Text
for the Week: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to
bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed and announce that
the time has come when the Lord will save his people.” Luke 4:18-19
Welcome
to our services today and a special welcome to any worshipping with us for the
first time. Today is Sunday Special and so our young people are meeting for a
late breakfast and activities from 10-15 and for the first part of our service.
All the best TV dramas begin each episode with that tantalisingly brief
collection of snippets from previous episodes that enables you to catch up with
the story. So, in that tradition, Previously … we began on Easter Sunday in the
very last chapter in Luke’s Gospel on the Emmaus Road when Jesus opened up the
Old Testament to two of his followers. That evening he did the same with the
rest of his followers back in Jerusalem. From that day on they ‘got it’: they
now began to read the Old Testament Scriptures in the way Jesus had opened up
for them. Reading through Luke’s story of the beginning of the Church in Acts
we’ve seen that the first followers of Jesus drew on the insights Jesus shared
with them in their reading of the Old Testament: we’ve seen it in the speeches
of Peter, Stephen, Philip and Paul. It’s is as if Luke in Acts is getting us to
see that as followers of The Way, as Christians, we are to read the Old
Testament through the eyes of Jesus and see in Jesus that all it stands for is
brought to fulfilment. The story finishes in Acts with Paul under house arrest
in Rome preaching about the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus
Christ, speaking with all boldness and freedom. All the best TV dramas come to
an end with a taster of what’s in store. Having accompanied Paul on so many of
his travels and arrived with him in Rome, Luke went on to draw on the
researches he had already started to commit to writing the story of Jesus and
the movement he started. And so today we go back to the very beginning of the
story he had to tell … and we’ll discover a thread running through the story
that shows how Jesus read the Old Testament. This, I believe, is one of the
pressing stories of our time: how we read our Bible. In Acts, as we have seen,
and in Luke as we are going to see there are pointers that can transform the
way we read some of the most difficult bits of the Bible.
Welcome
and Call to Worship
213
Every new morning
Prayer
and the Lord’s Prayer
Back
to the beginning
All
the best TV dramas begin each episode with that tantalisingly brief collection
of snippets from previous episodes that enables you to catch up with the story.
So, in that tradition, Previously … we began on Easter Sunday in the very last
chapter in Luke’s Gospel on the Emmaus Road when Jesus opened up the Old
Testament to two of his followers. That evening he did the same with the rest
of his followers back in Jerusalem. From that day on they ‘got it’: they now
began to read the Old Testament Scriptures in the way Jesus had opened up for
them. Reading through Luke’s story of the beginning of the Church in Acts we’ve
seen that the first followers of Jesus drew on the insights Jesus shared with
them in their reading of the Old Testament: we’ve seen it in the speeches of
Peter, Stephen, Philip and Paul. It’s is as if Luke in Acts is getting us to
see that as followers of The Way, as Christians, we are to read the Old Testament
through the eyes of Jesus and see in Jesus that all it stands for is brought to
fulfilment. The story finishes in Acts with Paul under house arrest in Rome
preaching about the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ,
speaking with all boldness and freedom.
All
the best TV dramas come to an end with a taster of what’s in store. Having
accompanied Paul on so many of his travels and arrived with him in Rome, Luke
went on to draw on the researches he had already started to commit to writing
the story of Jesus and the movement he started. And so today we go back to the
very beginning of the story he had to tell … and we’ll discover a thread
running through the story that shows how Jesus read the Old Testament. This, I
believe, is one of the pressing stories of our time: how we read our Bible. In
Acts, as we have seen, and in Luke as we are going to see there are pointers
that can transform the way we read some of the most difficult bits of the
Bible.
Who
knows … and there are all sorts of possibilities.
The
one I’m drawn to is the one that goes back in the mists of time to the early
traditions of the church – that Luke and Acts were written by Luke the beloved
physician who was a travelling companion of Paul.
It’s
in Acts 16:10 that the narrative in Acts changes to the first person – I’m
persuaded that’s when Luke joins Paul. Luke is with Paul in those bits that are
in the first person plural.
Acts
16:10-17 in Philippi. The next parts of the story are in the third person until
20:5 when it’s ‘we’ again. What’s telling is that we are back in Philippi at
that point. It looks as if Luke stayed in Philippi when Paul moved on. 20:5-16,
Paul in Luke’s company travels to Miletus where Paul summons the leaders of the
church in Ephesus and shares with them his message again. Then Luke accompanies
Paul on his fateful journey to Jerusalem as he takes the collection there. Luke
is with Paul in Jerusalem … 21:1-19 but
we don’t have any more of the ‘we passages’ until and the decision to sail to
Rome – but the implication of 27:1 is that Luke has by now joined Paul in
Caesarea. That suggests that Luke is around in Jersualem and then Caesarea for
the couple of years this covers. Then he is with Paul on the journey to Rome
and with him in Rome. 27:1-28:16.
IN
my imagining Luke has taken the opportunity while in Jerusalem and Caesarea to
meet with people who had been around with Jesus and get the story of Jesus. It
is at this point maybe that he begins to turn his hand to the task of putting
the gospel together. It could be that that is in the 60’s. It maybe he
continues to do his research and it takes him into the 70’s.
