Luke 4:14-21

You had to be there. It was one of those things you had to see. Sure we had heard about the things that Jesus the Son of the Carpenter Joseph had done, but we all just as to see for ourselves.

So when we heard he would be in the synagogue everyone was there. It was a packed house. What would he do? Preach a fiery sermon like his cousin John. Would he heal the sick or cast out a demon or make the Romans disappear? Or maybe he would really do nothing. After all we know where he came from.

We had to see for ourselves if all we heard was true. So when it came time for Jesus to speak our eyes were glued on him. He read from Isaiah "The Spirit of the Lord is on me and has commissioned me to announce good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the oppressed, vision for the blind, liberation for the captives, and to proclaim that God's time has come."

When Jesus sat down to teach you could hear a pin drop and he said, "Today all that this Scripture says has happened before your very eyes!" Wait just a minuet! Do see what Jesus is saying? He is saying that because he is there, all these things are taking place. He is claiming that because he came, God's liberating power has been released. This is a testable claim. The empirical part of me say, "Well let's just test that." Can we see the things that Jesus has claimed are happening because of him?

Let's start with the first claim: to bring good news to the poor. So have the poor heard good news? I guess we need to ask what the prophet Isaiah meant by "poor." Poor is a loaded word. It of course means people who have little or no means. But in the Old Testament prophets it means more. You see the poor do not have power or wealth to put their trust in. The have nothing but God. So the poor are held up by the prophets as an example of faith and trust in God.

So do those who have little hear good news? What kind of good news could a poor person hear? On a material level you can say, "Yes." Christian churches have made care for the poor a priority. Just consider the ministries for those in material need just here in Columbia. All the soup kitchens and homeless shelters are evidence that the poor are receiving good news in the name of Jesus.

But on a deeper level are the "Poor in Spirit" hearing Good News? Are those who have no other recourse and have put their trust in God receiving good news? On that level God's power through the Holy Spirit is made available to them. God is with them because Jesus died and rose again and ascended to send it. They receive the Good News that through the Holy Spirit "All things work together for good" and that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

So claim number one is verified. The poor are receiving Good News because of Jesus.

What about claim number two: "proclaim release to the captives" I think this is basically the same as "to let the oppressed go free." Here again we could interpret this on both a physical and a spiritual level.

On the physical level there are people who are politically or socially oppressed and held captive. Through the ages Christians have fought for freedom from oppression. In the early church Christians campaigned against the Greek practice of "exposing" children. If a family had a child they did not want or that was disabled they would abandon the child in the wilderness. Christians became famous for taking these children in. More recently Christians have fought against slavery, against child labor, for women's rights, for civil rights and the list goes on.

On the spiritual level people can be oppressed by sin. Jesus died on the cross to take away our sin. Because of Jesus we are freed from sin and death. We have forgiveness and eternal life.

So claim number two is verified. On both levels the captives are released and the oppressed are set free.

What about the third claim: "recovery of sight to the blind." This was probably the most verifiable of the claims. Jesus was famous for giving sight to the blind. It was one of the most amazing of his miracles. And even his enemies could not deny that he did it. So they tried to discredit him in other ways. When Jesus healed the man born blind in John the religious leaders could not deny that a man born blind could see so they tried to say Jesus was a sinner because he healed on the Sabbath.

But this claim also has a spiritual interpretation. People are blind spiritually. Just look at the sky at night or the face of a baby. I see God in those things. I am sure many of you can too. But so many look at the world and are blind to the presence of God. But Jesus is able to give sight to those who are spiritually blind. I once was blind but now I see. Are you?

So claim number three is verified. Jesus gives sight to the blind.

I am sorry all you doubters but all three of these claims are empirically verifiable. The Poor hear good news. The captive are liberated. And the blind see.

But what about the last claim: "to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Has the time come for God's favor or grace to be poured out? Is this the right time for people to be liberated and be enlightened. Is today the day for you to hear Good News?

I think it is! Turn to God. Put your full trust in Jesus as the one who can bring you Good News and freedom and enlighten your heart. This is the right time for you to see with your own eyes the truth of Jesus Christ!

Do you want to hear some Good News? Do you want to be liberated from all that holds you captive in spirit? Do you want to see the glory of God that you are blind to now? Then give you life to Christ. Ask him to liberate you from sin and give light to your eyes. And before your very eyes you will see that now is the acceptable time for your salvation!

Psalm 19

"Oh Lord My God when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder thy power throughout the universe displayed." That is what the psalmist is talking about. He said, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." Just look at the night sky. God's glory is revealed in the stars.

