February 1, 2004

Luke 4:16-30

 No Profit for the Prophet

     They had heard the words of Isaiah’s prophecy a hundred times before: 

 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 let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

     Written as if spoken in the first person, this powerful prophecy comes from what are known as the “Suffering Servant” passages of the second half of the book of Isaiah.  For more than five centuries, these words gave hope to the Hebrew people as they looked for the day when the Messiah would come to give them victory.  So when the people heard Jesus read these beloved old verses, they got that warm and fuzzy feeling all over. 

     You know the feeling, the one you get in a familiar, comfortable and reassuring spot, that big, soft Lazy Boy spot where you can kick back and watch the Super Bowl game, munch on your favorite football snacks and enjoy a familiar annual tradition.  And if you’re rooting for the Patriots, you’ll certain still have that warm and fuzzy feeling when the game is over tonight! 

     OK…I digress.

     When Jesus read those wonderful, familiar and hopeful old words, the Bible tells us people spoke well of him.  Of course they did - he had just read the words of Isaiah and oh, how they loved those verses!  They spoke well of him, that is, until reality set in. 

     Now…wait just a minute…what was it he said after laying down that scroll?  Did they hear him right?  Did he actually say that the great prophecy of Isaiah was suddenly fulfilled in his reading?  Just WHO does Jesus think he is?  Isn’t he Joseph’s son, the one who was just a runny-nosed kid down the street a few years ago?

     Jesus knew right away that the mood had abruptly shifted, so he headed them off at the path: “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”  They spoke well of him in verse 22, but by verse 28, they were filled with rage. 

     Perhaps the beloved prophecy of Isaiah was beloved only so long as it remained pie-in-the-sky-in-the-sweet-by-and-by.  It’s fulfillment was another matter altogether.

     There was such an urgency to the words of Jesus.  Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand he said, and don’t put your hand to the plow and look back.  Drop your nets, leave your boat, pick up your cross and follow.  Do it now.  The time has come. 

     There was an urgency to his message and there continues to be for all who follow him.  And for good reason - people have made a mess of God’s good creation and each person has but a limited amount of time to do something about it.

     In the Gospel of John, Jesus said he came that we might have joy and that our joy might be complete.  He came with the assurance of God’s eternal love, the gift of forgiveness and salvation for all people, for you and for me.  But these wonderful words of hope are not pie-in-the-sky-in-the-sweet-by-and-by, but a very present reality to be lived to the fullest in the here and now.  We are the prophets now, even if in the eyes of the world this is not the profitable thing to do. 

     Things are out of whack in this world.  There is poverty and hunger.  Children in Haiti (only about 150 miles from Florida) pick through garbage dumps for scraps of food to eat.  Desperate people blow themselves up trying to get the world to listen to their point of view.  Justice is in short supply.  Our world groans with pain.  And yet, in this affluent nation of ours, 60 seconds of Super Bowl advertising time are worth over two million dollars.  Yes, this is what it’s worth because this is what the American people value.  May God have mercy on our souls.

     The way of Christ, on the other hand, is the way of true hope, of real and lasting peace, of joy that is complete.  Not Coke or Pepsi, the latest trendy product and not even the NFL - this is the good stuff.  Of course, you can’t take it to the bank, but you can take it to heaven.  I cannot promise you that it is the profitable way, that it is the popular way, only that it is the right way.

     And so I believe our little church here in New London has a great mission in the world, a mission to set things right.  For this is our time now and it is so short…but so very good, the really good stuff. 

     May the scripture will be fulfilled in your hearing today:

Good news for the poor, release for the captives, healing for the blind, freedom for the oppressed - the year of the Lord’s favor.