It’s
at this point having followed the story through Acts we can return with Luke to
the way he tells the story … and as we do that we are on the look out for the
way in his telling of the story he notices how Jesus himself has a way of
reading the Hebrew Scriptures we think of as the Old Testament that is apparent
in that story as it unfolds.
Luke’s
gospel begins as Luke explains how he is going to write. Is he writing to a
particular person called Theophilus or to anyone who is a Theo Philos – a
friend of God. I rather like the idea – because I think of him as writing for
me!
Reading: Luke
1:1-4 – Gwyneth
Dear
Theophilus:
Many
people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken
place among us.
Interesting
that right at the beginning Luke acknowledges that he is drawing on other
accounts of Jesus. There’s a very strong argument to be had that Luke draws on
Mark and on a collection of sayings of Jesus – and if you map out all the
verses of Luke’s Gospel and set it alongside Matthew and Mark you can
demonstrate that pretty effectively. We had the chart on the wall in our Sixth
Form RE room at school. It was given me out of the blue by James. I found it on
the wall of David Wenham who teaches NT in Oxford when we had that shared
mission with St Luke’s and Holy Apostles and I have used it in my teaching ever
since.
2They wrote what we have been told by those
who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message.
What’s
interesting is that Luke also says that those people were drawing on
eye-witness accounts that he also makes use of. I am persuaded of that too.
Felicity and I went to the Hay Festival
and when Romola’s daughter chaired a panel discussion with four short listed
for the Templeton prize for a religious book. I found myself in conversation
with the winner in an Evensong service later that evening and bought the book.
He makes a convincing argument from close study of the frequency of names in
Jewish communities around the Mediterranean that those who are named in the
Gospels have names that are characteristic of Palestine. He suggests they are
named because they were the ones who told their story –Zachaeus is the one I
always think of, Bar Timaeus is another.
3And so, your Excellency, because I have
carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be
good to write an orderly account for you.
Luke
has made a study – interesting he should research … so his book is not just
random. It has a basis in serious research. And then it is ordered.
Interestinly in that chart you can demonstrate that he treated his sources
carefully and accurately, quoting Mark when he used him … and slotting in other
material he came across without spoiling the passages he has used form Mark.
He
writes with a clear purpose he states at the outset.
4I do this so that you will know the full
truth about everything which you have been taught.
We
know where we are with Luke – and we are with someone who has done his research.
And
so he begins his story. What’s apparent is that the first two chapters are very
long, they tell the story of how Jesus came to be born and of his birth … they
also link him with the birth of John the Baptist his cousin … and they include
an account of the birth that’s also unique to Luke.
Luke
has the best Greek of the New Testament. He knows what he is doing as he
writes.
And
the style of these two chapters is different.
They almost read as if they are written in the style of the Old Testament.
It
is almost as if they are rounding off the Old Testament to bring us into the
New Testament.
Whether
it’s the Priestly tradition of the Temple or the tradition of the Prophets or
the ways of the Psalmists in writing their Psalms it’s all there in the first
two chapters of Luke.
As
so often happened in the telling of the story of Israel at key points a song or
a psalm shows you the significance of what’s happening.
And
that happens here as well. With three songs, psalms traditionally known as canticles
that give the message behind the story.
So
the birth of John the Baptist is announced, the birth of Jesus is announced,
Mary visits Elizabeth and then Mary’s song of praise brings out the
significance of all that’s happening.
And
it’s wonderful to sing …
86
Tell out my soul
Then
we come to the birth of John the Baptist and Zechariah’s prophecy – and it’s
this psalm or song that brings out the significance of John’s ministry and the
way it relates to Jesus.
HTC
599 O bless the God of Israel
Now
that we know the significance of what’s going on Luke tells us of the birth of
Jesus, of the shepherds and the angels, of the way Jesus is named and of the
way Jesus is presented in the Temple.
There
is that a woman, the prophetess Anna, becomes the first to speak about the
child to all who were waiting for God to set Jersualem free – a woman the first
to declare the Good news. Never let it be said the Bible prohibits women from
preaching and speaking!
Or
older people for that matter.
For
it is Simeon who has recognized Jesus for who he is just before.
And
his song is one of the most wonderful of all – and it reminds us of the
significance of this little one.
HTC
55 Faithful vigil ended
Listening
and Asking Questions
Jesus
then returns to Nazareth where the child grew and became strong; he was full of
wisdom, and God’s blessings were upon him,. ~And the we jump to the point at
which he comes of age, as it were. The age of the Jewish Bar Mitzvah. And we
find the Boy Jesus in the Temple. Or at least his parents find him after he
goes missing for three days in the temple among the teachers of the law. They
find him listening and asking questions.
Reading:
Luke 2:41-52
Every
year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42When
Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. 43When the
festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in
Jerusalem. His parents did not know this; 44they thought that he was with the
group, so they travelled a whole day and then started looking for him among
their relatives and friends. 45They did not find him, so they went back to
Jerusalem looking for him. 46On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting
with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who
heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers. 48His parents were astonished
when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “My son, why have you done this
to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.”
