Scripture: Luke 4: 14-22; 1 Cor. 12: 12-31 Nigel Bunce
Isaiah’s vision of the Spirit of the Lord animated Jesus, as Scripture tells us. It was not at some future time. It was, and is ‘today’. But it was also at the heart of St. Paul’s exhortations to his church in Corinth. And it must be ours, too, in our own time and in our own congregations. Today.
Context of today’s Gospel
Today’s Gospel reading finds Jesus at the very beginning of his public ministry. He has just returned from what I call his post-baptism retreat in the wilderness. He’s at his local synagogue, where he is reading Scripture. We learn that he was a regular member of the congregation.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
The particular Scripture was Isaiah [61: 1-2]: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me …” Jesus then said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” He was really saying, “Folks, I am the Messiah.”
This Gospel passage seems head-oriented, not heart oriented. The members of the synagogue had to know their Hebrew Scripture to understand what it meant. Because the Messiah was the one that God anointed. It’s an Epiphany reading, in which Jesus’ own words declared his Messiahship.
Today is the day of the Lord
What’s more, it was and is Today. Here and now. Just like Jesus’ first words in Mark, “The Kingdom of God has drawn near.” Mark and Luke both viewed God’s Kingdom, and Jesus’ Messiahship, as present events. Not future events
That contrasts with traditional Judaism. There, the Messiah, and hence God’s rule, will happen in the future. Similarly, many Christians believe that we will find God’s Kingdom in the afterlife. No, says Jesus, it is here. “Today!” right now.
Big implications
First, it tells us that we have to do our bit to bring about God’s righteous rule. It links directly to those baptismal promises we renewed two weeks ago. It’s human intervention that will solve the problems of our world – inequality, discrimination, environment, etc. Individually and collectively.
Second, we can’t expect a Second Coming of Jesus to fix the world. I strongly believe that those acclamations that we often use at Communion are wrong. Not ‘Christ will come again.’ But ‘Christ has already come again.’
But what about all those ‘Keep awake” stories?
But, you say, the Gospels have all this end-times stuff in them. Those stories about separating the sheep from the goats at the end of time? It seems to me that they reduce the Christ to Santa Claus. Checking his list to see who’s naughty and who’s nice.
The Gospels appeared when early Christians believed that Jesus would return very soon. To finish his work. That idea isn’t really tenable today. It’s up to us. E.g., to run or support food banks. Because our society is so unequal that some Canadians can’t afford to feed their families properly.
I think that was St. Paul’s idea when he wrote to his community in Corinth. Paul was an idealist. Last week, we read about each of us having different spiritual gifts. But all of them come from the same source (God). Together, they make up the community.
Paul’s metaphor
The various gifts are like the separate parts of the human body. We’ve heard the metaphor so often that it seems trite. The parts of the body coordinate with each other. Each part has it’s own role. Eyes see. Legs let us stand and walk.
But listen again, as if you hadn’t heard it before. It’s a brilliant argument against excessive individualism. “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you/” Or the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
Then he takes the argument back to the congregation. Everyone is necessary. For example, I preach and celebrate the Eucharist. But Petra looks after the finances, Bev maintains the prayer chain list, Bonnie keeps the rectory in good physical condition.
Everyone has a role to play in the Body of Christ
Whether that Body of Christ is local, as in our own congregation. Or whether we view the Body of Christ more widely, in our local community, in Ontario, across Canada, or even the world.
Moreover, all members must care for one another. When one suffers, all suffer. If one member receives honour, all should rejoice. But if that is true within a single congregation, it must also be true for society as a whole. And that brings us right back to those baptismal promises.
A real-life example
The federal government recently reached an agreement to pay $40 billion to compensate Indigenous children. Children wrongfully removed from their families, their communities. And to ensure that this practice does not continue.
It’s a lot of money. And we must all share in paying it. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. The just thing to do. And because the people concerned are all part of the body of Christ.
Church congregations, committed or not?
The latest issue of The Economist had a sobering article on the effects of the pandemic on churches. Many that were doing well before the pandemic have thrived, extended their reach. Previously struggling congregations are struggling even more.
I said earlier that today’s Gospel seems very head-oriented not heart oriented. Yet it’s clear that the most committed and active church congregations have a real, emotional commitment. Because, like Paul on the road to Damascus they have met the Risen Christ.
In the words of the hymn “Shine Jesus Shine,” their hearts are on fire. Paul’s encounter with Christ set his heart on fire. He was no longer just a tent-maker. He committed his new life to founding churches, and keeping in touch by writing letters.
Bringing the Spirit of the Lord to action today
So, Jesus first opened his mouth with the word, “Today”. That is a real challenge to us all. It’s not a call to help the oppressed, the poor, the spiritually blind at some convenient time in the future. When we get around to it. It is to do so today.
The Spirit of the Lord is on the people who give out sleeping bags to the homeless in our cities take them “today” whenever today is cold. There’s no point giving out sleeping bags in July and August. The need is ‘Today’. In January and February.
To sum up
In different contexts, Jesus and St. Paul both promoted the idea that the Spirit of the Lord must come upon us ‘today’, if our faith is to have meaning in the world.
Jesus parallels the words of the prophet Micah – “What does the Lord require of you? That you should do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.” But it is a call to do so today, and with a passion for the task.