October 30, 2022 ~ Reformation Sunday ~ Sermon & Zoom Worship Video Link

This is the Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/CWCQZD6jlR3e4Gpyk2E3UEfjoTYygJsiDl6ez9i_VSD1r0L4NGnkUjsuq-W2NoiQ.Dx_wFaRK_JmZeifu

Follow Jesus: Learn to Love Through the Lens of Love—Pt. 2         10/30/22—Highland—Meute

“Jesus’ Anointing Shows Us How God Sees”

Isaiah 58: 1-9a; Luke 4: 16-21

Pearl: The lens of love draws our eyes to see and notice with compassion people in their times of distress or need.

Function: To motivate listeners to, with compassion and love, act out love on behalf of the poor, the oppressed, the bound, the lonely, the hated, etc.

It was a day among days when Jesus entered the synagogue and was invited to read the scripture and comment on it.

1. It was a common practice in the synagogue at that time for men (and men only) to be invited to do this. The synagogue was the center of life for the faith community during Jesus’ lifetime. It was a place of instruction, worship, socializing, and organizing. There was only one temple but many synagogues.
   1. On this day, Jesus went to the synagogue to worship with his faith community as the scriptures read that “it was his custom.
      1. Jesus might have avoided public worship because the “religious system” was far from perfect and he didn’t need the instruction but it is worth attending to the fact that Jesus regularly made his way to the people’s “place of prayer.”
   1. Usually there were certain appointed readings for a given day similar to the lectionary today.
   1. It is unknown if Jesus read from the appointed readings that day, but it seems that Jesus purposely selected the reading that he wanted to read… that day. Because…remember, it was a day among days…for Jesus.
2. You can almost imagine the dramatic moment that it was for Jesus. He saw it as an opportunity.
   1. He chose the words of Isaiah 61 which speak of a prophet bringing hope and liberation.
      1. He sounded this hopeful word from the prophet.
      1. In his sermon after the reading, he made comments and the gist of his comments were this profound proclamation: “Today, I am fulfilling this same prophetic role. The one standing before you is fulfilling this very promise.”
   1. Jesus opened the window a little on his own growing suspicions that he was God’s Messiah.
      1. But his main business was to reveal that God’s reign was as real as ever. It was not a lost cause by any means.

There was something more that Jesus revealed that day of days. By choosing this passage he showed the essence of God’s loving prerogative. God’s love was a love and a grace which was especially directed to the poor, the oppressed, the handicapped,  and the disadvantaged.

1. God, of course, loves everyone but God loves like many mothers who tell their children and grandchildren that at any given time the one she loves the most is the one who needs her the most.
   1. This is God’s way. God sees and acts in loving ways toward those who need the divine the most: the poor, the oppressed, the handicapped, the one who can’t get a break. That action is for individuals and that loving action seeks to fix systems.

Followers of Jesus, it is our calling to act out love in this way, as well. This is the lens of love through which God sees. His eye always goes to such as these.

• God’s love has a unique bent toward the weak, the endangered, the hated. In this way, it often offends those with power and privilege.
  • The Pharisees and Sadducees despised the poor. Ancient philosophers neglected them.
    • But the gospel blesses them.
    • The gospel seeks to give comfort where it is felt to be needed and where it will be received with gratitude.
    • The gospel, like God, seeks to do good to those whom the world overlooks or despises.
• Not only does God’s loving grace offend those with power and privilege but it even offends those who are basically good and decent people.
  • It offends those who work hard and are active in their churches and serve in community service organizations and volunteer their time coaching youth teams and on and on.
    • Such good and decent people can take offense when God’s goodness and grace is extended to those who don’t do the same things or live the same way.
  • When God’s grace is extended to the murderer and the militant and those for whom we can find the least amount of love, we take offense.
  • God’s grace regularly offends our sensibilities at who God loves.
    • The latest winner of the designation as the “Nicest Place in America” is Coulterville, California. Dawn Huston co-owns Main Street’s Coulterville Café. Her description of her town reminded me of the world God wants.
      • The town’s residents include newcomers and old-timers, liberals and conservatives, people with money and people without. But what most locals share is the will to set aside differences when their place needs them to.
        • “It’s not what color you are, or what’s your politics or your sexuality. It’s, are you a good egg? Mostly it’s good eggs,” she says. “Everybody sees it as part of their responsibility to take care of themselves, but also to take care of their neighbors” (RD, October 2022).
        • Love your neighbors as you love yourselves. Huston’s description of Coulterville, CA, could be a good description of the followers of Jesus.

Followers of Jesus see the poor, the oppressed, the bound, and act for their liberation. This is how love sees.

One of the things Jesus included in his reading of the Isaiah prophecy was that he was declaring “the year of the Lord’s favor.” This was a reference to the “Year of Jubilee.”

1. Spelled out in Leviticus 25 the year of Jubilee was the fiftieth year: the year after a cycle of seven Sabbatical years (49 years). The main purpose of the Year of Jubilee was a balancing of the economic system.
   1. Slaves were set free and returned to their families.
   1. Property that was sold reverted to the original owners.
   1. Debts were canceled.
   1. The land lay fallow as humans and beasts rested and rejoiced in the Lord for a year!
2. Can you imagine if the Year of Jubilee was still practiced?!
   1. How many would take offense at the regular balancing of economics such that the poor would benefit?
   1. This is a physical working out of God’s love: to bring people out from under their burdens.
      1. Jesus’ mission, God’s mission, was both spiritual and physical.
      1. Saying that Jesus was bringing good news to the poor didn’t only mean that they were included in God’s salvation but that God wanted them to come out of their poverty during their lifetime.
   1. God’s love is both spiritual and physical. God’s kingdom is both spiritual and physical.
3. The gospel is not only for a life after death. My goodness, that is a huge diminishing of God’s intent.
   1. God intends people to have life now in all of its fullness.
   1. When people are oppressed and poor and imprisoned God wants them not only to know of his love but also to be liberated.
   1. God’s love liberates and makes life better today.
      1. Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
         1. He meant that God’s gracious and loving intent for creation was present and intended for NOW, not just every 50 years!

Can you imagine the protests at the Jubilee proposal to balance the economic systems of this world?

But this is precisely the nature of the love of God and the nature of God’s realm and God’s intent for his world.

1. God’s love is bent toward the poor, the oppressed, the handicapped, the weak, the persecuted, the sick, the despised, the foreigner, the list does not end.
   1. Love sees them all and love acts to liberate them all.
   1. This love is what motivates Jesus followers.
2. On that day of days, Jesus announced that all of God’s good intent was being fulfilled.
   1. That day continues TODAY AND TOMORROW AND FOREVER!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!
3. Jubilee is no longer meant for once every fiftieth year; Jesus said it is meant for everyday now. TODAY was the main point of Jesus’ sermon!
   1. God’s present kingdom is intended for EVERYDAY!!!