Sunday Message
January 25, 2004
Robert D. Bohnsack
Text: Psalm 19:1-4, 14; Luke 4:14-30

Have you noticed the plethora of reality TV shows lately? It all started with MTV's "Real World." Since then some of us have watched: Survivor, Fear Factor, Joe Millionaire, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?, The House, American Idol, Star Search, and a host of other shows involving people who have a deep desire to be on television. Do we have that many people in this world that really want to be followed around by television cameras?

Our story from Luke's Gospel would certainly be an excellent setting for a reality show. The program would have to be a part of the Proclaiming Evangelical World network, or PEW for short. The show might have a catchy title like, "Who Wants to be a Prophet?", "Life in Nazareth," or "What Do the People Want to Hear?". It has all the things we are looking for in a reality TV show. It has a principal character, Jesus. It has an unique setting, the Synagogue in Nazareth. It has a drama and suspense. The people initially embrace Jesus Christ and the words he is proclaiming. They even talk among themselves. The people were focused on Jesus and his words. Then when the people begin to hear what they do not like things change. Eventually the people vote or choose to remove Jesus from the show.

"The people of Nazareth have spoken, Jesus, son of Joseph. We do not want you around anymore. We do not like the words you are preaching. We are going to toss you off the cliff."

One can imagine the commentary this episode of the life of Jesus would receive from the commentators from the PEW network. As Jesus returns to Galilee we can hear the commentators talking about his home field advantage.

"Jesus should do really well back in Galilee. He did great during his forty days in the wilderness. He did not give into temptation. If he did that good in the wilderness he should do even better on his home turf. Jesus grew up in Galilee. His parents live in Nazareth. His father, Joseph, has a small carpenter shop. These are the people that watched Jesus grow up. The people are excited about his return. It is the classic 'local boy does good' story. How can he not make it through this round?"

After returning home Jesus goes to the Synagogue. He goes to the Synagogue where we worshiped with his parents, learned the Scriptures, heard the Torah read, prayed, sang hymns, and perhaps even sat in the back with his friends. Jesus went home. Then Jesus stood to read the Scripture. Jesus knew the customs and traditions. This was his place of worship. Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah. He read:

"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." (Isaiah 61:1-2 and 58:6)

Our commentators would have applauded Christ's reading. Those words are the good news. Yes, the poor do need to get the good news. Yes, the captives do need to be released. Yes, the blind do need to see, and the oppressed should be set free. The year of the Lord's favor is a good thing. Let that happen.

The commentators might have said, "Jesus told the people what they really wanted to hear. This young man is going far. Did you see the reaction of the people? Every eye in the synagogue is on him."

Then Jesus said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." The people continued to say good things and praise Jesus. They were amazed that this Jesus, the son of Joseph was saying these things. He is one of us. The good news he brings is for us and us alone.

Then Jesus begins to say things that cause the mood in the Synagogue to change. We have a sudden shift in attitude. This is the drama the producers of our reality TV show are seeking. You cannot script something like this. Who could have predicted that Jesus would say something that would turn the people against him so quickly?

Jesus reminds his neighbors that "no prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown." He also reminds them that at the time of the prophet Elijah there was three and a half years of famine and drought. The only widow that Elijah was sent to help was Sarepta of Sidon. Sarepta was not from Israel. Jesus also reminded them of how during the time of the prophet Elisha their were many lepers. The only leper Elisha was sent to cure was Naaman of Syria. Naaman was certainly not of Israel.

Our commentators look at themselves in disbelief. They report to the television audience.

"This is not going to be good for Jesus. The local kid was doing so well. He was going to be our first winner. The people do not like being reminded of the time of judgment on Israel. It is almost as if Jesus is reminding them of how selfish they can be. Jesus is pronouncing the good news for all the world including the enemies of Israel. How is this possible?"

Then the people vote to literally "throw" Jesus off the show. They have had it. They will not be told what they do not want to hear by this Jesus.

"They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff." (Luke 4:29)

Jesus eludes the people and is not thrown off the cliff. Thankfully he is available for more programming on the PEW network because Jesus is good television.

The reality of the situation is that the people did like what Jesus had to say. They liked what he had to say as long as it was just for them. They wanted to limit God's grace. They were willing to hear the good news as long as they could decide who got the good news. They were not open to sharing the gift of God's deliverance.

We are not here this morning to condemn the people of Galilee. For the good news of Jesus Christ is for them just as it is for us. The good news of Christ is for all of God's people.

We express our understanding of God's grace in many different ways. At Market Street Presbyterian Church we express it in the way we use our building. We could easily limit the use of the building to just church functions. We are not obligated to host the Head Start program every week. We are not obligated to let the Lima Symphony Orchestra board use our facilities. We are not obligated to invite and welcome AA, the Garden Club, Equestrian Therapy, Covenant Ministry Services, neighborhood associations, Sweet Adelines, the Boy Scouts, and all manner of community organizations to use our building at no charge. We do it though. We do it because we believe that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ has no boundaries, limitations, and knows no racial, ethnic, or religious divides. We believe in unlimited grace.

You also express your embracement of the grace of Jesus Christ by the way you support my call to ministry. You support my ministry both within the walls of this church and outside. You support the ministry I do as a chaplain in the United States Air Force, a board member at the Dorothy Love Retirement Community, and an active member of the Maumee Valley Presbytery. You support my ministry outside of this place because you know grace has no boundaries.

Last summer we were not obligated to send sixteen people to David, Kentucky, for a week long mission trip. Surely those people could have spent a week doing things around the church. For how are we ever going to be impacted by what happens in David, KY? We sent a group of dedicated mission volunteers to David, KY, because we believe in the unlimited grace of Jesus Christ. We did not go because we thought it would produce a certain result. We went because we wanted to share the love of Christ.

Unlimited grace scares us. What if we run out? We will not. What if God changes his mind? God sent Jesus Christ to save the world. Christ is the new covenant. God will not change his mind. Shouldn't we save some for later? Grace is abundant. The love of Christ is plentiful. Take and share as much as you want.

Despite knowing that the grace of Jesus Christ is abundant and for all peoples we do try and limit it. We try and set limits. We even try to save some for later. We may even try to toss it off the cliff when it does not seem to be serving our purposes. It is very hard to resist the urge to limit Jesus Christ.

Can he really bring the good news to all the poor? Can he really proclaim release to the captives? Can he really make the blind see? Will he really let the oppressed go free? Yes. Christ can and is doing all those things. For we are the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed. The grace of Jesus Christ has been extended to us, and is extended to the world.

Our life as the church of Jesus Christ is very real. It does not get any more real than this. We are called to be the very real presence of Christ in the world. We are called to proclaim that the good news is for the poor. Christ does make the blind see. Christ does release the captives and free the oppressed. We are a very real example of what Christ does in the world.

As Presbyterians, we are somewhat reluctant to feel good about anything we do. We are told that feeling good about doing something is a sin. Well, feeling too good about doing something, or being too prideful is a sin. Sin boldly. Feel good about the way we use our building in this community. Feel good about the people we send on mission trips. Feel good, then take pride in the way we express the unlimited grace of Jesus Christ. Know that we can do more to share the unlimited grace of Jesus Christ.

Our very real world needs to hear the very real good news of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Feel really good about spreading the real good news of Christ. Be real. Be real so that others may come to know and embrace the real grace of Jesus Christ.