The text of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL on January 31, 2010
This morning’s Bible reading is from Luke 4:21-30
Provocative
In this week’s Bible reading from Luke 4:21-30 (following what we started last week), everyone loved Jesus. They were all so proud that he had healed folks, welcomed folks, and proclaimed that God’s promises were now being fulfilled.
Until he started to say more. . . It was sort of like this.
“You don’t really respect me. I’m going to say stuff that is going to make your brains hurt and that will make you angry. You think that you’re the ones who are the oppressed? You’re the oppressors! You don’t get it! Just because there are people being healed and there’s a whole bunch of people following me, it doesn’t mean that you’re going to somehow become rich or powerful. Quit thinking of yourselves and notice that I’m talking about God’s good news for the whole world!”
You may be wondering. Where did I get the “You’re the oppressors!” stuff.
When he talked about Elijah and a severe famine, Jesus said that Elijah was sent only to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.
When he talked about Elisha and many lepers, Jesus said that only Naaman the Syrian was cleansed.
Zarephath in Sidon and Syria.
The people in the temple might have cringed at the sound of the places. God’s chosen people didn’t think that the dogs should have any of what God had promised them. But Jesus reminded them that God’s promises were for everyone – not just the ones who thought they were in the club by birthright.
It’s interesting that in two other Gospels, Matthew and Mark, Jesus had to be reminded of this reality by a Syrophonecian woman. He was hiding out and resting and a woman asked her to heal her daughter. Jesus said that it wasn’t fair to give the children’s food to the dogs. And the woman told Jesus right back: “Even the dogs under the table get the children’s crumbs.”
What’s more interesting? Jesus came for everyone – not just the people who think they’re the important ones.
And to the crowd Jesus was talking to – Gentiles were out of the club. God was gonna get them and give all the power back to the children of Israel. So – the people in the temple were the oppressors. They didn’t like hearing it.
Anyone who heard harsh words similar to that from someone they thought was going to let them reap some rewards might get angry. They did. They tried to throw him off a cliff.
But here’s where I want to spend some extra time today. Maybe, if even for just a moment, they started to understand what he was trying to say.
But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Some want to make this into a “Jesus became untouchable” or “Jesus passed through them as if they were just air” or “Jesus raised his arms and calmed the storm of people.” They count this event among the miracles attributed to Jesus.
But maybe the people were angry, but not angry enough to kill.
There were always debates in the temple. Sometimes the debates got heated. I don’t know if there were any other times where the people tried to throw someone off a cliff.
Maybe someone got the attention of the crowd and said. “Wait! What are we doing? Are we going to kill this teacher because we don’t like what he said? Are we going to kill this healer because he’s not going to do magic for us? Are we going to kill this child of Nazareth because he’s not giving us license to gain power and wealth because we knew him when he was a kid?”
Maybe they all took a deep breath, thought about Jesus’ message of Good news being for everyone, and watched, thoughtfully, as he walked away.
I wonder if Jesus’ words provoke us to anger today? I wonder if we can, in those moments or even seasons of anger, take a breath and look at God’s bigger picture?
Remember these words – similar to last week’s prayer of invocation:
Let us pause before we speak or praise or hope.
Let us look inward seeking to discover eternal truths implanted there by God.
Let us remember that to be loud is not to be right.
Let us remember that to be a foreigner is not to be mistreated.
Let us remember that to be dark is not to be ugly.
Let us remember also the words of Oscar Romero. “We who have a voice must be a voice for the voiceless.”
Our job is to love God and to love everyone. And never try to throw someone off a cliff.
Close with prayer.
Union Congregational, United Church of Christ - Somonauk, IL 