Luke 4:14-21
In this season after Epiphany we’ve been exploring the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry. Two weeks ago our Gospel lesson focused on Jesus’ baptism by John by the Baptist in the Jordan River. Last week we read about his first miracle, changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana. And now this week we hear the story of Jesus’ first time preaching. It may not exactly have been his first, but it’s the first one reported in Luke. He’s in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, and Jesus uses this opportunity to set the tone for what his entire ministry will be about. In this scene, Jesus is not only revealing that he is the Messiah, the one Isaiah foretold—he is also defining what his Messiahship is all about. Just like Jesus’ first miracle of water turned into wine set the tone that it is God’s desire to bring overflowing goodness and divine abundance into the world—so does this passage set the tone that promoting abundant life calls us to alleviate suffering by caring for the poor, releasing the captive, healing the sick, and freeing the oppressed. We see here that Jesus’ ministry will focus on bringing overflowing abundance to all, first and foremost to the poor and vulnerable.
Now overflowing abundance doesn’t mean being incredibly wealthy. It includes spiritual wholeness and physical, mental, and emotional wellness. And as we know sometimes the wealthiest people might be very lacking in their emotional or spiritual wholeness. But while abundance doesn’t mean being super rich financially, it does clearly imply having enough to live comfortably and being safe and secure enough that we’re in a position to address our mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing too. As in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs where it’s understood that a person’s physical needs must be met before social, mental and emotional wellness can be realized. And all those must be present in some degree before we’re able to engage with spiritual growth and transcendence. It’s important to see that Jesus’ mission encompasses all human needs, not just the highest level spiritual needs that we associate with him. In fact, it seems the majority of Jesus’ ministry deals with meeting the physical needs of God’s children, dealing with poverty and lack of abundance on the physical level.
Think about Jesus’ miracles: most involve some kind of physical healing or physical nourishment. They involve an overflowing amount of wine at Cana. They involve feeding people with bread and fish in the feeding of the 5000. They involve healing the sick, the paralyzed, the blind. So while we know Jesus certainly came to do more than address our physical needs, we see in this Gospel that right from the beginning, addressing poverty, injustice, illness, and oppression is fundamental to his mission. Alleviating suffering on that level is the foundation for abundance in all the others.
As followers of Jesus, this is our mission too. Caring for the poor and vulnerable, and creating a world where everyone has enough has long been the church’s mission. That’s why hospitals and food pantries, disaster relief and world hunger organizations have been such an important part of church history. Loving and serving our neighbors in need is our natural response to the overflowing goodness and love God has given us. And furthermore, it is the church’s mission because a world of people who are healthy and thriving is God’s intention for the world. That is a hallmark of Jesus’ Kingdom message. And since it’s God’s desire to share abundant life with all people, it becomes the church’s mission to seek out those who are without abundance: the poor, the oppressed, the blind and the sick, the imprisoned, the outcast, the ones who are excluded.
Christians throughout the ages have heeded these words of Jesus Christ and dedicated their lives to caring for those who do not have enough and calling out injustice and those who hurt the poor by abusing their wealth and power. In Jesus’ time most people were barely getting by. The top of the hierarchy in Jerusalem had way more than enough, and especially those in Rome at the top of the food chain, lived extravagant lives while most in their empire lived in poverty. Throughout most of human history society has been controlled by the few who have enormous wealth and enormous power, exerting power over the many who struggle each day just to survive. In the time of the kings of Israel and Judah, the Hebrew prophets called out the greed and corruption of their leaders who forsook the poor. At the time of Jesus, the powers in Jerusalem and Rome caused many to live in poverty—and he called them to account. In the early church, theologian NT Wright explains that Christians were mostly known for their care for the poor and that Christian leaders would bother those in power to be merciful to the poor. He said somewhat humorously, “By the end of the second century, Roman officials were not particularly aware of Christian teaching, but they did know what the word bishop meant - it meant someone who kept agitating them about the needs of the poor.”
Even when the church became a world power during the middle ages, monks and nuns still sought to be a voice for the voiceless, to fight injustice, and to speak truth to power. They continued to be advocates for the poor- building hospitals and homeless shelters, questioning why some had so much and others so little. And in the Reformation era, Martin Luther spoke on behalf of the peasants and called out the wealthy and powerful, though he did chastise the peasants when they revolted violently.
When we consider church history, we see over and over again, Christians following in the footsteps of Jesus crying for mercy for the poor and vulnerable. And sadly, we also see over and over again those who claim to be Christians mistreating those same people. In American history Christians followed in Jesus’ footsteps when they were leaders in the abolishment movement to end slavery. Sadly, those who claimed to follow Jesus were also many of those who supported slavery. During World War Two, Christians like Deitrich Bonhoeffer followed in the footsteps of Jesus and opposed Nazi fascism. Sadly, many who claimed to follow Jesus largely ignored the rise of fascism and enabled the Holocaust by their silence. In mid-twentieth century America, Christians like Martin Luther King Jr. followed in the footsteps of Jesus and led the Civil Rights Movement. Sadly, many who claimed to follow Jesus vehemently fought against racial equality. And in our own time, many Christians follow in the footsteps of Jesus and beg for mercy for the poor and vulnerable. And sadly, many who claim to follow Jesus criticize their pleas for mercy and instead fall prey to the heresy of Christian nationalism.
This pattern is present throughout history. And while the church has a disappointing track record, nevertheless there have always been some Christians who advocate for the poor, who stand against injustice, who protect the vulnerable, who speak truth to power, and to promote the values of Jesus.
As Harvard Divinity professor Kelly Brown Douglas wrote, “It is clear that Jesus was not crucified for neutrality and silence regarding the injustice of his day. He was crucified because he spoke against that which was an affront to the values of God…As the mission of God defined Jesus’ life, so it should be for those of us with the cross at the center of our faith.”
We do our part at St. Matthew. We share our resources with those in need. We send support to victims of wildfires on the west coast. We’ve used our endowment to donate over a million dollars to charitable organizations over the decades. We cook meals for our friends at Grace Lutheran in Hartford. We fill shoeboxes with Christmas gifts for children in need across the world. If you walked past the collection bin this morning, you’ll see it’s full—without us even promoting a collection! And we welcome all people regardless of religious background, race, culture, or sexual orientation. I’m proud to see that we do God’s work at St. Matthew.
And I’m also aware that there may come a time when we’re called to do more. When we’re called to challenge injustice and oppression and speak truth to power. Because let’s be clear: It is our duty as Christians to cry out for mercy for the vulnerable. It was the church being faithful to Christ that opposed slavery. It was the church being faithful to Christ that empowered the Civil Rights Movement. And it is the church being faithful to Christ that is our duty today, whatever that may mean in our specific time and place.
In every time and place there have been Christians who have stood for the values Jesus taught us. Those who made it their mission to bring good news to the poor, release the captive, heal the sick, free the oppressed, and cry out for mercy for the vulnerable. The world longs to hear a truly Christian message. One that’s uncompromised by power and wealth. One that advocates for the poor and oppressed, and challenges unjust systems that perpetuate extreme wealth inequality. One that cries for mercy for the vulnerable, and speaks truth to power. One that seeks to establish God’s overflowing abundance in the lives of all people. One that speaks more about God’s love than about exclusion and judgement. One that shares the truly good news of God’s grace, forgiveness, and overflowing goodness. Let us follow in the footsteps of Jesus and be that Christian voice in the world.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pastor Brian | Third Sunday after Epiphany | Sunday, January 26, 2025
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