I. Theme – The power given us through God’s love and presence.
Brow of the Hill Near Nazareth" ” – James Tissot (1886-1894)
"When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They 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. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way." – Luke 4:28-30
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm – Psalm 71:1-6
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Gospel – Luke 4:21-30
Today’s readings reveal the power given us through God’s love and presence. Jeremiah protests his call to prophesy, but God commands him to speak boldly. Paul teaches a quarreling community that, while all the spiritual gifts have value, respect and love for each other deeply empower us. Jesus proclaims that the power of his ministry will not be confined to his hometown or even to his faith community.
The two major themes in this week’s reading stand out in clear relief: Firstly, God’s grace is not always a comfortable and gentle thing to experience. Integral to God’s grace is the work of justice which distresses the comfortable and self-assured (the "no") even as it comforts the distressed (the "yes"). Jeremiah is told that his message will not only build up but break down; The psalmist reflects on his vulnerability and the threat of evil in spite of his long life of relationship with God; The love that Paul speaks about is not an easy or comfortable way to follow, but challenges our self-centredness and lethargy toward others; and finally, Jesus makes it clear that his ministry is not “friendly” and non-disruptive, but a life-changing, all-inclusive confrontation of self-righteousness and injustice
Secondly, as with Jesus’ near execution in Luke, those who choose to follow Christ in his liberating work, must expect that they will find themselves in confrontation with injustice and those who propagate it. This will inevitably lead to great sacrifice and suffering. The work of grace is not all acceptance and healing. Sometimes it is a wounding battle – not least because we are called to love even those we challenge
II. Summary
Old Testament – Jeremiah 1:4-10
Before beginning his oracles against Judah and Jerusalem (1:4 – 25:13b), the prophet discloses the call he experienced from God.
The reading describes Jeremiah’s call to be a prophet according to the typical pattern of the Old Testament: call, hesitation and divine affirmation. Like Moses, Isaiah and Ezekiel, Jeremiah pleads his incapacity to serve as God’s prophet. He claims that he is too young but is overruled. The lord will put the words of God in Jeremiah’s mouth
God explains God’s knowledge of Jeremiah from his conception. In fact God intimately knows Jeremiah, having been instrumental in his formation within the womb. God goes on describing this intimate knowledge and indeed dedication with the phrases, “I knew you”, “I consecrated”, and “I appointed.”
Jeremiah’s job is to stand firm, not to tremble before the hostility of his audience but to speak clearly the judgments of God. God makes no promises about the ease of his mission; in fact, Jeremiah is guaranteed a battle. Nevertheless God’s presence is with Jeremiah, undergirding his obedience with divine strength
Psalm – Psalm 71:1-6
Psalm 71:1-6 echo back to the Call of Jeremiah in the understanding that God has known us from the beginning of creation, from before we were born. It is a prayer for God to protect and be a refuge This psalm appears to be the reflections of an older person looking back on both life and mission, and seeing the support that God has given
God is the one who delivers us. God is both creator and midwife, calling us into being and bringing us into life, delivering us out of the darkness. God is our protector and defender, as a loving mother or father, in whom we put our trust.
This lament expresses both the vulnerability of old age and its advantage of confidence based upon long experience (vv. 5-6, 17). He cries out for vindication, mingling expressions of his plight, of supplication and of trust, and vows to give thanks for God’s deliverance (vv. 22-24).
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Today’s reading sets Paul’s praise of love within the context of the meaning of spiritual gifts. The Corinthians struggled with the value and exercise of spiritual gifts within the community. Greater honor was given to those who possessed the more extraordinary gifts (v. 27).
Paul insists that no spiritual gift, no matter how powerful, is a true measure of a person’s spiritual maturity. Without love, the gifts are worthless. Instead, God’s unmerited love to us and from us to others (in Greek, agape), is the essential gift of divine life and is the necessary context that gives all the spiritual gifts value.
1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most familiar passages of the Bible, speaking of love. It is often read at weddings, though it is not speaking of romantic love. This kind of love is one that is selfless, uniting, encouraging, and fuels faith. Because we love others, we have faith. Because we love God, we have faith. Faith without love is forced, coerced. Faith with love is genuine. Love is what gives meaning to life. Love gives meaning to our life and faith—and indeed, because the greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbor as oneself, this is the sum of our faith: Love one another. For we don’t love God if we don’t love our neighbor. If we do not have love, we have nothing, we are nothing.
Gospel – Luke 4:21-30
Jesus’ sermon in the synagogue at Nazareth and the public’s reaction to it foreshadow the meaning of his ministry, its rejection by Israel and the mission to the Gentile world. The reaction of the people points back to the temptation (4:9) and forward to the crucifixion that took place outside the city.
Luke 4:21-30 gives the second half of the story begun in verse 14 that was part of last week’s readings. Jesus has just read from the scroll of Isaiah in his hometown synagogue, and has told them that the scripture has been fulfilled in their hearing. This is followed by Luke’s code word of belief and acceptance – “all…were amazed.”
The people like this, they speak well of him. They like hearing that God is doing good things and that they are a part of those good things. They know that Jesus has been healing and performing miracles and they believe they will be part of this, too. However, Jesus tells them that they won’t, because no prophet is accepted in their hometown. He speaks of the miracles of Elijah and Elisha, who healed those who were outside of their community, even outside of Israel, not even of their own people. The homily based on the prophet Elijah points to the inclusion of people outside of the community of Israel, namely the widow of Zarephath (Phoenician), and Naaman (Syrian) who was a leper. This is very much a Lucan emphasis on those who have been overlooked or marginalized.
And Jesus plans to follow in their footsteps! Like the prophets, Jesus speaks to those who will listen, ministers to those who will accept his touch and heals those who believe. He will not allow his mission to be limited by any religious or geographical boundaries.
It is this outlook that enrages the Nazarenes, so keenly aware of the chosen nature of Israel. Like their ancestors, they are offended by the idea that God can work in and through "outsiders. " That is not how a prophet or even a Messiah is supposed to act or speak! The prophet is supposed to say “Good job!” The Messiah is supposed to say, “You have been right all along, it’s those other people who are out!” Instead, Jesus tells them that it is the outsiders who will receive him, not them. And just like we learn from Jeremiah, prophecy is a risky business. The people are enraged, drive him out of town and want to kill him by throwing him off a cliff.
III. Articles for this week in WorkingPreacher:
Old Testament – Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm – Psalm 71:1-6
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Gospel – Luke 4:21-30