Luke 4:38-44
The nature of God’s reign is inherently good. That’s one message we find in today’s gospel reading: “But [Jesus] said to them, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.’ So he continued proclaiming the message in the synagogues of Judea” (Luke 4:43-44). But what constitutes “good news”? The definition we choose will go a long way in determining how we understand God’s work within human history and beyond. Actually, this term is used a number of times in Luke, from the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Zechariah announcing the “good news” of the birth of John (1:19), to the angel’s sharing “good news of great joy” with shepherds guarding their flocks near Bethlehem (2:10). Jesus himself quotes the prophet Isaiah in claiming that his ministry includes bringing “good news to the poor” (4:18), a theme he returns to in his conversation with the disciples of John (7:22). This “good news” then is bound up in the work of Jesus Christ and those, like John, who point toward him.
But as joyous and profound as this “good news” is, it can not be isolated from the reality of the world as we know it. After all, much of Jesus’ time was dedicated to healing illnesses and casting out demons, to calming fears and announcing God’s judgment, to feeding the hungry and restoring the lost. These conditions and needs existed within the created order, plaguing many and making life more difficult. But the hunger and illness and fear in no way preclude the goodness of what God is doing in and through Jesus Christ. To all such cases Jesus brings good news in the form of the coming reign of God. Like a beam of light that ejects all darkness before it, the validity of God’s new creation opens a passage forward. Now lives lived in turmoil have a chance at redemption. Now hurt and anger can be set aside and reconciliation claimed. Angry voices can now be tuned to praise and sharp words to the work of building community.
Jesus shared good news wherever he went. That same good news remains a potent, indeed, all-consuming force for goodness and mercy. When we accept what God is doing now and what God has promised in the future, we prepare ourselves to do our part in changing the world.
Prayer: Almighty God, may we live as messengers of good news and as agents of your gospel until your kingdom arrives in it fullness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Showing posts with label Luke 7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luke 7. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Aren’t We All?
Luke 7:36-50
"If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him - that she is a sinner" (Luke 7:39). According to Luke’s gospel this is what Jesus’ host was thinking to himself as a certain woman of the city tended to Jesus during dinner. Jesus, of course, knew the thoughts of his host and responded with a parable about forgiveness. But both Luke and the Pharisee of Luke’s story refer to the woman as “a sinner.” Aren’t we all sinners? Couldn’t this be said of anyone who touched Jesus?
Luke and the Pharisee in the account are using the term “sinner” in a very particular way. Whatever this woman was known for—prostitution?—it was significant enough to set her apart from the rest of her community, like the large “A” that Hester Prynne is forced to wear in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. That much is never questioned in Luke’s story. The woman tending to Jesus is guilty of something that her society does not accept as appropriate. Yet, in reflecting the grace of God Jesus is willing to offer forgiveness to this particular woman anyway, to claim her as one of God’s children, and to lift up her actions as commendable compared to the sparse hospitality shown Jesus by his host.
The point seems clear. We may wish to judge one another, to point out the faults of those around us, to call others to account for their misdeeds, but if Jesus was willing to forgive a woman of her sin—a woman who was without question guilty—then perhaps we should not be in too big a hurry to condemn or judge others. Jesus will always have the final word anyway, and in grace that final word may come as a real surprise to us.
Prayer: Lord, may we who have been forgiven by you, find ways by which to forgive one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
"If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him - that she is a sinner" (Luke 7:39). According to Luke’s gospel this is what Jesus’ host was thinking to himself as a certain woman of the city tended to Jesus during dinner. Jesus, of course, knew the thoughts of his host and responded with a parable about forgiveness. But both Luke and the Pharisee of Luke’s story refer to the woman as “a sinner.” Aren’t we all sinners? Couldn’t this be said of anyone who touched Jesus?
