at his ruler with love and wonder and at last spoke, “You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat of my coarse food, to care whether my heart is glad or sorry. On others you may bestow rich presents, but to me you have given yourself, and it only remains for me to pray that you never withdraw the gift of your friendship” (Sermons.com Michael P. Green).
Not even a Christian story but a human love story. A witness to what love for our fellows can do, the power of how we choose to live our lives. That is what God’s Word is today. It is how you and I chose to share God’s love with our fellows. How we proclaim good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed.
Remember those words you thought of at the beginning of this sermon? Words of our true essence as a person? Would they proclaim the Good News? Because your life is a sermon. It is how you tell the story. How you share the gospel. How you embody God’s Word. Because you might be the only Bible someone reads.
And let all of God’s people say, AMEN.