I know I have shared with you before my interest in astronomy and science. I am personally one of those people who have never felt a conflict between science and religion. I believe that science glorifies God. By studying and trying to understand the world around us we can know God. We can see God's fingerprints on all that God created.

The psalmist said, "Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge." From the most distant quasar to the deepest trench under the ocean, all of creation glorifies God. Through creation God is speaking to us. "When through the woods and forest glades I wander and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze," Through all these things God is speaking to us.

God is speaking, but are people listening? The psalmist recognized the root of the problem. The heavens are telling to glory of God but not in human words. The stars have no voice in the literal sense. Yet their proclamation goes out through the universe.

My daughter Mary in always asking questions. One day she asked me how do we know that God exists. I could have said a million things, but instead I held up my hand. And I told her to consider the human hand. It is perfectly engineered for the needs of humans. That doesn't just happen! Someone designed it.

That truth and all the other questions and answers that follow from that are declared every day. Even something as ordinary and mundane as the rising and the setting of the sun glorify God. Yet there are many who don't hear the voice of creation. They see the beauty of the earth but don't see the beauty of the creator behind it.

God didn't stop with declaring his truth through creation. God sent his prophets to put God's truth in human terms. Psalm 19 says, "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." The law that the psalm refers to here is of course the books of Moses. Through them God gives us guidance and keeps us safe.

It is understandable that some people might not know God's will from the glory proclaimed through the creation. In fact through history many have mistaken creation for the creator. They have seen the glory of the Sun and stars and instead of glorifying God for these things they worshiped the sun and stars and moon. But there is not excuse for this mistake now. God has made it plain in the Bible. God is on the record as saying, "I am the creator and this is my creation."

So many people are seeking answers to life's questions. But God has provided those answers in his word. Some complain that the Bible is hard to understand. And it is sometimes, but life is hard to understand. There are no easy answers to the difficult questions of life.

God has spoken through creation and through the Bible, but God didn't stop there. It was not enough to put His Word in human terms. God also put his word in human form. As the hymn says, "And when I think that God his son not sparing sent him to die a I scarce can take it in. That on the cross my burden gladly bearing he bled and died to take away my sin."

Some people read the Bible and they think that God is a mean and vengeful God. They even point to natural disasters and argue that God is either insensitive to human suffering or indifferent or even mean. But you can't look at Jesus and come away with that conclusion. In him we see the grace and love of God laid open for all to see.

He bled and died for sinners. Even though he was sinless, he chose to take our sin on himself. He even prayed for the forgiveness of those who were crucifying him. You want to know what God is like? Look at Jesus and you will have your answer.

God has spoken to us through creation revealing his glory. And through the Bible God has spoken to us in human terms to give us knowledge and guidance. And God even sent his sun to be the Word in human form to reveal his love and grace in a personal way. God has done all this for us; for me and you! What should we do in response?

We should seek to glorify God like the stars in the heavens. We should seek to follow God's word in our lives. To know it and live it. And we should seek to know Jesus and live by his example.

Psalm 19 put it this way: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." But I also like the way the hymn puts it: "Then sings my soul my savior God to thee. How great thou art How great thou art" Like the hymn, the refrain of our lives should be to glorify God and declare "How Great Thou Art!"

Luke 4:14-21

"Why:" it was Mary and Kaitlyn's favorite word when they were small. They were constantly saying it. "Daddy, why do daddies make little girls go to bed at bed time?" "Daddy, why does it thunder?" Often times attempts to answer these questions simply lead to more questions. "Daddy, why are green beans green?" "Because then they wouldn't be green beans." "Why would they not be green beans?" "Because they would be blue or something. "Why would they be blue?" And so on...

Of course sometimes this was just a game in seeing how long Dad will keep answering questions until he loses patience. But it grew out of a very real interest and wonder. Why is the world the way it is? A growing mind starves for understanding. But a four-year-old's understanding is so lacking that the only question that comes forth is an all encompassing "why."

What ever happens to that thirst for knowledge? As we get older we stop asking and just accept that things are the way they are. We stop asking why. Why do we stop asking? Do impatient teachers and parents stomp out the fire of curiosity? Or do we just kind of get used to things and stop wondering. Why?

I look at our lesson from Luke today and I ask, "why?" And I want you to ask "Why" with me. So I am going to ask you to do something with me today. When I cue you I want the whole congregation to say "Why?"

