St. Charles' Episcopal Church – St. Charles, IL

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – Epiphany 4 – Year C

Sunday January 28, 2007 – Annual Meeting Sunday

Jeremiah 1:4-10 – Psalm 71:1-17 or 71:1-6, 15-17 – 1 Corinthians 14:12b-20 – Luke 4:21-32

Rev. William R. Nesbit, Jr.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

"Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, ‘I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you," "For you are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence since I was young." "Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults." "Is not this Joseph's son?"

This week we get to hear the second part of the Gospel that I spoke of last week, but there sure is a rich bag that comes with it! What are we to make of this collection of verses this morning? And what are we to take home? It is a rich bag to be sure, but it is also a very mixed bag. A confusing bag. Are we to be children or adults, or does it matter?

In my preaching class I was told that one of the great dangers of preaching on a constellation of readings on any given Sunday is to assume that they have anything to do with each other. Sometimes they might, but never assume that they do. The general rule of thumb that appears to be followed was that the Gospel and the Old Testament lesson were frequently related to each other by design, but that the Epistle lesson was rarely related to the other two as it tended to be selected sequentially. I've always thought it interesting that I had to get to seminary realize this. I guess a history of hearing preachers attempt to tie everything up in a nice neat package hid that truth from me!

I thought today we might look at just one of the stories. The great preacher and storyteller Herbert O'Driscoll likes to say that the stories of the Bible were remembered and written down because they are eternal stories, stories that apply to us directly even though they were first told thousands of years ago. The trick is finding ourselves in the story. And the problem is, there are always a lot of places to look. First we must pick a story, and only one story so as not to make it too difficult. I first thought about the call of Jeremiah, but the more I looked at the story of Jesus' return to Nazareth, the more I thought that it really has more to say about us, and more to say to us today.

If we look at the Gospel story this morning there are basically three characters: Jesus, the people of Nazareth, and the people of Capernaum. At first blush it appears obvious that we are the good people of Capernaum who see Jesus as a man who speaks with authority, that the people of Nazareth are all those bad people who don't go to church, and Jesus is Jesus. Whenever something appears obvious, I like to dismiss it right away. Not because it is wrong, but because it is obvious. There is more to this story, much more...there always is. Why spend time on the obvious. So that leaves us two other choices. Which do you think we should examine first?

Let's take the hard choice first: no guts, no glory. What does this story have to say to us if we are the people of Nazareth. It's hard at first to see ourselves as "the bad guys," the people of Nazareth, but we really are an awful lot like those people in Nazareth; people who have grown up around Jesus and with Jesus. And when Jesus speaks the words we want to hear, we speak well of him and pat him on the back, or on the top of the head. But as more and more of the living reality that is Christ Jesus becomes revealed to us; as Jesus grows up before the very eyes of our faith, and begins to push us beyond ourselves, how often do we reject the change, and indeed, take offense? Take offense when this new Christ does not settle into our comfortable and known preconceptions, and demands more of us than we think we can give, or think we ought to have to give; When Christ calls us out of our comfort zones. How often, I wonder, does our dear Lord gaze at us sadly from heaven, shaking his head like a disappointed parent, amazed at our selfishness and unbelief.

 And I don't know about you, but the part of this story that terrifies me the most, is how easily and effortlessly Jesus disappears from the midst of these people; people who actually knew Jesus better than anyone else in all the Holy Land. What if Jesus should decide to leave our midst? I never cease to give thanks that our God is a loving and generous God, who continues to pour down upon us the grace we so desperately need, and yet so wantonly squander or ignore. And I pray that I would never give him cause to leave our midst... To leave my side...My heart."O God, be not far from me; come quickly to help me, O my God."

We have one more choice of character in the story that modesty generally keeps us away from. Modesty or fear. Perhaps that is the real reason why I chose it second. It is hard to take on the role of Jesus. We think it is an impossible dream, an unapproachable goal, and yet in our baptismal vows, and in the prayer for St. Charles' church that we pray each week, we set that goal as the mission of our lives; to grow into the full stature of Christ.

Let's see if this story can shed a little light on what that looks like. Today we are given an example of how to attain that stature in the world. There will be times when the gospel of Christ will be comforting and when it will be profoundly unsettling, perhaps even at the same time. Whatever the response, we are reminded, the truth must be spoken, whether it is heard as new or old, amazing or terrifying, right or wrong. The truth must be spoken among the people. The result is that we may be driven out, to be thrown off the cliff, but we must gently and peacefully go our way.

That is the wonderful thing about the truth. It will be heard eventually, in time it will gain its authority, though it may take Sabbath time before that occurs. In the midst of all this hostility, notice the calm, patient assurance that Jesus has throughout the encounter. It is as if the words of Jeremiah live in his bones and echo in his ears. "You shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD." Even still, Jesus had to wait for the Lord God to give power to his words. And by his waiting, he ennobles our waiting with his holy presence.

By his example he reminds us that we are never alone. Like the psalmist, we too know that we are not alone, and our heart sings at the knowledge."But I shall always wait in patience, and shall praise you more and more. My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long; though I cannot know the number of them. I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; I will recall your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works."

Amen.