Luke and the Pharisee in the account are using the term “sinner” in a very particular way. Whatever this woman was known for—prostitution?—it was significant enough to set her apart from the rest of her community, like the large “A” that Hester Prynne is forced to wear in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. That much is never questioned in Luke’s story. The woman tending to Jesus is guilty of something that her society does not accept as appropriate. Yet, in reflecting the grace of God Jesus is willing to offer forgiveness to this particular woman anyway, to claim her as one of God’s children, and to lift up her actions as commendable compared to the sparse hospitality shown Jesus by his host.
The point seems clear. We may wish to judge one another, to point out the faults of those around us, to call others to account for their misdeeds, but if Jesus was willing to forgive a woman of her sin—a woman who was without question guilty—then perhaps we should not be in too big a hurry to condemn or judge others. Jesus will always have the final word anyway, and in grace that final word may come as a real surprise to us.
Prayer: Lord, may we who have been forgiven by you, find ways by which to forgive one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Don’t Be Offended
Luke 7:18-35
In our passage from Luke’s gospel for today we read, “And (Jesus) answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me’” (Luke 7:22-23). This is a curious list of attributes that Jesus gives as evidence of his identity. Not the first several, of course. Healing the blind, the lame, those with leprosy, the deaf; raising the dead; bringing good news to the poor; all of these make sense. But what does it mean when Jesus blesses those who are not offended by him?
If we reflect back over earlier sections of Luke we may recall events in 4:18-19 where Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah as a means of inaugurating his ministry. There is some overlap in the sections. Both refer to healing the blind in particular, and to good news for the poor. These passages seem to serve the same purpose. But as a result of his comments in chapter 4, Jesus finds himself driven out of town and threatened with stoning (vv. 29-30). Why? Apparently the crowd that day had been offended by his words. Now, a bit further on in the gospel, John’s disciples ask Jesus to make his identity clear. Jesus points to the work he is doing but makes the additional comment that those who are willing to accept him will be blessed.
Are we offended by Jesus? Does he say and do things that we’d rather he didn’t? Does he push us in uncomfortable directions? In all honesty, if Jesus doesn’t fluster us it probably means we aren’t paying attention. But when we do listen, and when we are willing to hear Jesus’ words as grace and not as an inconvenience, we will find ourselves blessed by the encounter.
Prayer: O God, open our hearts to your word that we may become what you intend us to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
In our passage from Luke’s gospel for today we read, “And (Jesus) answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me’” (Luke 7:22-23). This is a curious list of attributes that Jesus gives as evidence of his identity. Not the first several, of course. Healing the blind, the lame, those with leprosy, the deaf; raising the dead; bringing good news to the poor; all of these make sense. But what does it mean when Jesus blesses those who are not offended by him?
If we reflect back over earlier sections of Luke we may recall events in 4:18-19 where Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah as a means of inaugurating his ministry. There is some overlap in the sections. Both refer to healing the blind in particular, and to good news for the poor. These passages seem to serve the same purpose. But as a result of his comments in chapter 4, Jesus finds himself driven out of town and threatened with stoning (vv. 29-30). Why? Apparently the crowd that day had been offended by his words. Now, a bit further on in the gospel, John’s disciples ask Jesus to make his identity clear. Jesus points to the work he is doing but makes the additional comment that those who are willing to accept him will be blessed.
Are we offended by Jesus? Does he say and do things that we’d rather he didn’t? Does he push us in uncomfortable directions? In all honesty, if Jesus doesn’t fluster us it probably means we aren’t paying attention. But when we do listen, and when we are willing to hear Jesus’ words as grace and not as an inconvenience, we will find ourselves blessed by the encounter.
Prayer: O God, open our hearts to your word that we may become what you intend us to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Remember My Chains
Jeremiah 32:1-15
Colossians 3:18-4:18
Luke 7:36-50
At the conclusion of the letter to the church at Colossae Paul stops dictating to a scribe, takes the writing implement into his own hand, and adds a few words. Among them are these: “Remember my chains” (Colossian 4:18). Presumably he is asking his readers to pray for him in his imprisonment. But is it also possible that he is apologizing for his poor handwriting caused by restricted movement? No matter. Despite his imprisonment Paul is determined to continue sharing the gospel with all who will listen.
