When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, from preaching throughout Judea, he didn’t receive what we would call a “warm welcome.” Rather than celebrating his ministry, the people wondered, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Matt. 13:54). To them, he was just the carpenter’s son, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and his sisters.[2]
Tag Archives: Provision
The Sown Word
In the tenth chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul describes the necessity of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, as “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” One cannot believe the gospel if one does not hear it, in various ways and various forms, and one cannot hear it unless it is shared or proclaimed. Hearing then is necessary for salvation, but hearing is not enough. The gospel must be truly believed, yet not all who hear believe.
A Gospel Ministry
This is how Christ builds his kingdom, through the faithful preaching of the Word and sacraments, through the diverse use of our gifts in service, and through our tithes and offerings. It sounds remarkably ordinary, and it is, but God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; what is weak to shame the strong; what is low and despised to build Christ’s church, that in it and through it he might be glorified. All glory be to Christ!
How Great a Debtor
Jesus was invited to dine with a Pharisee. Perhaps surprisingly, he accepted. He who said that he came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10) would presumably have plenty to seek and save over supper. But as the party proceeded, it was unexpectedly crashed, by a woman known not by name but by sin. Luke records neither.
Who Made You Judge?
If there is an aphorism derived from Scripture best known and oft quoted in our day, surely it is, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”[2] Its use is typically meant to refute moral judgment on a particular sin, and its effect is typically the equivalent of “Mind your own business.” The source of the expression is our passage today, as well as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. And while I am all for encouraging quotes of Jesus in our culture, I’m not for taking Scripture out of context, for whatever reason. As we will see in our passage today, Jesus was no more dismissing sin than encouraging it, but he was confronting it, a sin that often hides comfortably in the church.
Thy Kingdom Come
“In these days,” that is, when Jesus was still preaching and ministering throughout the Judean region, “he went out to the mountain to pray.” Luke’s succinct statement is easily read over, but its brevity does not negate its significance. This was one of those times when and one of those places where Jesus would get away to pray. But on this occasion, Luke tells us that “all night he continued in prayer to God.” Out of the four Gospels, Luke is the only one to record this detail, a glimpse into the devotional life of the Son of Man.
He Will: Be Clean
Such is the case in our passage today, where a man “full of leprosy” approached Jesus. And this was a problem.
The Folly of Worldly Temptations
Looking back on his life, Solomon saw clearly the brevity of life, the futility of worldliness, indeed the vanity of all under the sun. The story of his life told a tragedy of misspent blessing, but it need not be repeated. What is the story of your life telling? Is it one of faith, surrender, and dependence upon our Lord, characterized by forgiveness and love? Is it worthy of Christlike imitation? Or does it tell the story of vanity, striving after the wind, nothing gained under the sun?
Momentary Affliction, Eternal Glory
In the moment, it is easy to think of our troubles as enduring, but they will pass away just like the world as we know it. The Lord “laid the foundation of the earth” long ago, but it will perish. He formed the heavens by hand, but they will wear out “like a garment” (25-26). But he who made heaven and earth is ageless, he doesn’t wear out, and he will never perish, and neither will all who trust in him. This is why we must not think of our troubles as unending or seek to find solutions in what will perish. We must look to the Lord in our time of need, for ourselves but also for one another. For though our afflictions are momentary, in Christ we look together toward an eternal glory.
Watching and Waiting
In Christ, we are promised many things, including this: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10). By grace through faith, if we are in Christ, then for Christ we will be treated with contempt, scorned for our faithfulness. For the Christian, persecution is not the consequence of a lack of faith but evidence of it.
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 