Sermon - Epiphany 4 - Luke 4:16-30

3^rd Sunday after Epiphany

January 27, 2019

Luke 4:16-30

“A Hometown Epiphany”

Who is this Jesus? We've heard various answers in this Epiphany season. We've heard from the wise men who followed the star: He's the King of the Jews, but also Savior of the Nations. We've heard from John the Baptist: Jesus is the One Greater than John. We've even heard the voice of the Father booming out at Jesus' baptism, “This is my Son with whom I am well pleased.” And then, in a little more subtle way, we see another answer at the wedding of Cana. He's the true Bridegroom who changes water into wine, the one who brings the best, the one we ought to listen to and do whatever he tells you.

Ah, but now, we get to hear from Jesus himself, not just in actions but in words. Who is he? He goes to his little hometown of Nazareth after spending some time in and around big-city Capernaum. His fame had grown. He'd gained disciples. He'd done miracles, healed many, cast out demons.

And now with his stock rising, the hometown synagogue invites their local celebrity to serve as a guest preacher. We want to hear what all the fuss is about. We want to hear from him too, see what everyone's talking about. He's one of us, after all.

And so Jesus reads these words from Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

This is his text. Everyone settles in, every eye is on him, every ear waiting to hear what he will say. And I imagine a pregnant pause before Jesus uncorks his main point:

“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”

Now, good news for the poor, sight for the blind, liberty for the captives and all that sounds pretty good to the hometown crowd. It sounds like mom and apple pie. It's comforting. They speak well of him and his “gracious words”.

And if this Jesus really is the miracle worker they've heard about, then he's got the actions to back up these words. But they skipped something. They missed something important.

Isaiah isn't talking about any-old miracle worker here. He's talking about the promised One. He's talking about the anointed one. The One, the ONE upon whom is the Spirit of the Lord. Isaiah is promising the Messiah. And for Jesus to say, “this is fulfilled today!” is for him to claim to be the very Christ! We've already seen the Spirit of the Lord anoint him at his baptism. That same Spirit empowers Jesus and is sent by Jesus in all his good news proclamation.

These Nazareth-ians were too focused on the outward signs to hear the word clearly. They wanted some miracles of their own, and so they heard Jesus gladly, at least at first. But soon their marveling would turn to madness, their awe to anger, their welcome turned to wrath.

Jesus anticipates it. He says, “Surely you'll say 'Physician, heal yourself” That is, “Hey we've heard about all your miracles in Capernaum. But now we want some, too. Bring the goods home. What's good for them is good for us! We want to see miracles here, healings, wonders. Enough with all this preaching, blah blah blah. We want action!” He knows their hearts. And their hearts are not right.

And so he compares them to the faithless people in the time of Elijah. During that time, the Israelites didn't get the miracles, the outsiders did! Naaman the leper from Syria was cleansed. The Widow of Zarepheth's son was raised. But Elijah didn't do all that for the hometown crowd. God blessed those you'd least expect, with miracles and signs according to his will and purpose.

But now, here, in Nazareth, they weren't looking for the Christ, the savior from sin. They were looking for a showman, a liberator, or a miracle-dispenser. But a Messiah? Not interested. And that's exactly the problem. The good news isn't that Jesus came to heal a few people here and there, and maybe even me. The good news is that Jesus Christ came to crush the head of the serpent, to rescue the world from the jaws of death, and to proclaim the Lord's favor. He's the Messiah, not some mere magician. He's the savior from sin – not just from whatever you think is ailing you this moment. He's come, not for the symptoms of whatever diseases, but to treat and cure the root of the problem, sin itself.

And so before they can hear this, he has to break down their false expectations. And that's when it gets ugly. When he preaches the law.

And look how easily they are offended when he calls them out. No longer are they hearing him with gladness but they become an angry mob ready to throw him off a cliff. Does this reaction surprise you? It shouldn't. It's simply one species of reaction the sinful nature has to the law. It's the natural rebellion bred into all men rearing its ugly head.

Any time sinners hear the law the response is either despair or pride. You either agree with the law and are brought low, or you push back in anger, indignation, false pride, excuses, blame, or some combination of these.

You didn't do the dishes! “Oh, but you didn't do the laundry.”

You really crossed the line here. “Oh, but you think you're so perfect?”

What you are doing is wrong. “Oh, who are you to judge me?” “How dare you!”

This is against God's will. “Hey, I think I'm pretty good with God now mind your own business.”

Have you done what God has forbidden? “Well, it wasn't really my fault, you see.”

And sometimes, the sinner even meets the law with violence. This is what we see with so many of the prophets. And no less with the greatest prophet himself. Someone noted that even with all his enemies and all his opposition, only here, in Nazareth, did people try to get violent with Jesus, until finally at his arrest and suffering and cross. Only here, in his hometown, do they so dare.

