January 27th:
Fulfilled
Call: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27
Text: Luke 4: 14-21
Read: Psalm 19: 1-6, 11-14
Fulfilled
As I suspect many of you did, I spent much of Monday watching the inauguration and the parade that followed.
It was impressive, it was fun, and it was moving
I was impressed - not only by the president's speech
But also by the fact that the performers were clearly honored to be a part of the event.
Medger Evers' widow and the poet whose name I can't remember
And the singers
soulful James Taylor;
Energetic Kelly Clarkson -
Although she didn't wear the green and gold
That I have come to expect of Clarkson people
And Beyonce
Whether her song was performed live or by
recording
I had fun Trying to recognize government officials
Before the commentators identified them
I was moved by the scene of a Republican Chief Justice
Swearing in a Democratic President
And by a over a half million people
Standing in the cold of a January Day
To see and hear
The man they had elected as their leader
Too, I was moved by the fact that ordinary people could be there
And not have to pay a penny to feel they were a part of it.
But not only was it impressive, fun, and moving
It was also important and valuable
Particularly in a country that seems so divided
Our newly reelected President
Had the opportunity to make clear what he expects to
or at least wants to -
accomplish during the next four years.
Whether we voted for him or for Mr. Romney
Whether we agree or disagree with his goals
Or with his plans to achieve them -
We had the chance to hear them directly from him.
That's how I began my week.
That's how I used my day off.
And then, much to my surprise,
Having watched the inauguration because I wanted to.
And with absolutely no anticipation
That it would help me understand and share the story that that I had chosen as today's text some weeks ago.
I found that that impressive, fun, and moving start to the week
Indeed had had an impact on how I responded
to the story of Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth.
My surprise probably means that I'm not very bright.
After all, twelve years ago
The 2001 inauguration of another man from another party
Had helped me with that Sunday's sermon
A sermon based on a another text
And from another book and even another testament
[Nehemiah 8]
However,
as I listened to President Obama deliver his address
And as I thought of the many other times
I have listened to or read inaugural addresses
I came to realize that what Jesus did in the Nazarene Temple
Could be understood as an inaugural address.
The first two verses set the stage [4: 14-15]
So as our story begins,
A report about him and what he had been doing had spread throughout Galilee
People had begun to invite him to teach
And he got boffo reviews Being praised by everyone.
Knowing that, I think we have to assume
That there was excitement when he arrived in his own home town
to teach in its synagogue
The people had heard the reports
And they had heard about the praise he was receiving.
Now he was coming home to share with them.
and they were looking forward to it.
The anticipation in the synagogue in Nazareth
had to be like the anticipation in Washington this past Monday
We observed what happened in Washington on Monday.
This is what happened in Nazareth:. [4: 16-21]
In Washington, the inauguration
Took place on an outside balcony of the capitol
a building in which the civil government meets
In Nazareth the event took place inside
Inside a synagogue,
a building in which people worshipped and learned the scriptures.
In Washington, a half million (TIME says million) people gathered
In Nazareth the number had to be far, far less than 1% of that
In Washington, the people were diverse
Differences in age, race, religious faith, and gender
In Nazaeth, the people were pretty much identical:
Jewish men
with perhaps a few gentile proselytes thrown in
In Washington, the temperatures were around freezing
In Nazareth, they were not.
In Washington the President stood when it was time to speak
In Nazareth, Jesus stood to read, but then sat to teach.
Therefore, what took place in Nazareth
was not an exact clone of what took place in Washington.
The similarities, though, are more important than the differences.
For in both places, the speakers were speaking publicly
In both places, the speakers were launching something new
In both places the speakers were setting forth
Their ideas, reasons, and goals
Therefore, to make this story speak to our experience
I am going to take Jesus out of the synagogue
And put him on the capitol balcony
Too, I am going to change the wording and order a little bit
But hopefully preserving the integrity of what he did and what he said.
So now, imagine Jesus up on that balcony
surrounded by countless people - including you and me -
who are standing out on the mall
Waiting to hear him
He takes the writing of Isaiah's words
He finds the part he wants to read
After finishing the reading
He rolls up the scroll
He gives it back to the attendant
And he turns to look out at us.
This is what we have been waiting for:
He is going to speak to you and me.
"My friends, you have heard the words that God gave to Isaiah.
Today, in your presence, they have been fulfilled through me."
I would imagine him pausing
So that you and I and the others would have the opportunity
To hear and receive that pronouncement
And to reflect on what it means.
Then, I hear him saying,
"This scripture has been fulfilled
Because the Spirit of the Lord is upon me
And because our Lord has anointed me
As promised through the prophet who spoke the words.
"He has sent and anointed me
Not to make me famous
Not to impress you or to pat you on the back
But rather to bring good news to the poor
And to tell you that this is your task as well
That is, if you love the Lord.
The Lord, our God, has sent me to this place and this time
To proclaim release to the captives
No matter who or what has captured them
Whether their captors are civil or military authorities
Or whether their captors are
Sin or selfishness,
greed, arrogance, or fear
The Lord, our God, has sent me to this place and this time
To proclaim the recovery of sight to the blind
No matter who or what has blinded them
Whether they have been blinded
by sin and human words
or by their own unwillingness to see because they choose to keep their blinders on
The Lord, our God, has sent me to this place and this time
To let the oppressed go free
No matter who or what has oppressed them
Even if we ourselves are the oppressors
The Lord, our God, has sent me to this place and this time
Not to preserve the status quo
Not to keep people in power
Not to make us humanly wealthy
Not to punish
No! The Lord, our God, has sent me to this place and this time
To shake things up
To share God's mercy, love, and forgiveness
And to convince us we should use those very same gifts
In our dealings with others
To restore our correct and humble relationship with God
And To proclaim the year of our Lord
Instead of the year of ourselves.
My friends, that is why I am here
That is how I am to fulfill the prophecy
God spoke through Isaiah."
And the initial reaction of his listeners was one of excitement and approval.
For as Luke tells us,
"All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth."
But the proof of their approval would be in the pudding
And the pudding would be how they treated others
Particularly the less fortunate
For people hearing these words could well see themselves
As poor rather than well off
As captives rather than captors
As blind victims rather than blinding forces
And As the oppressed rather than as oppressors.
[pause]
But wait a moment,
In our attempt to understand the scripture
We put ourselves in the crowd gathered around Jesus
As he gave his "inaugural address"
What is the proof in our pudding?
Today's Global Mission Dinner is one place we can give evidence.
And next week, we pick up where we left off
We will see the crowd change - and not for the better
And we will ask
whether we would have changed - not for the better as well.