24th Jan, Third Sunday After Epiphany

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +

Text: Luke 4:21
Theme: Today the Scripture is Fulfilled

Dear baptized in the Lord Jesus,

Salvation is not found in special knowledge, or acquired through moral rectitude, but received as a gift from a personal, living Being. Reading words from Isaiah in Hebrew Jesus said “The Spirit of Yahweh (the Lord) is on Me; because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.”1 Today Jesus clearly identifies Himself as the Messiah and will soon say He is one with the Father. The name Yahweh, or Lord, was reserved as the personal, covenantal, intimate name of God. For Jesus to be called “Lord” (Yahweh) was more than a designation of respect. It was an acknowledgement of identity and a confession of faith. Jesus was more than a prophet, soothsayer, sage or miracle worker. He is God-in-the-flesh, Immanuel. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Scripture was fulfilled in Him. That was conveyed to the Jews in their own context and way of thinking when Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am.”2 Many Jews could not accept it though they should have known better. Where was their trust?

It’s easy to point out the speck in another person’s eye and not see the log in our own. Faith is a mysterious entity. It cannot be programmed or predicted. The object of faith, Christ- is immovable and unchangeable- but the person who possesses faith is always in a state of flux. Though we grow in our knowledge of God’s Word and in certainty of His promises, we should never lose appreciation of how radical, unreasonable, and yet transformational this truth of God is, as it becomes available to us in the person of Jesus. This is never to be taken for granted. How uninterested Western Christianity often seems to be in the gospel!

Though grounded on the solid rock of Christ, faith always appears to be on the edge of a precipice precisely because faith dares to believe that without Christ we ultimately have nothing of value or permanence. To the purely rational person this will always seem to be an untenable claim. Even if one accepts the well-known history that Jesus of Nazareth lived in first century Judea, unfairly died a criminal’s death by Roman crucifixion, and was seen alive after His burial by many followers; it is still a giant leap to the meaning of His life, death and resurrection. To be unjustly sentenced and punished is one thing; to say it was the sacrifice for the sins of the world is another. All the hopes and aspirations of humanity pinned on this one man? In fact, this leap is so great it cannot be made under human power. Not by human intellect, or wit, or perseverance or act of will can the unenlightened person come to terms with this truth. This leap can only be made by the gift the Holy Spirit.

And so it is with our spiritual lives from beginning to end. The breach of sin cannot be crossed from our side. This is true not only as a matter of ability but also of desire. Repentance does not begin through the initiative of the human will. To ask a person, under their own power and apart from the Holy Spirit’s working through the Word of God to initiate repentance- which involves turning from sin and trusting in Christ- is like giving a verbal command to a deaf man or motioning to a blind man. Put simply, we languish in spiritual death until the Holy Spirit acts upon us.

But the person enlivened by Word and Spirit is regenerated and transformed. The heart has new trust, the mind new wisdom, and the will new desires. The believer recognises he or she has become the object of the fulfillment Jesus speaks of today. “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”3

The unbelieving world desperately needs to hear of the hope He brings. This is the gospel message we bring to a universe commandeered by sin. Only the truth of Christ gives real and enduring life. There is a world of difference between believing generally in a powerful, but anonymous God, and believing in Jesus who died for your sins. That world of difference is ultimately defined as the difference between heaven and hell. In our efforts to be winsome and faithful witnesses we must make important distinctions. One person may be naïve or uninformed about who Christ is and why He came, while another either denies they need the forgiveness of sins or that Christ is able and willing to grant it. There is a whole range of complexities in between and great patience and wisdom is required to bring clarity.

All believers are part of that body of Christ and this state of being has specific consequences. What is the activity of those gathered as the communion of saints? What engages the time, talents, and resources of those who are part of the “one holy Christian and apostolic church?” Is it not to live in the reign of the Messiah’s kingdom even now-today? Christianity is not like a life insurance policy that goes into effect only after death. In baptism our sinful nature is plunged into death with Christ and the Spirit raises us with Him even now to a new spiritual life. The life you have in Christ impacts others everyday in many ways. Your helping hand, your open ear, your gentle touch, your willing heart is God’s method to extend hope, encouragement, security and release to those who daily deal with the powers of darkness. How important to the Christians in Haiti is the reality of the body of Christ right now! We may experience tragedy and death as individuals but to experience it on such a massive scale is surely horrifying. Help, wisdom, comfort, and consolation is required on every level of human need.

But you don’t have to be good at all these things. What does Paul say about how the Spirit gifts His people? “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”4 Of course not! But that doesn’t make any one person any less important than anyone else. We all have our place but we participate in the common gifts which are the means of God’s presence. Note how marvelously St. Paul describes our sacramental life together. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts...they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free- and were all given the one Spirit to drink.”5

So those Bible verses which may appear to be directives are descriptives of how life together has concrete expression. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”6 Don’t expect that glib reassurance that God is in control will salve the wounds of those who are hurting or automatically convince those who doubt. But never underestimate the power truth has when conveyed with integrity and concern. Christianity is not simply a basis for morality, social stability, or obligatory- but presently ineffectual- insurance against future risk. Jesus said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”7 Paul says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”8 You are forgiven. You are justified. You are freed. In Christ, these promises to you have been fulfilled. Amen.

+ in nomine Jesu +


1 Luke 4:18
2 John 8:58
3 Luke 4:18-19
4 1 Corinthians 12:29-30
5 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
6 Romans 12:15
7 Luke 4:21
8 2 Corinthians 6:2