The prophet Jeremiah was also imprisoned. He had chosen a time of national crisis to express God’s judgment and been arrested for it. He might have grown discouraged or disgusted, yet when given the chance he offered a sign of profound hope by purchasing a field. The day will come, he was saying, when God’s people will be restored to their land (Jeremiah 32:15). The woman in Luke’s account did not live in literal chains, but she was bound by her reputation which, according to Jesus’ host, was as “a sinner” (Luke 7:39). But even her lowly social status did not prevent the woman from ministering to Jesus or receiving his assurance of forgiveness.
You and I carry chains as well: of sin, regret, loss, anger. We might consider our condition to be more than we can overcome. We might give up and become passive, allowing our faith to dwindle. Or we could remember Paul, Jeremiah, and the unnamed woman from Luke’s gospel, each a person bound in some way yet determined to serve God as best they could. Seen in this light our chains become far less significant to who we are and our opportunities to serve become far more numerous. There are tasks to be done, and by the grace of God we are the folks called to do them. In this way we will find our true freedom.
Prayer: God of freedom and mercy, help us to rise above that which binds us and to embrace the good news of the gospel as a message to share and a path to trod. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Accusations All Around
Hosea 9:1-9
Acts 24:1-23
Luke 7:36-50
In each of our readings today someone is being accused of something by someone else. In Hosea, Israel is accused by the prophet of “playing the whore, departing from (their) God” (Hosea 9:1), and of being deeply corrupted (v. 9). In response, the people find fault with God’s messenger. “The prophet is a fool,” they say, “the man of the spirit is mad” (v. 7). In Acts, Paul stands accused of being “a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Paul, of course, denies any of this to be true (vv. 18-21). And finally in Luke, Simon the Pharisee is convinced that Jesus must not be a prophet or else he would have known the nature of the woman who was anointing his feet with ointment and tears (Luke 7:39). Jesus, for his part, points out Simon’s inhospitality and relative lack of faith (v. 41ff).
What are we to make of all these charges and countercharges? Is the Christian faith really all about arguments, litigation, and controversy? As often as it may seem so, the Christian faith is not about such divisive activities. Indeed, the call of Christ is to become a part of the community, his body at work in the world. The fact is that human sin makes this call far more challenging than it ought to be. As a result contentiousness arises, accusations are made, tempers flare. But notice that in each case God’s word is active, providing an alternative to human wrangling. In Hosea, God judges the people but continues to offer direction and hope. Paul is able to make a defense because, as we’ve seen earlier in Acts, he has the courage of conviction (Acts 23:11; see the previous entry, “Courage!”). Jesus offers forgiveness of sins to those who accept him and his message of salvation.
This does not mean that it is easy to follow the path of discipleship, nor will this eliminate all conflict from our lives. But if we are willing to listen for God’s word, to pray for guidance, to open our hearts to God and to each other, we will find—in time—that God offers us a new way to think and to understand our circumstances. Then we, like the woman with the ointment, may go in peace, (Luke 7:50) for our sins and our inhospitality will be forgiven and we will have another opportunity to live to God’s glory.
Prayer: Lord, help us to see past our conflicts and our controversies to the peace that you alone offer in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Acts 24:1-23
Luke 7:36-50
In each of our readings today someone is being accused of something by someone else. In Hosea, Israel is accused by the prophet of “playing the whore, departing from (their) God” (Hosea 9:1), and of being deeply corrupted (v. 9). In response, the people find fault with God’s messenger. “The prophet is a fool,” they say, “the man of the spirit is mad” (v. 7). In Acts, Paul stands accused of being “a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Paul, of course, denies any of this to be true (vv. 18-21). And finally in Luke, Simon the Pharisee is convinced that Jesus must not be a prophet or else he would have known the nature of the woman who was anointing his feet with ointment and tears (Luke 7:39). Jesus, for his part, points out Simon’s inhospitality and relative lack of faith (v. 41ff).
