26th April 24

Good morning!

 

Lovely day...and I have to spend it shut away in a classroom. Now I know many of you would say that’s probably where I need to be, but look at that sun- I would much rather be out in the sunshine! Hey ho...let’s hope it’s sunny tomorrow?

 

Today’s reading Luke 4: 14-30

 

 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. ¹⁵He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
¹⁸ ‘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,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
²⁰And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ ²²All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ ²³He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ’ ²⁴And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. ²⁵But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; ²⁶yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. ²⁷There were also many lepers^a in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ ²⁸When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. ²⁹They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. ³⁰But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

 

Reflection..... what kind of sermon so infuriates the hearers that they want to kill the preacher? .....maybe you had better not answer that....Historically, Nazareth and Galilee were some of the ancient tribes that originally settled, but in Jesus’ time the area was heavily occupied, God’s people had to endure humiliation of daily life under a foreign power, mourning their own lost history, and it was hugely resented.

In the Synagogue Jesus reads from Isaiah, the core of the prophecy being that God will vindicate the people in the face of their enemies, something that appeared not to be happening and the people of first century Israel were certainly living for just that day. Who wouldn’t? But Jesus misses bits out of the reading, specifically the bits about exclusive vindication and restoration., instead he kind of focuses on the bits about God’s favour and blessings on the outsiders, and holds them up as examples, and so “a text of judgement was transformed from a message of grace, and his listeners were incensed”.

So is revealed the shocking, un bordered, inclusivity of God’s love, and if it doesn’t unsettle us too, maybe we really have just not got it yet. It’s almost a scandal of the gospel, and it’s not fair! All this blessing and favour and mercy and love keeps going to the wrong people, as far as the people see it, and so for them it’s endure a theological melt down or kill him. Thank goodness we know better, and that God’s love is for all, whoever they are....so maybe the vicar’s safe next time she preaches God’s love for all!

 

Please continue to pray for His Majesty, King Charles and for her Royal Highness, Catherine Princess of Wales.

God of mission,

Who alone brings growth to your church,

Send you Holy Spirit to give

Vision to our planning,

Wisdom to our actions,

Joy to our worship,

And power to our witness.

Help your church to grow in numbers,

In spiritual commitment to you,

And in service to our local community.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Off to pack my bag for training........ugh!

See you Sunday? Service at 10.30am, I’m going, it’ll be good, why not come with me?

 

Rev Rie