Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Luke 4:14-21
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus reads from Isaiah. My first recollection of this passage is from my youth. I worked in a mission program repairing homes in the back woods of Kentucky and Tennessee. Each night, we would gather to talk, to sing, and to worship. The Spirit of the Lord was among my favorite songs to sing. And, since I was not raised in the Baptist Church and taught to quote scriptures from memory, it wasn’t until much later I learned the source of the verses to this song was from Isaiah and quoted by Jesus:
"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 set at liberty, those who are oppressed,
and to proclaim the acceptable the year of the Lord."
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that we are all members of one body and that when any member suffers, we all suffer. The challenge for all Christians is to understand that Christ’s Body, the Church, is not limited to the people we meet at church each week, nor is it limited to the people who are a part of our denomination. No, in quoting Isaiah, Christ proclaimed that the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed are all a part of Christ’s body. The good news of Christ is that he has come to us to proclaim release from the sins that bind us and to restore our sight that we might see God’s Kingdom.
After Jesus read from Isaiah in the synagogue, he rolled up the scroll and said, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Jesus boldly announced that it was the year of the Lord – a year designated in Jewish Law in which debts were forgiven and property returned its original owners. Jesus announced he, the anointed one, was there to proclaim freedom for the oppressed and sight for the blind.
Would it be too bold for me to say the same? Paul would not say so. In fact, Paul was clear that the church has assumed this role in the world. It is our responsibility to care for all our members. But not just the members of St. Andrew’s – the member of our community here and beyond.
When I arrived at St. Andrew’s I arrived to a warm and loving reception. I have seldom experience God’s grace as I have here from you. Yet, I also learned that this was a church that had experienced a great deal of pain. I spoke of that last Sunday and the healing that I have seen taking place. In last weeks reading from 1st Corinthians, Paul talked of the gifts of the spirit to each of us. This week he speaks of the importance each member brings to the church. He puts it this way:
But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
Paul preached unity and respect – for anything less distracts from the churches ability to minister to those in need.
And, if we find truth in Paul’s letters, we know that we are to minister to the oppressed and blind. I believe Paul’s message is both figurative and literal. There are far too many people who are oppressed by an understanding of God that is devoid of grace. They fear God’s punishment and believe they must say and do the “right” things in order to receive salvation. They need to hear Christ’s message of freedom and release – release from guilt. There are also people who are blind to the grace of God. They look around the world and all they see is pain and suffering, greed and abuse of power. They need to see the love of others expressed in simple ways.
One of my joys of being a parent has been to learn to see the world through the eyes of my children. Children can often put us to shame, seeing what’s amazing in an ordinary scene and demonstrating that generously doesn’t require large sums of money. One afternoon after taking my son to a college baseball game, we started the long process of following the crowd out of the stands, out of the ball park, into the parking lots to our cars, and through the crowded streets. I followed my son, who much to my surprise, stopped and let an entire row of people into the aisle before proceeding.
After I got over the initial frustration of having to wait, I realized what he had done was simple, yet generous. It delayed our departure by no more than a few minutes (the people he let into the aisle then let others in); it was a simple act of respect for others, but I could see the gratitude on the faces on the people he waited for. After we were out of the ball park I commented on the kindness of that act and he simply shrugged his shoulders saying it didn’t really slow him down – or something like that. It was not a big deal to him, but in a day when so many teenagers were viewed as disrespectful, I dare say that it demonstrated hope for the future to the people he so graciously let in ahead of us.
Simple acts of kindness and respect can go a long way in helping others to see God’s grace – but more is needed. In this past seven months, I have helped numerous people keep their heads just above water – if only for a month. Together with other churches and the Salvation Army, I have used my discretionary fund to keep the lights, gas, and water on, and I have assisted with food and rent. Some of the people who have come to me are students with children preparing for a better life. Others have no formal education or training and do not make enough to save money to be able to pay for car repairs or medical bills.
These are people oppressed by their circumstance, their lack of education, disabilities or – in some cases – their abusive spouses. They need concrete assistance and together we have offered them this. But we have not freed the oppressed – our resources have not been sufficient, still we do what we can.
In the coming year, it is my hope and prayer that together; St. Andrew’s will expand its mission outreach – beyond what we already do with Angel Food Ministry. Last week I talked about the difference we make in the community individually – today I would like for you to think of other opportunities for mission that we can unite behind and demonstrate to this community that St. Andrew’s is a church with a mission to serve. Whether it be supporting the diocesan missionaries in the Dominican Republic or supporting another cause, the church is the face of Christ in the world, and people need to see us working together to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.
Let us Pray,
Guide us Lord to walk the way of your son, proclaiming the good news and reflecting your love for all of creation; that together we might help to bring about your kingdom. Unite us, we pray; that this congregation will grow is spirit, in truth, and in service. Thank you for the loving kindness you have shown us and for all the gifts we have received in this life. Help us to be sensitive to the needs of each other, and to grow together through the Spirit; that we might serve others and demonstrate your love for humanity. Amen.