It says, "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all."(Luke 4:14-15) Why did Jesus return to Galilee? Jesus had just defeated the Devil in the desert. The Devil was retreating so why did he return to Galilee of all places. It was a sparsely populated place with little political importance. Why didn't he go to Jerusalem or Rome where the real evil was? He had the Devil on the run he should have attacked the retreating forces of evil. Why did he teach in the synagogues? He was the Son of God. He could have been out changing the world. He could have turned deserts into seas and seas into deserts by simply muttering a word. He could have eliminated diseases with a mere thought. But, filled with the power of God, he chose to teach.

Jesus also said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."(Luke 4:18-19) Why did God anoint Jesus to preach to the poor? Why not to the rich. They are the ones with the power. If he could only change their hearts then they could make real change. Why did God send him to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind? Why waste time announcing it? Why didn't he just do it?

This lesson makes me ask "Why?" Why did Jesus come? Why did he do things the way he did? Why should I care that God's appointed time had come?

I have asked a lot of questions, Let me venture at some answers. Why did Jesus return to Galilee to preach in the synagogues? Because he cared. He cared more about the people than pursuing the Devil. He knew that the Devil's days were numbered. But his priority was to reach people; common people like you and me, with the good news of God's love and grace.

Why did he teach instead of working miracles. Well, the other Gospels tell us that he was working miracles. But the deeper truth of what God was doing through him was not how he could cleanse lepers or transform water into wine. The deeper truth that people needed to see was that through him God would cleanse souls and transform lives. If he merely worked wonders, then people would be entertained and amazed, but not changed.

Why did Jesus preach to the poor? Because the poor would listen. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."(Matthew 5:3) Those who are "poor in spirit" are those who realize that no matter how much wealth they have it doesn't amount to a hill of beans from an eternal perspective. The "poor in spirit" may have money, but they realize that they really have nothing if they have not the Kingdom of God in their hearts. So Jesus went to the "poor" who would listen and allow God to change them and use them.

Why did Jesus proclaim God's power instead of just doing it? Because God is so loving that He never forces anything on anyone. It hurts God when we hurt ourselves and others with our sinful ways. But God will not make us stop. However in Christ he offers to free us from the chains of sin and the bondage of evil. In Christ God offers to give us spiritual vision and lead us in eternal light. So Jesus proclaimed these blessings from God so that all who would accept salvation could come to him and receive it.

And the last question and perhaps the most important, why should I care that God's appointed time has come? I should care, and you should care, because the appointed time has come for God to bless and transform you and me. You see we all need Jesus. We all need spiritual cleansing. We all need to be renewed. In Christ God has offered us this. Jesus can come into our darkened lives and heal them, transforming us from children of darkness into children of the light.

Now is the acceptable time for God to do it. Jesus said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."(Luke 4:21) Not tomorrow, not next week, not when it feels right, but now. God offers each of us the salvation and grace to live that we need now. And now is the right time to ask for it and accept it. Now is the right time because we all need that help from God.

I am here today to tell you that in Jesus Christ all of God's promises are fulfilled. He will cleanse you and free you. Come to him for forgiveness. Come to him for cleansing and new life. Come to him for purpose and direction. Come to him for strength and joy and a peace that passes all understanding. Come to him.

Oh, you may say, "Well, preacher, you didn't convince me to come to Jesus." That may be so. But I did get you to ask, "why," and that's enough - for now.

1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Corinth was a very metropolitan city. It was on a very busy trade route between east and west. It was also near a port. Many ships docked there. People from all over the world stopped there. As a result Corinth had residents of many different nationalities. People traveling from the east or the west found it a good center from trade. So people from both Rome and the East established businesses there. The church at Corinth, to whom Paul was writing, was a reflection of the city. It included Jews and Gentiles. Many of Paul's converts were from the lower classes but some were wealthy. So it included slaves and the free, both rich and poor. It wasn't just the nationalities of the people that were varied, but also their means of religious expression.

Because of its location and diversity, Corinth was a good base of operations for spreading the good news. People from all over the world came to Corinth. Some would spend months at a time there before traveling on. This gave the Corinthian church a chance to make contact with people from all over. Once they had heard the good news they might go and tell it wherever they were going. The social diversity of the church also helped. For instance the slave members of the church would have contact with the galley slaves of the ships or the servants of wealthy travelers. They could tell them the good news of Jesus Christ. Likewise the wealthy members of the church would make other contacts and tell them. Jews and Gentiles usually did not associate if they did not need to. So a Jewish traveler would find the home of a fellow Jew to stay in. If that happened to be a Jew who belonged to the Corinthian church he would get to hear that the messiah had come.