What are we to make of all these charges and countercharges? Is the Christian faith really all about arguments, litigation, and controversy? As often as it may seem so, the Christian faith is not about such divisive activities. Indeed, the call of Christ is to become a part of the community, his body at work in the world. The fact is that human sin makes this call far more challenging than it ought to be. As a result contentiousness arises, accusations are made, tempers flare. But notice that in each case God’s word is active, providing an alternative to human wrangling. In Hosea, God judges the people but continues to offer direction and hope. Paul is able to make a defense because, as we’ve seen earlier in Acts, he has the courage of conviction (Acts 23:11; see the previous entry, “Courage!”). Jesus offers forgiveness of sins to those who accept him and his message of salvation.
This does not mean that it is easy to follow the path of discipleship, nor will this eliminate all conflict from our lives. But if we are willing to listen for God’s word, to pray for guidance, to open our hearts to God and to each other, we will find—in time—that God offers us a new way to think and to understand our circumstances. Then we, like the woman with the ointment, may go in peace, (Luke 7:50) for our sins and our inhospitality will be forgiven and we will have another opportunity to live to God’s glory.
Prayer: Lord, help us to see past our conflicts and our controversies to the peace that you alone offer in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Whirlwind and Wisdom
Hosea 8:1-14
Luke 7:18-35
Yesterday’s readings from Hosea and Luke offered a contrast. Today’s readings present a similarity. “For they sow the wind,” writes Hosea, “and they shall reap the whirlwind…. Though I write for (Israel) the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing” (Hosea 8:7, 12). In Luke, Jesus teaches his followers that “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
In life there are consequences to our actions. Like it or not, certain steps will often lead to predicable results. As children, for example, we learn that eating too much birthday cake can leave us with a tummy ache, and that if we scribble on the wall with markers we are likely to get into trouble. As we grow older the stakes can become higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an accident in which another driver is injured or killed. An abuse of trust can lead to alienation or the loss of friendships. When we “sow the wind” we may very well expect to “reap the whirlwind.” And at the same time the “children of wisdom” reveal or “vindicate” their source. Doing the right thing can often lead to positive results, for us and for others.
Christianity is not just a transcendent religion. It has a great deal to say about everyday matters, practical wisdom that can, and does provide us with renewed relationships, better health, fuller lives. Most importantly faith can lead us to a better sense of justice, righteousness, and humility before God; the chance for community to develop and for lives to be nurtured and focused outward. We won’t always get it right, but by God’s grace we can work toward the goals of faithful discipleship and obedience while offering our gifts and talents to the work of God’s reign. “And,” as the song attests, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”
Prayer: O God, help us to walk in right paths and to seek your guidance so that we may serve you and others all our lives. Amen.
Luke 7:18-35
Yesterday’s readings from Hosea and Luke offered a contrast. Today’s readings present a similarity. “For they sow the wind,” writes Hosea, “and they shall reap the whirlwind…. Though I write for (Israel) the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing” (Hosea 8:7, 12). In Luke, Jesus teaches his followers that “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
In life there are consequences to our actions. Like it or not, certain steps will often lead to predicable results. As children, for example, we learn that eating too much birthday cake can leave us with a tummy ache, and that if we scribble on the wall with markers we are likely to get into trouble. As we grow older the stakes can become higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an accident in which another driver is injured or killed. An abuse of trust can lead to alienation or the loss of friendships. When we “sow the wind” we may very well expect to “reap the whirlwind.” And at the same time the “children of wisdom” reveal or “vindicate” their source. Doing the right thing can often lead to positive results, for us and for others.
