Rev. George Miller
Feb 9, 2025
Luke 7:1-17
Here we are.
It’s been days since we followed Jesus and
the Disciples through the grainfield, moving forward into a newer day and a
newer way of being.
Since the moment Jesus opened the scroll
in the Synagogue, reading the words from Isaiah, and had the audacity to remind
folk about the widow and the man living with leprosy, his ministry has been
ripe with conflict and controversy.
How dare Jesus remind folk that God is
free to love who God loves; and God cares for those who are different and not
like us.
Last week we saw these controversies and
ill-will cause the Pharisees to spy on him; how folk got upset that Jesus offered
healing to a man.
I have a theory to share with you today- I
believe that after each time Jesus does something, we should think “And that’s
another strike of the hammer into his hands and feet.”
For so long, we read these stories about Jesus,
and we think “How wonderful; how kind; how amazing.”
But when we walk deep into the grainfield
with Jesus, like really walk into the fields, we discover how revolutionary,
extraordinary his kind of outreach really was, and why so many folk despised
and rejected him.
But you know what- it didn’t stop Jesus.
No matter what folk said; no matter what folk tried to do, he and the disciples
kept moving forward, be it in the grainfield, by the seashore, atop a mountain,
even to the Cross.
Since we last met, Jesus has moved. He gave the Beatitudes, telling the poor that
the Kingdom of God is theirs; telling those who are homesick and heartbroken
that they will laugh.
But…he also says to those who are rich, full,
and happy that they will have challenging times.
Another strike of the hammer.
Still, Jesus moves forward. He tells those with ears to hear that they
are to love their enemies, show kindness to those who dislike them, give to
those who asks for assistance, to not judge, condemn, and to be merciful.
All of this sounds good…unless if you
prefer to divide, punish, shame. Again, another strike of the hammer.
Today we get to see how Jesus not only
talks the talk, but has the courage to walk the walk.
Here we are, out of the grainfield, into
the fishing town of Capernaum.
Here, by the beautiful blue waters is a
Centurian, the most powerful person in town.
He’s not Jewish, nor a citizen of the
country. He’s more of a colonizer.
He’s put there by the Roman government to
ensure the locals do not rebel against the Roman invaders.
This Centurian oversees about 100
soldiers, and although he has done good things, like help build a synagogue,
his job description includes overseeing law and order and executing physical
punishment.
So imagine what it would be like for the
people of this village to see how Jesus was willing to offer this foreign
Gentile the gift of household healing.
Imagine how the faithful people who have
worshipped God for 40, 60 generations feel when they hear Jesus say that the
Centurian has greater faith then them.
Another strike of the hammer.
Then, from the mightiest man in town to
the most vulnerable of women, we watch as Jesus moves forward and bring new
life to a widow’s only son.
This particular story is powerful- it
gives us a glimpse into who Jesus is and the God he speaks of.
This story starts on the edge of town, the
outskirts where the nobodies and noones linger, where death is buried.
Jesus meets a woman who has lost her
husband, and now her son.
Not just her child, but the one person who
could protect her, help her pay her bills, keep her safe from the land- barons
and creditors who anxiously wait to take her home away.
Here we witness a pivotal moment in Luke’s
Gospel.
After offering love and mercy to a
powerful enemy of the state, Jesus now offers another kind of love and mercy to
a woman who has lost it all.
And if we ever want to know just who Jesus
is; if we ever, ever want to know just who God is, we can look upon Luke
chapter 7, verse 13 and hear these mighty, mighty words.
“When the Lord saw her, he had compassion
for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”
…“When the Lord saw her, he had compassion
for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”…
You want to know who the Lord is? Luke 7:13 lets us know. Only 17 words, but a world of theology.
This, right here is the first time that
the author refers to Jesus as “The Lord.”
This is the moment the author wants us to know just who Jesus is.
The author does not refer to Jesus as Lord
when he is baptized or reading Isaiah, calling the disciples, offering healing
to a warrior’s household.
Luke refers to Jesus as “the Lord” at the
moment in which Jesus sees the most vulnerable person in town and shows God’s
love and mercy to a woman who has lost it all.
Wow- that means if Jesus can see her, the
Lord sees us to.
Then there is the word “compassion.”
In Greek, that word means a visceral
emotion you feel deep within your body, in your gut.
In Hebrew, the word compassion takes on
another level- it means to feel love and mercy within your womb, just as a
mother would for the kid she carries.
When you hear the word compassion, you
should think of the expression “womb love,” maternal love for one’s life and
well-being.
So here we are, Jesus sees a woman so
vulnerable, so broken, so on the outskirts of the city, and the Lord not only
sees her, but has womb-love for her, a sense of care deep in his tummy.
This means that if Jesus can see her and
feel the love of a parent for her, that means that no matter who we are, no
matter what we are going through, no matter what loss we have endured, no
matter if we are at the far-off gates of the city-
The Lord sees us, the Lord cares for us,
and the Lord does not want us to suffer without end, but to experience the
possibilities of new beginnings, healing, and a way to move forward.
Jesus offers the widow that gift by
restoring her son to wellness. There are
a multitude of ways in which Jesus can offer us those gifts.
Discussing the difficult, seeking
self-care, making new friends, welcoming the help and mercy from others.
Last week we began our Stewardship
Campaign titled “Love Grows Here,” a statement of fact and a prophetic
opportunity to till the soil, remove the rocks, and plant seeds that produce
heavenly fruit.
One way we do that is by hearing and
remembering words like today- reminders that the Jesus we follow through the
grainfield, the Lord we talk about is one who-
-Offers healing and mercy to all, even our
enemies.
-Sees and feels deep love for us, even if
we are the weakest of all.
-Invites us to move from tears to joy.
-Calls us to rise up and experience the
gifts of restored life.
-Who is teaching us how to love, not just
through words, but also actions.
So let us continue to move forward through
the grainfields with Jesus and the disciples, excited about where the Lord will
lead us.
For that, let us say “Amen.”
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