Being Set Free

Luke 4:14–21 NRSV

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “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.” And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

This is, for me, one of the most important moments in the whole of Scripture. It is the fulcrum point of the religious story of God’s people, a place of pivot between the promises of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the coming kingdom of God which is for all people and all creation. Here, we hear God’s proclamation of liberating love in its fullness.

One of the commentaries I read this week offer this clarity about what Jesus is up to. Jesus is at once affirming the traditions of the synagogue and by extension the whole of Judaism, the religion of the Hebrew people and Jesus’ lineage. And at the same time, he’s expanding this lay-led role into something more, something stronger. He’s bringing focus to a text that affirms his calling and reveals to the congregation that his ministry is beginning.

“By his faithfulness, Jesus affirms the Sabbath, the Scriptures, and the synagogue. Jesus not only attends synagogue services regularly but he participates, as all male adults were permitted to do, by reading Scripture and commenting on it. The synagogue services were rather informal, consisting primarily of prayers, reading of Scripture, comments, and alms for the poor.”

These are the normal duties and responsibilities of the gathered religious community. Jesus is affirming these practices and reminding his hearers of their core commitment — waiting for the Messiah and the coming, promised the reign of God.

Synagogue is a Jewish community center, even in this time. It’s not as oriented towards altar as it is to Book. Learning and reciting Scripture. Laity led.

This is a community led gathering, where members are invited to reflect upon the reading of the Scriptures. It is less about religious sacramental duties (which would be reserved for the temple and attended to in pilgrimage to Jerusalem, under the supervision of the official priests). Rather, this community is more akin to a Bible study or a forum for religious learning. We might think of it as a prayer service — focused on the text and our hearing of the text and our response.

So this is our context.

Before we unpack the words of liberation from this passage, let’s also just note our context.

Prayer services were in the news this week, as a part of our nation’s inauguration week festivities. If you paid attention to the news, you likely saw the headlines about the prayer service attended by the presidential family at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. this week.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached from a different text, yet similarly from the Gospels, drawing from the later part of the sermon on the Mount in, Matthew 7, and Jesus’ teaching about building a house upon a firm foundation, not upon sand.

And in this moment, our nation saw the stark divide between a Christianity that aligns itself with the state and a humble faith in Jesus which seeks mercy for the oppressed.

I don’t want to say a lot more about our national news, but need to mention this, because it aligns with the nature of Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue. As with Bishop Budde and Jesus and us, when we faithfully attend to the teachings of the Scriptures, the plain truth is this: the Message of God’s liberating love will make those in powerful uncomfortable. The message of God’s mercy and jubiliee is disruptive.

Let’s keep with Jesus in the synagogue. This is, in my opinion, one of the most pivotal moments in the entirety of Scripture. We witness Jesus reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. This is incredibly provocative and focused — Isaiah is a word of hope to a people walking in darkness. Isaiah is a collection of promises and prophesies about how God will overturn the powerful and reinstate the law of shalom.

Throughout the book of Isaiah, there is a main character: the suffering servant. As you read this ancient text, the Suffering Servant takes the main stage as the one the people have longed for. But, the servant is not only one who we wait for, but the servant is the active agent of God’s work in the present, both for ancient Hebrews and now, for Jesus in this moment. Jesus makes the language present-tense, highlighting the good news that the one who suffers for the people has now arrived.

The servant has received the Spirit and the Spirit’s anointing. Remember, two weeks ago — Jesus was baptized and the dove descended upon him — the mark of the Spirit of God.

What does one who has received the anointing of the Spirit do?

Well, they tell the truth and proclaim freedom.

Will we be set free?

The work of Jesus is to set us free, to liberate humanity from the pains of a world that has lost its way. Freedom from death and oppression.

Jesus is saying that this is happening there and then. And we affirm that it is still happening here and now. The way of God is, as we remember from last week, something that reorients our world, calls us to see things from a new perspective. The world is being remade and here is the moments where we get glimmers of it.

The prophecy Jesus reads announces the Christ, the Messiah, who is the embodied reality of the longings of all who cry out, hunger, thirst, and struggle.

You know how you have this deep hope that somehow, someway, things will be made right? Christ is the embodied answer to this.

We believe that because of God’s love for us, Christ dwelt and dwells among us. Then and there, here and now. The work of liberation does not end, but reverberates out and pushes against the powers of death, again and again.