Unfortunately, as is often the case, this diversity created trouble. The free people looked down on the slaves. Some Jews refused to eat with the Gentiles. Even at their family night suppers the rich would feast while the poor went hungry. In worship the diversity of their religious expression created friction. One thought it was too noisy and another thought it was too quiet. One thought it was chaotic and another thought it was too structured.

Often people are slow to accept those different from themselves, and the Corinthians were no different. Paul knew that the diversity of the Church was its strength. And he found a beautiful way to explain it to the Corinthians. He said the church is a body. Paul didn't say it is like a body. He said the church is a body. The church is the body of Christ. Because it is a body, it is made of many different parts. This is necessary. A body needs different organs to perform different vital functions. And without all the organs the body would die. In a body, diversity or form and function are a matter of survival. So an eye could not say to the foot, "I do not need you." Nor the ear to the hand, "I do not need you." Every part of the body needs every other part. This had several applications to the Corinthian church.

It spoke to their diversity of nationalities and stations of life. If they were all important then the rich should not despise the poor even if the poor paid less into the treasury. Likewise the Jews should not despise the Gentiles because the Jews knew the Bible better. And just because you were free doesn't mean a slave cannot sit on your pew. They all needed each other. They were all part of God's plan. Every member of the Corinthian church was a vital organ in Christ's body.

It also applied to their worship. In their community many spiritual gifts were represented. Some people had a gift for understanding God's will, they were prophets. Some had a gift for interpreting the Bible they were preachers and teachers. Some had the gift of speaking in tongues as the spirit led them. But the teachers thought the prophets and tongue speakers were getting in the way of the people trying to take notes. The Tongues speakers thought the teachers and prophets were getting in the way of their attempt to just praise God. And the prophets though everyone else should stop and consider what God wanted. But all their gifts were important to the life of the church. They all contributed to glorification and praise of God.

What was true about the Corinthian church is still true today. The church is the body of Christ. Like any body it is made of many different parts. And all these parts are important. They are all vital organs. The United Methodist Church is a good example of this, and so is Grace.

In the Untied Methodist Church there are many different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. Africans, Europeans, Asians, Native Americans, those who speak English and those who don't. But each of these brings a special gift to the community. When we seek God's will and to understand the Scriptures different points of view are important. I love to discuss the Bible with others. I always learn something. Other people come to the Bible with different experiences and they see things I don't. Those different perspectives are a gift from God. They are all vital to our religious life. As small as we are Grace is a good example of this. This is a surprisingly diverse church and we all learn from one another.

What Paul said to the Corinthians also applies to our worship life. Present in our church are many different ideas about how to worship. If you go to several United Methodist Churches you will see this. Some congregations have very formal orders of worship where all the prayers are read. Some churches are more relaxed and informal. In some United Methodist Churches they shout and say amen when they like what the preacher says. In some they even speak in tongues. Yes, in United Methodist Churches! Praise the Lord! These are all gifts from God. Both the formal and the informal. Both the reverent and the charismatic. Don't despise any of them. Don't say to the formal Methodist priests in their white albs, "I do not need you." And don't say to the charismatic Methodist congregations, "I can do without you." We can't. We can't do without each other. We are all vital parts of the Body of Christ. The church is an organism and we are its organs.

The lesson that Paul was trying to teach was so simple, but the church still seems to fail to hear it. The Church of Christ still seems set on mutilating itself. High church people look down on the low church. Fundamentalists look down on Pentecostals, Pentecostals look done on the liberals, and the liberals look down on everybody. But doesn't God give us different points of view to teach us. And blacks and whites still can't seem to worship together in most places.

But we are all one body. We have all been baptized into Christ: Black and white, Charismatic and formal. We are all empowered by the same spirit. You wouldn't cut off you left hand because it is the opposite of your right. Then why should we cut off our sisters because they look different. You wouldn't cut off you nose because it doesn't see straight. Then why should we cut off our brothers because they worship differently.

We, like the Corinthians, have a lot to learn. And God has provided for us the means to learn what we need to know. It is in one another, each of us has a gift to offer the others. Just as the organs of a body nourish one another and keep one another alive and healthy, so the parts of Christ's body feed one another. That means not just that you should not exclude your brothers and sister, it also means you should not exclude yourself. You are a part of the body of Christ. When you withdraw from the church you are cutting off a part of the Body.

We need each other. I didn't say it is better to accept the differences than to not. I said it is a matter of survival that we accept one another. A human body cannot live for long with out even one of its vital organs. If we want to survive we must accept all the gifts that God gives us. We must accept all our brothers and sisters who are different.

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