Is Jesus a Prophet in Our Hometown?
A sermon preached by
The Rev. Janice Ford
January 24, 2016
Luke 4:14-30
(Note: The Revised Common Lectionary calls for us to read Luke 4:14-21 this Sunday.
Next Sunday’s reading is the conclusion of the story (v.v. 22-30). I have elected to read
and preach on both sections this Sunday because next Sunday is our Annual Meeting
which is held within the confines of the service of Holy Eucharist, and I typically do not
offer a sermon. This is such an important piece of Scripture, I do not want to pass over
it or the lesson it provides.)
Growing up, one of my favorite TV shows was The Carol Burnett Show. I found it very
entertaining, and the skits she, Harvey Koreman, Tim Conway and Vicki Lawrence
performed were hysterically funny. I remember one particular skit called, “The Family”
in which Vicki played “Momma,” Carol played daughter “Eunice,” Harvey played Carol’s
husband, “Ed,” and guest star, Roddy McDowell played Carol’s intelligent and
successful brother, “Phillip.” Needless to say, Phillip was the “odd ball” in the family
because the rest of the group was self-absorbed, unrefined, bitter, harsh and lazy—and
those were their good points! As a successful writer, Phillip stood in stark contrast to
the family, yet he really wanted their acknowledgement and approval. Phillip arrives
home, and after a very brief welcome by the family, he finds himself in the midst of yet
another of their screaming sessions during dinner. He tries to interject with the news
that he has just won the Nobel Prize for writing. His family responds with “That’s nice,
Phillip, but we’re trying to have a discussion here.” Craziness ensues, and poor Phillip
leaves the house bewildered, disappointed, and, sadly, not surprised.
There really was a lot of great comedy in this little sketch, but the underlying theme of
not being supported or acknowledged by one’s family probably hit home for a few folks.
In nearly every skit depicting this dysfunctional family, there was always a hint of
poignant sadness amid the funny characters and their one-liners. I think that’s true of
all really good comedy.
I thought about this particular skit when I was preparing my sermon for today. Jesus’
words, “No prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown” made me think of poor
Phillip trying to share his recent accolade with his dysfunctional family. Not only did
Phillip receive neither acceptance nor support, he was downright ignored!
Jesus experiences a very similar fate. He returns to the town where he grew up. He is
well known by the people, and stories of his recent miracles and teachings have made
their way to them. When Jesus reads Scripture from the prophet Isaiah, he is basically
reintroducing himself to the people. He tells them that Isaiah’s prophesy has come to
fruition in him. He is the Messiah, and the Messiah’s mission is to “bring good news to
the poor,” “release the captives,” “give recovery of sight to the blind,” “let the oppressed
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go free,” and “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Underlying these words is the
understanding that Jesus’ mission is meant to everyone, not just the Jews.
At first, the people listening were thrilled to hear Jesus’ words. They could scarcely
believe that this man—the son of Joseph, the carpenter—could be the Messiah. They
are quick to offer their approval of God’s choice. Jesus is a hometown boy, after all.
Unfortunately for them, however, things take a dramatic turn as Jesus continues to
speak. Jesus begins to “poke the sleeping bear,” by telling the people that he knows
what they are thinking about him, and what they are hoping it will mean for them. They
will expect him to perform great miracles for them, and do even more for them than he
has done for others. Jesus uses the examples of Elijah and Elisha, prophets who came
to help only certain of their Jewish ancestors in times of trouble, rather than all of Israel.
In other words, Jesus is telling the people in the synagogue that he has come for others
besides the Jews. Their mutual Jewish heritage is not a guarantee that he belongs only
to them.
We need to remember that the Jews considered themselves the “chosen people of
God.” In fact, they were the chosen people until they proved themselves unable to be
reconciled to God. God gave them every opportunity to do so, but they failed again and
again. Finally, God sent his son, Jesus, to do what the Jews themselves could not. At
the time Jesus begins his public ministry, the Jews were convinced that a Messiah
would be chosen from among them and that he would defeat Rome. They expected a
warrior Messiah, not someone who pledges to help the poor and the blind! They also
expected that no other people would benefit from the Messiah’s power and authority.
The realization of what Jesus was saying to them drove the people into such a rage that
they attempted to kill him by throwing him off a cliff. Better this miracle worker be dead
than say such slanderous things to them. Jesus was able to escape the crowd of
would-be murderers. He “passed through the midst of them and went on his way.” He
continued to spread his message of the love and mercy of God to all who would hear
him, leaving behind those who would not accept him as a prophet, much less a
Messiah.
The question we are left with is whether we, from time to time, identify with the Jews
who could not accept Jesus for who he was. Of course, our Christian faith means that
we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and that we understand he came for the
salvation of all. I wonder, though, if we truly understand and accept what that means for
us living in the world today. What I’m referring to here is discipleship. A disciple is one
who not only accepts the Lord, but who also accepts and carries out the charge that the
Lord gives to us. In this particular instance, I’m referring to sharing Jesus’ message of
God’s love and mercy to everyone, and not just those who we think fit a certain mold
Jesus would approve of. When we think that Jesus is only for US, we are being like
those Jews who had a particular idea about who/what the Messiah would be, and that
the Messiah should belong only to them. When they are pressed to broaden their
understanding of who Jesus is, and what his mission is about, they reject him entirely.
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Are we so preoccupied with our own personal faith that we forget Jesus belongs to
everyone? Do we then act as if others must fit into our particular understanding of
Jesus’ mission and ministry before we can share his compassion and mercy? Are we
open to the vision of Jesus as prophet—one who stands in the breech between God
and the people—to bring God’s message to all?
Perhaps some of us here have felt the sting of not being accepted for who we are by
those closest to us. I know I have. It is a terrible feeling. It is the ultimate rejection.
We tell ourselves we shouldn’t care, but we do. Imagine how Jesus must have felt
being rejected by the people of his own hometown. True, he was the Son of God, but
he was also fully human and subject to the same human emotions as we.
When we choose not to share Jesus’ ministry with those unlike us, we are rejecting
Jesus, too. When we keep our faith to ourselves in the name of political correctness or
fear of being rejected, we are like those Jews in the synagogue who wanted the
Messiah only for themselves.
I believe that most of the time we do a good job of seeing Jesus for who he really is,
and we have a good record of been willing to share that vision with those different from
ourselves, but we can always do better. That should always be our goal. When the
character, “Phillip” left Momma’s house at the end of the skit, he did so with a heart full
of rejection. He knew better than to expect anything different from his crazy family.
Jesus, however, expects his family to do better. He knows we can. It’s hard work, but
we can be assured that, with God’s help, we won’t let him down. Amen.
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