2013Feb03 from Richard Waldschmidt on Vimeo.

February 3, 2013, Epiphany 4, Sermon on Luke 4:13-32
 by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Groundhog Day has to do with whether the groundhog saw his
shadow or not.  That makes me think of a boxer swinging away with
his arms, shadow boxing, but there is nothing real there, just empty air.
    Some things, however, are very real, not shadows.  Think here of
the Super Bowl this Sunday.  When one team lines up, on the other
side there are real bodies with which to contend.  A tackler is not
dealing with a shadow when he bangs into a very real and solid body.
    Our text also speaks of something real and not just a shadow,
something definite that involves victory or defeat.  Which do you
want?  Here let us not be shadow boxers.  Instead may we all want to
BE ON THE WINNING SIDE!
I    THE ISSUE WAS CLEAR.  (13-21)
    1. The devil was a reality. (13)
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an
opportune time.
        a) Temptations come to us, whatever our age.  You children, you
high schoolers, you in college face many temptations to sin.  That
doesn’t change as people get older.  Just different kinds of temptations
come.  And, whether young or old, we all often fail and fall into sin.
        b) When Jesus began His public ministry the devil brought real
temptations to Him also.  But He did not fail!  Had He, He would have
been a sinner, not the innocent sacrifice needed to pay for our sins, our
many failures when it comes to dealing with our very real temptations.
    2.  People here were taking sides. (14-15)
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news
about him spread through the whole countryside.  He taught in
their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
        a) As time went on many chose to oppose Jesus, and those voices
became louder and louder, finally shouting, “Crucify Him.”
        b) But at this time, as He taught in their church services, voices
praised Jesus.  Aren’t we doing the same in our church service now?
We aren’t here just to kill some time.  We are here to praise our Jesus.
    3. Jesus here referred to Old Testament prophecy. (16-19)
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the
Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.  And
he stood up to read.  The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed
to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The
Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach
good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for
the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
        a) In our OT reading at the lectern we heard how the prophet
Jeremiah was chosen for a mission to preach about judgment to come.
        b) The prophecy in our text from the book of Isaiah foretold the
mission of someone who would preach salvation, proclaim good news,
say that the time had come for the fulfillment of God’s saving plan.
    4. Jesus here claimed to be the fulfillment. (20-21)
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,  and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is
fulfilled in your hearing.”
        a) There have been playoff games before the Super Bowl game.
        b) Jesus here said that the Old Testament playoffs were finished.
Now it was real Super Bowl time.
        c) And here the end zone to be reached would not have goal
posts to be kicked through, but a cross on which to die.
II    TWO POSITIONS WERE EVIDENT.  (21-29)
    1. One side gladly heard Jesus. (21-22a)
He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in
your hearing.”  All spoke well of him and were amazed at the
gracious words that came from his lips.    
        a) As there had been a fullness of time for God’s promise of a
birth in Bethlehem to be fulfilled, so there was a fullness of time for
Jesus now to proceed with the years of His public ministry, to “take
the ball” and start going down the field to the end zone with its cross.
        b)  What a message!  The people were amazed, glad to hear Him.
    2. Then questions arose. (22b-27)
“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.  Jesus said to them, “Surely
you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!  Do
here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in
Capernaum.’”  I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is
accepted in his hometown.  I assure you that there were many
widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three
and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the
land.  Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in
Zarephath in the region of Sidon.  And there were many in Israel
with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them
was cleansed - only Naaman the Syrian.”
        a) Some had known Jesus for 30 years as He grew up.  Now they
wanted more proof that would back up His claim to be the Christ.
        b) And what about this talk about helping other people who were
not Israelites?  Were the Israelites showing some racism here?
    3. Now Jesus was no longer popular. (28)
All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 
        a) “Help us Israelites - that’s fine.  But forget about others.”
        b) Can we be like that?  Could we in effect say, “Help us St.
Jacobiites.  Make sure we have a beautiful church, an excellent school,
good staffing, whatever may help us here.  But others?  Put money in
our offering envelopes not only for ourselves but also to help bring
God’s Word of forgiveness and life in Jesus to other people who aren’t
St. Jacobiites?”
    4. That led to killing efforts. (29)
They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow
of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him
down the cliff. 
        a) Their solution was to push Jesus out of their lives.
        b) Can we do that?  Think just about our use of time.  Do we go
to church regularly to hear God’s Word and praise Him - or push Him
out of our planning?  Do we schedule time as parents for devotions
with our children - or push Jesus out and let TV entertain our children?
Do we set aside time for daily personal devotions - or push Jesus out
because we’re too busy and we’d rather do something else?
        c) I don’t think we would consider physically pushing Jesus over
a cliff.  After all, just pushing Him away and out of our lives is a lot
easier.  Admit it.  We St. Jacobiites are sinners no less than the
Israelites in our text.
III  MAY WE BE ON OUR SAVIOR’S SIDE.  (30-32)
    1. He was victorious. (30)
But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
        a) Picture a football player backed up to his own end zone, taking
the snap, and then charging right through the opposing line, down the
field all the way, and scoring a touchdown.
        b) The enemy often thought they had Jesus backed up.  But He
carried out His ministry, charged to the end zone where not goal posts
but a cross was waiting for Him, died an innocent death to atone for all
of our sins, for all of the times we have pushed Him away.  And then,
instead of a Lambeau leap, He arose from the dead, our living Savior.
    2. His message continues today. (31)
Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the
Sabbath began to teach the people. 
        a) Jesus continued doing this for the three years of His public
ministry.  He preached the good news of salvation, He taught, He
revealed Himself as the Christ God had promised to send.
        b) He still is doing that preaching and teaching and revealing
today through His followers, through us, to whom He has given this
commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
    3. May we be amazed at His teaching. (32a)
They were amazed at his teaching, ---.
        a) Baptism makes us children of God.  Don’t stop being amazed
about your Baptism.  His teaching about paying for our sins, His
special meal, the Lord’s Supper, proclaiming forgiveness to us
individually - be amazed.  His promise of life in glory - be amazed.
        b) But instead do we at times take all of this for granted?  Please
don’t.  Be amazed at what Jesus teaches about our salvation.
    4. Show that also by our worship. (32)
They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had
authority.
        a) You are here today.  Many are not.  Some of those could be,
but choose to push Jesus and His teaching over a cliff, so to speak.
        b) May we all be concerned about such fellow believers, about all
people who need a Savior as much as we do.  Let’s try to help them.
        c) Remember, we have something wonderful about which to be
amazed.  It’s the message of forgiveness now and life in glory.
     So, will we be shadow boxers?  No.  Let’s deal with the reality of
what Jesus did for us and what He will do for us.  Let’s be amazed at
His super “super bowl victory” for us, and always make it our concern
to BE ON THE WINNING SIDE.