Loving God, as Jesus continues to be revealed during this Epiphany season, reveal to us also your mission and purpose for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    A good title for the season of Epiphany might be “Jesus Revealed.”  Each week we learn a little bit more about who Jesus is and how his identity was first revealed to the people around him.  This week, the revelation comes through the prophet Isaiah.  Jesus has returned to Nazareth, where he grew up, and goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath, just as he does every week.  However, on this particular occasion he stands up to read from the prophets.  And in two short verses from Isaiah, Jesus defines who he is and what his life and mission are all about.

    I have heard it said that Jesus is one of the most integrated human beings who ever lived.  He has a firm sense of who he is, why he is here and what his mission is all about.  He is full of compassion and mercy, and does not allow how other people act or think to change his way of being in the world.  He is “filled with the power of the Spirit” (Lk. 4:14) and lives every day out of a close relationship with God his Father, and he often takes time for prayer in order to keep this closeness with God in his life.

    I have to wonder how many of us could define in a couple of verses who we are, what we’re all about and what our life’s purpose is.  One might also wonder how many of us know the Scriptures well enough to be able to define ourselves according to God’s Word.  It is a question that we may not be able to answer while we’re here this morning.  However, it may be well worth thinking about this week.  Who are you and what is your life’s mission and purpose?

    One possible way to answer this question is to say that as members of the body of Christ and followers of Jesus, his mission has now become our mission.  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me” (Lk. 4:18).  This doesn’t have to apply only to Jesus.  Have any of you ever received the Holy Spirit? [if you’ve been baptized, you have!] Have any of you ever been anointed?  (responses) Do you know what it means to be anointed? [Usually there’s oil involved.  Sometimes it’s setting apart for a particular kind of service.  Once again, baptism: anointed as you are “sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.”  Anointed with oil for healing.] And so, all those who have been baptized into the body of Christ have been given the Holy Spirit and anointed for service to God and to others.

    However, when we think about the rest of Jesus’ “mission statement,” it may not be clear right away what it means for us.  Good news to the poor.  Release for the captives. Recovery of sight for the blind.  Freedom for those who are oppressed.  These are the things that Jesus came to bring.  Jesus came for those who are in need and cannot free themselves.  Thus, those who either can’t or won’t admit their need want nothing to do with Jesus and have no use for him.

    Thus, for us there are at least two sides of Jesus’ mission to consider – two sides, because we cannot bring good news to others unless we have first received it ourselves.  And so, have we recognized our poverty, our spiritual blindness and the things that hold us captive in this world?  Have we recognized that we are sinful human beings who cannot have anything to do with God without Jesus’ saving and redeeming work?  Have we recognized that we need the good news that Jesus came to bring and need his healing and saving power?  How blessed are they that know their need of God!  Recognizing our need, we come to God in repentance and faith, seeking the salvation and forgiveness that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ.  And God does not deny those who come, recognizing their need.

    Then, having put our faith in Jesus our Saviour, we are called to become part of God’s mission and to pass on that same good news to others.  And so, what does it mean for us to bring good news to the poor?  How do we proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind?  How do we let the oppressed go free?

    First off, we need to know that we cannot do these things all by ourselves.  However, the Holy Spirit can and does work through us as members of the body of Christ - which is a world-wide communion of saints!  Certainly, internationally speaking, there are people and organizations who quite literally work at bringing good news to the poor and freeing the captives and the oppressed.  In some places, we can even talk about recovery of sight to the blind through international medical aid.

    Just to give a few examples, I cannot help but think of the work of Amnesty International, which works to free those who have been unjustly imprisoned around the world.  Anybody in Canada can be involved through participating in their letter writing campaigns addressing those in power.  There is also Canadian Lutheran World Relief, as well as similar organizations that work to eliminate poverty through sustainable development in countries around the world.  Sometimes a well, or two cows and a plough, or a medical kit represent good news to the poor!

    At the same time there is something called liberation theology, and for many years now Christians have been working at forming base communities - particularly in Central America - in order to gain freedom for those who are oppressed.  Here in Canada, as well, many Christian groups have joined the voices of aboriginal people in calling for change and for justice.  While I am well aware that there are strongly held opinions and attitudes on the subject, these are the people among us who are most likely to be captive to addictions and to poverty and to unhealthy living conditions.  What does “release to the captives” mean in their case?

    Sometimes “good news to the poor” is as simple as sharing.  Sometimes “good news to the poor” is inclusion in a community where your worth is not based on how much you have.  Sometimes “release to the captives” means breaking the power of addictions and recognizing Jesus as Lord instead.  Sometimes “release to the captives” means forgiveness.  Sometimes “release to the captives” means putting a stop to human trafficking.

    As for “sight to the blind,” sometimes it means being able to see the truth in the midst of the lies.  Sometimes “sight to the blind” means being able to see who Jesus really is.  Sometimes “letting the oppressed go free” means lifting the burden of shame and guilt that has weighed people down for so long.  Sometimes “letting the oppressed go free” means dropping our judgmental attitudes and actually getting to know people for who they are.

    We cannot do it all by ourselves, but there are certainly things that we can do.  For the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, and continues to work through us as the hands and feet of Christ.  Amen.

Epiphany 3(C)                                Luke 4:14-21
January 27, 2013
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2013 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved