Third Sunday after Epiphany
January 24, 2010
Jesus Jubilee
Luke 4:14-21
Another First
Today we experience another first.
Two weeks ago it was the Baptism of Jesus when Jesus first began his public ministry of teaching, healing and preaching. And then, last week it was his first miracle when Jesus changed the water into wine. And now today it is his first sermon given in his hometown church.
And I love this story about Jesus in Luke 4. Because it gives us a little insight into worship life back in the days of Jesus.
Jesus Read Isaiah 62
Back in the days of Jesus, the men would gather in a synagogue like we do now to sing songs, pray prayers, read a set of lessons from the bible and then have someone expound on it. In fact, the entire first half of a Christian service (what our worship book call “The Word”) is taken from the Jewish synagogue.
Here Jesus attended worship in his own home town. As far as we can tell, Jesus went to worship every Sabbath. He was a good Jewish boy. And he was invited by the leader of the synagogue to come up and read a lesson and then expound on it.
And isn’t that interesting? Any Jewish male could be called upon on the spot to read the bible and then expound on it. Could you do it? Outside of Dave Sprague or Bill Bursley, could you do it?
And what Jesus does is he takes the scroll, the scroll of Isaiah. And he rolls it to a place in Isaiah: Isaiah 62. And he begins to read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favor”—that is God’s Jubilee.
And then, Jesus sat down. And he began to give his sermon. His inaugural address. His very first sermon and he said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Wow! What an amazing thing was happening. God’s promise. The power of God’s future was breaking into their everyday.
Part of that Same Healing
Today we have another Service of Healing. In just a few moments we will be inviting you to come forward like we have done in the past…. It can be for any need—physical, mental, spiritual. And we will lay our hands on you and say a prayer and then anoint your head with oil.
And let me say again what this is not. It is not a piece of magic or “faith healing” the way that some do it on TV. Just because we lay our hands on you and pray doesn’t mean that your ailment will instantly go away.
But it’s not an empty ritual either. It is not lacking in significance or power. One of the promises of God IS physical healing—“the recovery of the sight of the blind.” And Jesus is part of that physical healing as Jesus displayed in so many of his miracles. And either that wholeness, health and healing comes in THIS life. Or else it arrives in the life to come.
A Personal Example
Let me give you one very personal example. Very personal. My first wife of four years came down with cancer. Priscilla was her name. She was diagnosed with stage four malignant melanoma. We discovered it in February. She died in November.
Anointing with Oil
And over the summer, my family gathered to do in my parent’s home the very Service of Healing we are doing today. One by one we gathered around to lay our hands on her, anoint her with oil and pray for her. She died a few months later.
Does that mean she had no faith and that she ticked off God and that our prayers failed? I certainly do not think so. She died very much at peace, whole and content. Amazing healing did take place over those months even though her body was clearly going downhill.
And at the age of 33, she said things like, “Gee, Jesus died at the age of 33. I’ve already lived a full life. Would I like to live more? Of course. But not that long ago a lot of people did not live past the age of 30.”
And she said, “And I’ve had four years of very happy marriage. And a lot of people married even longer don’t have that.” She had the feeling that her life had already had a fullness and completeness to it. She wished she had kids. But it didn’t look like that was going to happen anyhow. And that’s a different story.
But what I like best is what she said to her mother. Her mother was really stressed out by her illness and her impending death. And her mother said to her the way that mothers do, “I wish it was me and not you. I wish I could give my life for you.”
And Priscilla said, “You don’t need to, mom. You don’t need to give your life for me. Someone else already has. Jesus has. Jesus gave his life for me. So please don’t worry and be sad.”
Some illnesses Cured Through Dead and Resurrection
Not all healing is physical. And there is more to wholeness than just reversing illness and postponing death. Sometimes the only way an illness can be healed is through a death and resurrection. It is an entire package. An entire package of God’s promises.
And what Jesus is saying in his first sermon is that the power of God’s future is breaking in “now” to our everyday. And those promises are coming true in the arrival, the person and in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
So, please rise and join me in the hymn of the day. Hymn 612 – “Healer of Our Every Ill.” Great title isn’t it? And great lyrics. And then, we will invite you to come forward.
© 2010 Pastor Paul Jaster