Christianity is not just a transcendent religion. It has a great deal to say about everyday matters, practical wisdom that can, and does provide us with renewed relationships, better health, fuller lives. Most importantly faith can lead us to a better sense of justice, righteousness, and humility before God; the chance for community to develop and for lives to be nurtured and focused outward. We won’t always get it right, but by God’s grace we can work toward the goals of faithful discipleship and obedience while offering our gifts and talents to the work of God’s reign. “And,” as the song attests, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”
Prayer: O God, help us to walk in right paths and to seek your guidance so that we may serve you and others all our lives. Amen.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What a Contrast (You Hockey Puck!)
Hosea 7:8-16
Luke 7:1-17
I’ll have to admit, the first person I thought about when I read the passage from Hosea for today was Don Rickles. Rickles, best known now perhaps as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” movies, first came to prominence as a comedian whose practice was to spew insults at his audience. Listen to what God says to the people of Israel through the prophet. “Ephraim is a cake not turned (half baked)” (Hosea 7:8), “Ephraim has become like a dove, silly and without sense” (v. 11), “a defective bow…. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt” (v. 16). And those are the “funny insults.” God also accuses the people of self-mutilation for gain (v. 14) and for turning to other gods and other nations for their support (vv. 8, 16). As a result God will bring punishment upon them. “I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me,” says the Lord (vv. 12-13). I can almost hear Rickles’s voice exclaiming, “who do you think you are, you bunch of hockey pucks!”
But then in Luke we find an entirely different “routine.” As Jesus approaches the city of Nain he encounters the funeral procession for the only son of a widow. Having compassion for her Jesus restores the man to life. The crowd’s response is telling. “A great prophet has risen among us!” they say, and “God has looked favorably on his people!” (Luke 7:16). The judgment of God through the prophet has been replaced by the people’s praise of God. Yes, God’s people are still prone to sinful waywardness, and God has rendered judgment against them for it. But God has never given up, either. In Jesus Christ God is calling the people back into right relationship, with God and with one another. There is hope for us because there is grace in God. Ultimately Christ’s sacrifice transcends our weakness and provides us with a path to salvation.
The prophet Hosea was not “playing for laughs” in his day. Nor was Jesus. But what joy we find when we realize that, despite our failings, God loves and cares for us—and always has.
Prayer: Gracious and loving God, help us to see your grace poured out for us, and to share your love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Luke 7:1-17
I’ll have to admit, the first person I thought about when I read the passage from Hosea for today was Don Rickles. Rickles, best known now perhaps as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” movies, first came to prominence as a comedian whose practice was to spew insults at his audience. Listen to what God says to the people of Israel through the prophet. “Ephraim is a cake not turned (half baked)” (Hosea 7:8), “Ephraim has become like a dove, silly and without sense” (v. 11), “a defective bow…. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt” (v. 16). And those are the “funny insults.” God also accuses the people of self-mutilation for gain (v. 14) and for turning to other gods and other nations for their support (vv. 8, 16). As a result God will bring punishment upon them. “I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me,” says the Lord (vv. 12-13). I can almost hear Rickles’s voice exclaiming, “who do you think you are, you bunch of hockey pucks!”
But then in Luke we find an entirely different “routine.” As Jesus approaches the city of Nain he encounters the funeral procession for the only son of a widow. Having compassion for her Jesus restores the man to life. The crowd’s response is telling. “A great prophet has risen among us!” they say, and “God has looked favorably on his people!” (Luke 7:16). The judgment of God through the prophet has been replaced by the people’s praise of God. Yes, God’s people are still prone to sinful waywardness, and God has rendered judgment against them for it. But God has never given up, either. In Jesus Christ God is calling the people back into right relationship, with God and with one another. There is hope for us because there is grace in God. Ultimately Christ’s sacrifice transcends our weakness and provides us with a path to salvation.
The prophet Hosea was not “playing for laughs” in his day. Nor was Jesus. But what joy we find when we realize that, despite our failings, God loves and cares for us—and always has.
Prayer: Gracious and loving God, help us to see your grace poured out for us, and to share your love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)