Let’s hold the liberating way of God up to the mirror of the good news we hear the world teaching us.

I want to pull apart the lines from the Isaiah reading and contrast them with the state of our world.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.

By the power of God, it is revealed at the Jordan River that Jesus is the beloved of God, sent to usher in a new order in creation.

because he has anointed me

Jesus is blessed, sanctified, baptized into this work of bearing God’s spirit. Remember, so you have been blessed, sanctified, and baptized. You are commissioned and anointed to be ambassadors of the Gospel.

to bring good news to the poor.

What does good news for the poor look like?

We actually need to hear the whole passage, because simply stating that the poor will be given good news is simply not enough. We’re all used to promises about how we’re going to lift up the poor or provide enough wealth for all to get their fair share. But at the end of the day, if the poor are not wrapped up in the ultimate ends of a complete reworking of the social order, a year of jubilee, most of the time the promises we hear fall short in reality. So let’s keep this word to poor together with the following statements:

to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives (we’re talking literal release and restitution. Pardon for sin). and recovery of sight to the blind (healing, welfare for the sick and disabled)

to the let the oppressed go free,

here, Jesus is truly speaking of those who are oppressed under the power of the external government and the rich who enforce their laws. In God’s shalom, the ones who are oppressed feel that burden eased.

And finally, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Hearers of this word would have known that Jesus is speaking of the promised year of Jubilee. In the justice and mercy of God, there was and is to be a celebration every 50th year — the jubilee. In this jubilee, property is returned to its rightful owners, debts are forgiven, and wealth is redistributed to benefit and level society in the favor of all those mentioned before — the poor, the imprisoned, the oppressed, the sick.

Simply, straightforwardly, this is the truth of Jesus’ message: God’s way brings a great leveling and resettling of society so that the least of these are lifted up and those who hold more power than they ought are brought low to settle and bring healing to the disruption of disparity that has been wrought among us.

Where is the message of Jesus needed today? Where do we need to be set free?

A couple practical examples for us today:

First, in a moment, I’m going to welcome incoming and renewing deacons and elders to come forward to be installed to their new terms of service.

When we do this, we are taking part in a sacred ritual of anointing and commissioning these folks to the good, challenging, justice-bringing, lovingkindness work of stewarding this congregation.

As Jesus was anointed, so we, his living presence here on earth, we are anointed and sanctified for our particular calling.

Friends, you have a part to play in this great reordering of society that Jesus ushers in. All have a role, all have a gift to share, all have a part. No one is left outside. Not the poor, not the rich, not the powerful, not the lowly.

We fulfill the power of the Scriptures by accepting this calling and living it out to the fullest.

Second, later today, we’ll have our annual congregational meeting. We’ll hear reports, review finances, and look ahead. How does Jesus’ message ring out for us here?

Well, much like with the church officers, I hope you hear in our meeting a call to action and a call to deep belonging. We need each other. We’re at a juncture in our ministry, a moment of transition where we need to look ahead and plan for ways to sustain our work going forward. We have new things to do. We have old things to maintain. We have a calling for this particular time and it involves all of us, banding together, holding fast to one another, standing firm and living the good news here and now.

The year of Jubilee is an ideal, a not yet realized hope. And the way it does get lived out, realized, is by us each subjecting ourselves to it. What I mean is — Jesus is not just telling his listeners that he is the promised Servant. He’s also telling you and me this — God’s way is one of mercy, restitution, and healing. God’s way is about service, blessing, and calling us to our fullest expression of ourselves in human community. The Lord’s favor must be extended and we are the ones to do it. We are the healers, the way makers, the merciful. If not us, who will? This is the way of the Church — to be a healing balm, a hospital for sinners, a place for restoring to wholeness for all people, rich, poor, housed, unhoused, old, young, sick, healthy.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ sets all people free from the oppression of sin and death. And we all so desperately need this freedom, amen? Lord, have mercy upon us, come quickly to our aid. Help us to be the light of your shalom and your lovingkindness, here and now, Oh Lord.

How does the Scripture get fulfilled?

Through you and through me. We are the hands and feet of mercy and justice. As we turn our hearts upon Jesus’ way, we see the oppressed, see the hurting, and see the hope of liberation for us all. Lord, come quickly to our aid, may your Spirit fall upon us even now, that we might be anointed to this calling here today.

Amen.