This morning’s Gospel invites us into another enthusiastic, fully-caffeinated space.
Jesus is FILLED WITH THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT!
Woohoo! That’s a great way to start anything, isn’t it?
And it’s good to know this is not a short-term spiritual enthusiasm…
Jesus has received the spirit at his baptism, he has gone into a long period of temptation and isolation in the wilderness. And we know that the Holy Spirit aided him through the trials.
Then he journeys back to Galilee – not a short distance, mind, some 70 or 80 miles. On foot.
Yet despite these physical, mental, and emotional challenges, he is still: FULL OF THE SPIRIT!
Jesus is a man with a place to go and a purpose for his going.
And when he arrives back in town, he starts teaching and preaching, sharing the faith! There is good news to be shared, and he will share it!
And so spirit-full and spirited, Jesus goes to the Synagogue to worship.
And he’s obviously there with some authority, as he is handed the scroll when he stands up.
The scroll of the Prophet Isaiah: a powerful scroll, a long scroll.
And full of the Spirit, Jesus opens the scroll until he finds the particular passage that he wants to share about.
“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 the Lord’s favor.”
It’s from the 61st chapter of Isaiah: so clearly Jesus wanted to highlight in this passage so many aspects, from which we can still learn today.
I think it’s worth reflecting, for just a moment, that this is Jesus’ intentionally chosen passage.
This was a piece of scripture that had meaning for him: just as our favourite passages have meaning for us.
So obviously this spoke to him about himself individually, and within the community and the world.
It spoke to him about comfort, about receiving the gifts of God;
It spoke to him about ministry, about sharing those Spiritual Gifts.
It spoke to him about how to be the best faithful person, doing the best faith-filled ministry he could.
And the teachings he has on this passage are wonderful.
They speak about his anointing: declaring him as a beloved of God; but also recognising that all who are named and claimed in the name of God are anointed.
We, in our baptism, in our sharing of the prayers, in our connections: we are anointed by God for ministry. God has placed that seal upon our hearts and heads, so that we are designated as holy in our very beings, and as bringers of the holiness that God has put in our world.
Being anointed means we carry both privilege and responsibility.
Jesus proclaims that part of this anointing is to bring good news to the poor: wonderful!
To do this, Jesus knows that he will have to meet the poor – those who are experiencing need in mind, body, and spirit. He will spend time with them, get to know them, and then find ways to try and help them: because in order to deliver good news, he’ll need to know what that good news will be.
And we too are invited to be those bearers of good news: it’s another reality of being the anointed. And so we are called to learn what good news might sound like to the vulnerable in our society.
To a hungry person, good news is a meal.
To a depleted person, good news is a refreshing sleep.
To a victim of violence, good news is a place of safety.
To a person without shelter, good news is a warm dry environment.
And those are just physical needs:
To someone whose mind is telling them lies, good news is clarity of thinking.
To someone who believes they are unloved and unlovable, good news is being told they are cared for and wanted within the community.
To someone who is isolated, good news is a connection being made or strengthened.
To someone who feels unworthy, good news is being treated with dignity and respect.
We, as the anointed, carry the privilege and responsibility to carry that same good news: to all those in need, having first engaged with the people who are experiencing need to respond to their need with loving kindness, in appropriate and meaningful ways.
You get the idea: what Jesus is speaking of takes us beyond our comfort zone, and beyond ourselves, into engagement with the bigger picture.
How might Jesus proclaim release to the captives? Those captured by people, yes, but also those who are captive to greed, to poverty, to unjust social systems? How can we proclaim release today?
And how might Jesus offer recovery of sight? Those who are blind in the medical sense, and also blind to hope, blind to love, blind to opportunity? How can we help people recover their perspective and sight today?
And how might Jesus let the oppressed go free? Those caught in oppressive systems and situations, yes; and also those who are living in desperation, in fear; those who are victims of society, or oppressed by addiction? How can we proclaim freedom to all who are bound?
How might Jesus proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour? What did favour look like to the people hearing Jesus speak? What does favour look like for us today, in the context of justice and equality? And how can we proclaim that favour to people who are filled with fear, and doubt, and apathy?
These are heavy questions – but not too heavy for the church.
In fact, the assembling of the church – with our various parts and – is exactly FOR the proclamation of the good news. God has called us to BE the church: the eyes, the ears, the hands, the feet – even the toenails! And gifted us accordingly.
God has been intentional about joining us in this place and at this time – in order to bring the good news. We are called. We are empowered. We are equipped. And we can be keen to move into this proclamation of the good news.
The decision is up to us: the anointed, the baptised, the church!
It’s not always going to be easy, or comfortable, but it IS do-able.
We can proclaim the Lord.
We can shine the light of God’s glory into the world.
We can make this place a better place, in the name of the Christ who walks with us.
We too can – if we choose!
Because the opportunity is before us.
Jesus read this passage, invited folks into ministry, and let them know that it was possible – for today, he said “this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Today, beloved church, the scripture has been fulfilled in our hearing, too: for we have heard the assurance of Good News of God, made manifest in Jesus, and activated by. The Holy Spirit.
The Good News has been shared with us; it has been fulfilled in OUR hearing.
May we know that we are sufficiently full enough of the Holy Spirit to continue sharing it.
Amen.
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