So to avoid the mistake of these people we must first of all simply repent. We must hear the accusations of the law and say, "Amen. I am a sinner."

  And not just in general, but in specific. I've sinned here, and there, and there. In this thought, and that deed. By this action and that inaction. Lord, I've really messed up. I'm helpless and hopeless without you. I need the good news you bring. I'm a captive to this sin. I'm poor and miserable in it. I'm oppressed by my own corruption.

And I don't need a spectacle, some outward sign that you haven't promised. I don't need you to come on my terms and do my bidding. Rather, open my ears to your word. Point me and my faith in the right direction – to where you've promised to be, and be heard. And show me the signs that you HAVE established: Remind me of my baptism – that washing that sets the captives free. Bring me to your altar – that this poor soul may be nourished. Speak to me the absolution, that my oppressed conscience is made clean. And open my eyes to all you would have me see – especially your anointed one, your Messiah, your Christ.

In Luke's Gospel it's not really until chapter 9 that Jesus explicitly reveals the fulfillment of his work – that is, to suffer, die and rise. Even then it was hard for his disciples to believe. Though they weren't as violent as the people of Nazareth, they still couldn't wrap their faith around this reality. That the Messiah has to suffer, die, and rise. And that THAT is how he liberates captives, restores the blind, the sick, even the dead. And the cross is also how Jesus does this for you.

Don't rejoice that you're one of the in-crowd with God because you deserve him, but confess your estrangement in sin that Christ might forgive and restore you. Don't push back against the accusation of his law, but admit where you've failed, look to Christ for forgiveness, and resolve to do better. Don't look for the Jesus that you want – but rejoice that he is the Jesus you need. He teaches you, he washes you, he feeds you. Who is Jesus? He's the Messiah, and he's your Messiah. Amen.

Sermon - Epiphany 2 - Luke 3:15-22

Greater than Jesus?

Luke 3:15–22

The Epiphany season brings us, every year, to the Jordan River where we commemorate the Baptism of our Lord. It is undeniably one of the most important events in the life of Christ. Matthew, Mark and Luke tells us about it explicitly, and John kind of “talks around it” in a sideways fashion. It's an important step in Christ's work for us, and for telling and showing us more of who he is and what he is about. It answers the great Epiphany question, “who is this, this Messiah who has appeared?” So let's take it verse by verse, this morning, according to Luke's account.

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 
Here we are back in Advent, with the expectations of the Messiah, the Christ. Here we are again with John the Baptist, whose popularity has grown and grown. So much so that everyone seems to be wondering if he is the Christ.

The people had their collective eyes peeled, you might say, for the appearance, the epiphany of the Christ. The expectations were high. The voice of prophecy had gone quiet for 400 years, but as recently as 100 years or so before, the Jews had a brief taste of freedom. Between the remnants of Alexander the Great's successors and the Imperial subjugation that came with Rome, there was a tiny window during the time of the Macabees, in which the Jews ruled themselves, enjoyed their independence at the time of the Macabees. But it wouldn't last. Judas Macabeus was not the Messiah. And so they waited. And hoped and prayed that someday Messiah would come, and fulfill all the promises.

As we always say, though, he would be no earthly Messiah, no king of this world. He was much more, much greater, much better. And all of that beginning to unfold.

16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 
John could have used his newfound fame for his own advantage and gain, like so many popular prophets have done, both then and now. He could have joined the ranks of false messiahs and personality cult leaders, riding the wave to greater heights. But John was a true prophet. A truly great prophet. And he would have no such self-aggrandizing.

Rather, John humbled himself. He said, “You people think I'm so great, do you? Well just wait! Because very soon someone even greater is coming. And not just a little greater. So much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave. I'm not worthy to do the most menial tasks for him, say, untie his sandal. I don't even compare to him. He is mightier than I. And my baptism with water, he will also out-do it, surpass it, fulfill it. I baptize with water. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with Fire.”

Now books could be written, and have been, parsing out exactly how John's baptism related to Jesus'. But we can say this much. John's baptism pointed to Jesus' baptism, and prepared the way for it. Just as John's preaching pointed to Jesus, and prepared the way for him. John was the prophet. Jesus was the fulfillment. John had a message, Jesus was the very message.

Jesus said John was great – as great a man as ever was born of a woman – but John says Jesus is even greater, and he is. For Jesus becomes least in the kingdom, servant of all, by making himself the Lamb of God, the sacrifice for the sins of the world.

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Like John, there's a good news bad news aspect to Jesus. Greater than John, of course. John preaches repentance and forgiveness. So, too, does Jesus, but he also brings the winnowing fork. He brings a judgment, even a final judgment. He becomes the dividing line for all men – righteous or unrighteous, saved or unsaved, gathered wheat or chaff to be burned in hell's eternal flames.