49He
answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to
be in my Father's house?”50But they did not understand his answer.
51So
Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His
mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew both in body and
in wisdom, gaining favour with God and people.
That’s
the classic Jewish way of reading the Scriptures.
There’s
a tendency among especially Protestant Christians to narrow the meaning down of
a passage of Scripture and say ‘this is what it means’. The Jewish way of
reading the Scriptures is always to ask more questions.
Luke
then tells us of the Preaching of John the Baptist and his arrest not before he
had shared in the Baptism of Jesus. We then learn of the Ancestors of Jesus and the temptation of
Jesus. And then Jesus’ ministry of teaching, and healing begins. It’s not long
before he goes back to Nazareth where he is welcomed as a teacher in the
Synagogue gathering that has been a part of his growing up. The place where
people teach and people ask questions of the Scripture.
Luke
has left us in no doubt by now that Jesus knows his Scriptures. No wonder he is
asked to speak.
Words
of Grace
Reading:
Luke 4:16-22
Then
Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he
went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures 17and was
handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the
place where it is written:
18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because
he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.
He
has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and
recovery of sight to the blind;
to
set free the oppressed
19and
announce that the time has come
when
the Lord will save his people.”
20Jesus
rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the
people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him, 21as he said to them,
“This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”
22They
were all well impressed with him and marvelled at the eloquent words that he
spoke. They said, “Isn't he the son of Joseph?”
The
Good news Bible lets us down when it speaks of ‘the eloquent words that he spoke.” Literally it can be translated ‘words of
grace’ that he spoke.
I
like that translation – that’s the point.
Jesus
speaks wonderful words of grace – that was the message of Jesus Luke had
absorbed from Paul – grace was at the heart of his understanding of the
Christian faith. It is right here at the beginning.
Let’s
join in singing a celebration of these words of grace …
Hy-Spirit – Only
by grace
But
something happens then that changes the atmosphere. In verse 22 everyone there
is well impressed and marvel at those words of grace.
But
by verse 28 the mood had changed and those there were filled with anger, filled
with rage so much so they took him out of the town and tried to push him over a
cliff. What happened to make them change?
Reading:
Luke 4:23-30
He
said to them, “I am sure that you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal
yourself.’ You will also tell me to do here in my home town the same things you
heard were done in Capernaum.24 I tell you this,” Jesus added, “prophets are
never welcomed in their home town.
25
“Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time
of Elijah, when there was no rain for 3.5 years and a severe famine spread
throughout the whole land.26 Yet Elijah was not sent to anyone in Israel, but
only to a widow living in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.27 And there were
many people suffering from a dreaded skin disease who lived in Israel during
the time of the prophet Elisha; yet not one of them was healed, but only Naaman
the Syrian.”
28When
the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger. 29They
rose up, dragged Jesus out of the town, and took him to the top of the hill on
which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff, 30but he
walked through the middle of the crowd and went his way.
The
powerful words from Isaiah 61 that Jesus reads from are like a manifesto
statement of his mission. And it’s what the people want to hear.
There’s
good news for the poor … but they really are only concerned about their own
poor.
There’s liberty for the captives but it’s really only their own captives they are concerned for.
There’s
sight for the blind so long as it’s their blind,
Freedom
for the oppressed so long as it is their oppressed.
All
that is taken for granted. And it’s so often how we feel. Charity starts at
home. It’s those who are like us we are concerned for.
But
Jesus then goes on to follow a classic Jewish way of teaching. He explains what
is meant in those words from Isaiah by telling two stories. It is not
insignificant that the first is a story of Elijah and the second a story of
Elisha. Elijah was the first of the great Prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures who
spoke God’s word to the powers that be of his time. And Elisha took up his mantle
and followed on in his footsteps.
Elijah
gave food to the Gentile widow of Zarepath and Elisha healed the Gentile
commander of the enemy Syrian army Naaman.
Jesus
left no one in any doubt hehad come to bring
Good
News to the poor whoever the poor might be, Jew and Gentile.
Liberty
for the captives whoever the captives might be, Jew and Gentile.
Sight
to the blind whoever the blind might be, Jew and Gentile.
Freedom
for the oppressed, whoever the oppressed might be, Jew and Gentile.
Here
Jesus is offering an alternative way of reading the Scriptures they had not
encountered before.
It
opens them out to include all people.
And
it is a powerful and radical way we need to hear today as well.
We
live in dangerous times.
It’s
our people that are all important.
No,
says Jesus it is all people that are all important.
The
first decade of the Twentieth Century was a time when people put us first –
Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem in which he said with great pride East is East and
West is West and never the twain shall meet.
The
Minister of one of our churches, who wrote poems and hymns under a pen name as
John OXenham, wrote a hymn that was a riposte to that Me First way of thinking.
624
In Christ there is no east or west
Prayers
of Concern
HTC
324 God of grace
Something
to share
A
Hy-Spirit Song
Words
of Blessing
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