Unexpected - Luke 4:16-30 - Third Sunday after the Epiphany

 

Luke 4:16-30 NIV

¹⁶ He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

²² All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

²³ Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”

²⁴ “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. ²⁵ I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. ²⁶ Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. ²⁷ And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

²⁸ All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. ²⁹ They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

Unexpected

There are things that come on unexpected. Things we really can’t foresee or foretell. Things that just don’t jive with the way we think the world should work. Things that happen way out of our own plans. There are things that come on unexpected that we are left to deal with that we would rather not deal with. Unexpected things that break into our world.

I’ll have to admit, even after a week of study of this Gospel passage, of teaching Sunday School, on this same passage, and after worship services; this reflection took on a deep and personal change from what I expected. Yes, to say the least… unexpected.

In this passage of Scripture, a group of Jesus’ hometown folks were left both amazed and hostile. Two emotions that seem to conflict with one another but really don’t. There are things that come on unexpected that maybe first shock or amaze us, but may even leave us a little, or a lot, hostile with God and the way God seems to act in our world. There are things that come on unexpected.

But first let me give you a little background into the type of service common with the Jewish Synagogue worship.

Commonly the service began with the reading of a Shema (shuh-MAH) or prayer. And Old Testament example is…

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

It kind of serves as an introduction to worship. Sets the tone and puts God first.

Then the service would continue with a reading from the Law and/or the Prophets. This would be read while standing.

Next the leader would sit down for teaching on the reading chosen. Kind of like what we think of in Christian worship as the sermon.

Finally, the service would conclude with a blessing from the priest or a layman.

So that’s just a brief explanation of what was going on in the passage of scripture from Luke above.

So, we have Jesus going to the synagogue service… What shouts out to me right off the bat is the words, “as was His custom.” With just a few words we gain insight into how seriously Jesus took “Church.” Or going to church.

This phrase… “as was His custom,” is only used twice in the New Testament. The other time it was used was at the Mount of Olives…

Luke 22:39 NIV

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.

What was the occasion for Jesus going “as was His custom” or as interpreted here “as usual”? This was when Jesus went to pray after the Last Supper with His disciples. This was just before Jesus’ denial and the start of the night of suffering, leading to His rejection by the people, the religious leaders of the day, his crucifixion and death. Keep this thought in mind for a moment for me.

Jesus prayed. Prayer was very important to Jesus. Jesus prayed alone and in public. Yes, Jesus made a practice of prayer AND going to church.

Today, so many Christians make up shallow excuses that God can be worshipped anywhere. Well, that’s true, BUT… Going it alone in personal prayer is NOT the end of worshipping God. That’s a vital and needed time to reflect, learn and study. That’s a vital time to pray and hear God’s Word, but there’s more.

A Christian disciple NEEDS just as much, fellowship, first with God and together in unity with other disciples IN church. Together in Church, disciples need to have fellowship with other souls “in the fire,” so to speak. Yes, the fire of the Holy Spirit that binds the Church together in Word and Sacrament.

To isolate with God in nature, or any other place alone is fine… BUT “As was his custom,” or “as usual,” Jesus, points us to how God comes to us in unity with one and each other… In Church. Going to Church IS vitally important. Don’t excuse yourself with weak excuses! Yes! Make it your custom… make church going, your usual.

But you look at this Luke passage and see the results? Why would Jesus want this!? Why would you or I want to expose ourselves to such behavior?

First off… Jesus made it perfectly clear with an Old Testament reading that He was the power of God on earth. The power of God sent in Jesus in the love of God for us… ALL of us! This was the power of God that brings good news to the poor, liberty to the oppressed and sight to the blind. This was the power of God that moves to us and in us and through us … TO… ALL people.

Yes, Jesus as God was present in that synagogue then and in our churches today. Jesus’ presence to heal the broken-hearted and give sight to the blind.

Yet, Jesus didn’t want people to be drawn to Him for only physical healing alone. No! Jesus wanted their minds AND souls set free. The gift that Jesus’ proclaimed to those gathered in the synagogue and the churches today IS that God has been and IS near to mankind, in the synagogue and in the churches today.

As we go “as our custom” or “as usual” to church, we look to God and see Jesus. Really see and hear Jesus in Word and Sacrament. God comes to us in the body and the blood of Jesus, in, with, and under the bread and the wine. God comes to us through Word, Promise and the waters of our baptism.  And it’s here, in church, that we look to God and see our neighbor’s souls. It’s here in church that we hear of Jesus’ release of the captive. It’s here in our common confession of our sin, when we give up on our own selfish will, to protect ourselves, and become glad to surrender and release our own will, TO God and TO neighbor.

So, what was the deal with these synagogue folks, these hometown folks of Jesus that upset them so much to want to kill Jesus right then and there?

Well, first off, they knew Jesus as a child. They knew Jesus, and they wanted some clear proof that Jesus was truly God. Sure, Jesus could say He was God through Old Testament scripture, BUT… where’s the proof! Come on Jesus, show us a miracle or give us a cure!

But instead, Jesus gave them examples from Elijah and Elisha, where God came to Gentiles. Gentiles… outsiders… people NOT of this synagogue. Perhaps today we might think of people outside of the wonderful Christian “like” people. Jesus gave examples of God coming to heal and save “those” other people. How disgusting!

The people were upset with Jesus’ teaching of “Grace” that reaches the Gentiles as well as the Jews… in other words… Grace that reaches all mankind.

Be careful that our own privilege as disciples, does not push away other people as intolerable. That’s selfish pride. Remember… You too are a Gentile!

And the attitude of the people went from praise to disbelief in Jesus.

“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

The question actually points to hostility… NOT… surprise.

Sometimes there are things that come on unexpected.

So, what’s the point? The prophets Elijah and Elisha ministered to non-Jews also. God comes to ALL of us, not just a chosen few, or the people who declare themselves to be good in the sight of God. Nope! God reaches out with His Grace and love in Jesus to ALL. Yes, all, even a dirty thief hanging on a cross next to Him, even my own sinful self as well as your own dirty sinful self.

And the people of Jesus’ hometown were angry. The people of Jesus’ hometown were filled with wrath, with the thought that the gifts and benefits of Jesus’ new ministry would go to those filthy, dirty, sinful, Gentiles too.

Yet, think back earlier in this reflection; this rejection of Jesus by His own hometown people prepared Him, and us, for the rejection of Jesus by the Sanhedrin… religious leaders, the Jewish nation. Yes, the rejection of God’s gift of the Gospel of freedom from sin and death through Jesus saving Grace.

You see, salvation is for both Jew and Gentile… for ALL mankind.

In the words of Paul… from the book of the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 28:28 NIV

²⁸ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

There are things that come on unexpected. Things we really can’t foresee or foretell. Things that just don’t jive with the way we think the world should work. Things that happen way out of our own plans. There are things that come on unexpected that we are left to deal with that we would rather not deal with. Unexpected things that break into our world.

But, remember… Jesus will give us the Grace and love to walk right through that valley of death to something new, something great, something that will bring us the unity with God and one another in eternity, as we praise God and Jesus in love. One for another and all for God.

There are thinks that come on unexpected… yet God has it. God has it all figured out… today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God!

As I reflect on Jesus’ walking away from that wrath filled crowd, this YouTube music came to mind. It also reminds me of something much closer as well…

“Into Marvelous Light I’m Running”

Into Marvelous Light I'm Running

God bless you this week and always… Bill