Corona Devo 405

Can you imagine anyone hearing Jesus preach and not "getting on board" with His message?

You might be surprised.

In Luke Chapter 2, a prophet named Simeon foretells about Jesus that: “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. (35) As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:34-35).

Simeon was speaking to Mary, but his words applied to the people living in her town (Nazareth) and they apply to us today.

Jesus and His views are radical. They get us out of our comfort zones, and even bother us at times. Jesus also reveals the yuck (sin) that we have hidden beneath our surface (the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed), and His Words and teachings and calling on our lives may (at times) feel like a sword pierc(ing) your very soul (Luke 2:35).

Wonder what I am talking about? Let's let the good people of Nazareth play out an example.

(14) Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. (15) He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

(16) He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, (17) and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

(18) “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, (19) to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (20) Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. (21) He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

(22) All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. ~Luke 4:14-22

Even though they had watched Jesus grow up in typical ways on the dusty streets of Nazareth, the townspeople glimpsed something atypical and even Godly about Jesus that day in the synagogue. All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips (Luke 4:22).

His words were deep and hopeful but vague-enough for his listeners to stay comfortable as they sat in their seats. He was introducing His ministry, His love, His teachings, but He was not assigning any duties. They listened attentively in their snazzy church clothes, clutching their Bibles and feeling pretty pious about being a part-of this "Jesus thing" that was occurring right here in front of them.

At least that's how I picture them. And that's how I picture most of us on a Sunday morning.

And then Jesus turned the tables. He turned this nice "churchy" moment into ministry, and it got real messy, real quick.

Hearing God's Word and nodding our heads at the "good idea" of it is one thing. But having the messy-reality of actually "loving our neighbor" when we want nothing to do with them, or watching as Jesus heals-our-enemy, when we would rather they suffer (if we are honest): well, it becomes a clash of our "religious" ideals versus our hard-hearts and actually living-out those ideals. Simeon nailed it when he said: As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:35).

Back at the synagogue, Jesus continued, and He brought up two examples of God's favor on enemies of the Israelites (a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon, and Naaman the Syrian). Both of these people were not Jews and therefore the Jews did not have a heart for them. Worse, the Nazarene Jews became very angry when Jesus spoke of loving those that are different/think differently/believe differently than us.

(28) When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. (29) Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, (30) but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way. ~Luke 4:28-30

But Jesus came for "those people", just as surely as He came for us.

Can you imagine that the Nazareans heard Jesus preach and didn't "get on board" with His message?

You might be surprised.

The examples that Jesus used were about people that lived and believed differently from those sitting in the church listening to Him, perhaps because they had not been introduced to God yet. But for the church-goers, it was out-of-their-comfort-zone to imagine God serving "such people".

But this is exactly who God longs to serve:

...he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free... ~Luke 4:18

Again I ask, can you imagine anyone hearing Jesus preach and not "getting on board" with His message?

You might be surprised.

A friend shared with me about a recent Sunday when a homeless man showed up right before church service. He was polite and patient, but he turned this nice "churchy" morning into ministry, and it got real messy, real quick.

Snazzily-dressed "Christians" fluttered around the church and buzzed in low whispers.

We have been taught by God's Word to feed the hungry and house the homeless because "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40).  And from a distance these words are deep and hopeful but vague-enough for listeners to stay comfortable.

But when an unkempt, body-odor fragrant, unwashed man walks into church on a Sunday morning, the vibe changes because we actually have to live out what we have spent years professing.

You might be surprised at how much we have in common with the Nazarene Jews who got angry when Jesus confronted the pride of their faith.

I was.

In church this week, I sat behind two women. As the sermon kicked off, so did their affection for one another. Back rubs and cheek kisses stole my attention from the preacher and I felt an unrighteous anger and feeling of disrespect rising in my spirit. And then I realized my sin and that a sword (was) pierc(ing) my very soul.

Jesus and His views are radical. They get us out of our comfort zones, and even bother us at times. I was bothered, but why? We all have sin in our lives, and Jesus came to free us from the bondage of it. He sought out those with different beliefs and backgrounds: to introduce Himself, His love, and His freedom to them. To me.

Why wasn't I doing the same?

Because I usually (just) listen attentively in my snazzy church clothes, clutching my Bible and feeling pretty pious. But today, there was a "Jesus thing" occurring right here in front of me.

I prayed. I thanked the Lord for whoever invited them to church today. Someone did.

I praised God that they were here. Hearing the same Bible-soaked message that I was.

I thanked God for reminding me what the whole purpose of our lives is--to spread the knowledge of His saving grace to everyone. Everyone. To proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free... ~Luke 4:18

In so many ways I have been and at times can still be a prisoner, blind, and oppressed. Only Jesus can set us free.

The pastor brought an excellent message that morning. I wondered how anyone could hear it and not "get on board" with His message?

I pray that I am surprised.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com