Jesus, greater than John, would face greater opposition, greater enemies, and also like John meet a violent death. But Jesus, greater than John, would by that death redeem the world and crush the head of Satan. And Jesus, greater than John would conquer death in a glorious resurrection that echoes in the resurrection of his people.

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 
And you might say, “what do you mean, with many other exhortations John preached good news?” Ah, but the news of Jesus is good for those who have ears to hear and hearts to believe. For those who cling to sin, Jesus is just more judgment. He wreaks of death. For those who believe on his name he gives the power to become the children of God – good news, indeed! But for those who reject him, there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth. It all boils down to repentance and faith – who will receive Jesus, and who will not?

19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
Herod obviously rejected John, and rejected Jesus. At first trying to protect John, trying to ride the fence, Herod locked him up for a while. But we know how the story ends with John's head on a platter. This is the picture of what sin would do with the message and the messenger of God. Ignore the voice of the law if you can. Find a way to silence it if you must – deaden your conscience, marginialize the messenger, heck resort to violence if you can get away with it. Sinners caught in sin don't like the law, don't want to hear it, and will flee from it. Well you can kill the messenger, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

And so in this way, John is forcibly removed from the picture, and Jesus takes center stage. His work of preparing the way is completed, on God's timetable. “I must decrease, that he may increase”. And in a way, John speaks for all of us that must decrease that Christ may increase.
But before all of that, John baptizes Jesus:

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
Luke is slim on the details, compared to Matthew and Mark. They tell of John's protestation, and Jesus' words about fulfilling all righteousness. Luke seems to simply lump Jesus in with all the others, the people, who were baptized. And there's something to that...

Many have shown how Jesus' baptize, among other things, represents his identification with sinners. Surely he had no sin of his own, but he became the bearer of sin for us. He took our sins, and would march them all the way to Jerusalem, to Calvary, and into the very jaws of death itself.

Here, at the Jordan, in his baptism, Jesus begins that lonely course to the cross. He takes his first public steps as Messiah, no longer an obscure carpenter in Nazareth, but now the one John pointed out, now the preacher of Good News. Now the one proclaiming the kingdom of God, and ushering it in – in himself.
Luke does mention Jesus' praying. Surely an example for us to follow, that by prayer we may consecrate all things, all of life.

But then, heaven itself is opened. And let's not pass this by, for it doesn't happen every day. Only in Jesus is heaven opened. Only through Jesus do we have access there.

 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Does it get any greater than that? God's own beloved Son, with whom he is well pleased? Is there any higher compliment uttered by any better voice? Is there any better affirmation than the witness of the Spirit, in bodily form? A testimony that the entire Godhead is united in purpose and will, that this Jesus is the one, the one to watch, the one that was sent, the true Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Savior of the nations, the Sacrifice for sin, the God-man, the Christ?

Now the piercing question. Do you think you're greater than Jesus? Oh, of course not, pastor. Jesus is the best! No, wait. Do you think you're greater than Jesus? Is you agenda more important than Jesus? Are your priorities in line with Jesus? Do you know better than Jesus?
“I tell you if you are even angry in your heart...” Oh, come on, Jesus, do you really mean that?
“Or if you look at a woman lustfully, you have committed adultery...” Surely, Jesus, that's asking too much.
“If someone wants your cloak, give him your tunic also” That's a bit excessive, isn't it, Jesus?
“Turn the other cheek” Now, Jesus, that's just not fair!
“Take up your cross and follow me” I don't like crosses, Jesus, I'm better than that.
“If anyone would gain his life, he would lose it...” I think life is pretty great, Jesus.

In fact, Jesus, maybe I want to earn my own salvation, in whole or in part. Pay for my own sins, with my own poor excuse for righteousness, and my good works that don't pass muster. Rather than receive the forgiveness that you offer for free, Jesus, I think I'll manufacture my own grace, print and stamp my own ticket to heaven, thank you very much. I'll do it better than you, anyway.

Perish those thoughts!

No, you're not better than Jesus. You're not smarter, tougher, stronger, or more pure. You can't stand up to the devil like he did. You can't carry your own sins, let alone the sins of the world. If Jesus is greater than John, he's surely greater than you.

If baptism is good enough for Jesus who is without sin- even though John tried to object, then baptism is surely good enough for you. And if being served by Jesus, having your feet washed by Jesus, is good enough for the disciples – even though Peter tried to object – ah but, “If I don't wash you you have no part with me!”. Then let Jesus be greater than you, and become your servant, and wash your feet, and your head and your body and soul. Let his baptism be your baptism. Let his death be your death, and his life your life. And let him open heaven for you, and to you. That through Jesus, God may say of you, this is my own child, in this one I am well pleased.

Yes, Jesus is greater than John. Of course, Jesus is greater than you. But the good news is Jesus is for you, and for all. And in the greatness of his service, his life, his death, his resurrection, and yes, his baptism.... we receive the greatest blessings.