Last week we read about the beginning of Jesus ministry in the gospel of John. This week we read about Jesus’ inaugural sermon in the gospel of Luke. This is the beginning of his ministry in this gospel.

Jesus goes into the synagogue, picks up the scroll and reads from the prophet Isaiah. They had heard the words many times. But something felt different this time. He spoke with authority. He put the scroll down and said, “Today in your hearing this scripture is fulfilled.”

The moment they had been waiting for, the anointed one, the messiah, the day of the Lord, this is it. This is not a drill. This is the real deal.

The words they had heard are speaking to them in their very soul. They were raving about Jesus. They were moved by the gracious words flowing from his mouth. He had them. He had them eating out of his hands.

His reputation had preceded him. They heard about the healing he was doing. Then some said things like, “Wait, isn’t that Joseph’s son?” We know him. How can he be the one? So Jesus will say to be “physician heal thyself.” What he said is, you will tell me the quote of doctor heal yourself. It was a meme going around. You know the kind of quotes with pretty scenes behind the words.

Jesus said a prophet is not welcomed in his hometown. He was not going to heal the way he did in other places. They knew him more intimately than the strangers. Yet they didn’t know him at all. They had resigned as we often do to who they thought he was and always would be. They were not open to what could happen. So he gave 2 illustrations from the Old Testament. Many were hungry and desperate in Elijah’s day due to a drought. He said there were many widows, but Elijah only went to one widow and provided for her. And many lepers were in need of healing and yet Elisha only healed Naaman. Let us look a little closer at these 2 stories and refresh our memory of them.

Elijah – didn’t heal all or feed all. God told him to go to a town called Zarephath and God told him a widow will provide food. She only has a little and not sure if she can feed her family and him. He said trust him and her jar will continue to be filled with what she needs for bread. And she does and it is.

Elisha – Naaman, a well-respected commander of an army (not Israel’s) was suffering from leprosy. A young servant girl suggested he go to the prophet Elisha. He goes to him. Elisha sends word for him to go to the river Jordan and wash 7 times and he will be healed. He is indignant. He feels disrespected for Elisha doesn’t even come out to speak to him and he thought he would wave his hands over him and he would be healed. He doesn’t want to come to their River when they have perfectly good bodies of water in which to wash. But the servants remind him if Elisha had ask him to do something noble and great he would have. So, he goes to the River Jordan and is healed.

These 2 outsiders are healed. And only these two. Elisha and Elijah are 2 important prophets. At our annual conference every year a mantel, (a clergy stole) is passed from a newly retired clergy to a newly ordained clergy and the words of II Kings as Elijah flies up to heaven in a chariot of fire his mantle drops and Elisha picks it up. What message are we passing on to the next generation today?

So, Jesus reminds the people of these 2 stories. Why? Why Elijah and Elisha? He said many were in need but only these 2 were helped. One, a woman starving was given perpetual food after she shared kindly with what she had. And a soldier, a commander humbled himself and obeyed the prophet and was healed. Both the widow and Naaman were outsiders, not Israelites, not from their country or their religion.

Was that what infuriated the crowd? How dare he not consider us the privileged people. How dare he remind us we have to be a part of the caring and sharing. We can stop him, we will just run him out of town, then we can get a new prophet who will tell us what we want to hear.

We liked the first part. The day of the Lord is here. We are poor and he said he has good news for the poor. He told us he will liberate the oppressed. He will fix unjust Roman systems.

But after the second part, they were so angry. Rose up and ran him out of town. Let him to the crest to throw him off the cliff. Be he passed through the crowd.

They try to run him out of town. They try to throw him off a cliff. The miracle here, is he escapes, disappears. Where did he go?

Now, in my profession we have been required to go to church growth conferences and rallies. Jesus did everything you are not supposed to do. He had them. They found gracious words flowing from his mouth. They were so impressed with his delivery and this message. Then he said what they didn’t want to hear. And the fickle crowd turned on him.

He refused to tell them what they wanted to hear. He told the truth. He challenged them right away, yes, right out of the gate. They went from celebrating. Finally, we have someone who speaks to us and he is the one we have been waiting for; to let’s kill him. They tried to throw him off a cliff.

There are times we are so moved and the words we have heard a million times become real and palpable and uplifting. Then other times we are challenged. The truth sometimes hurts.

The one who is anointed speaks good news to the poor and gives sight to those who cannot see. And liberates those who are being exploited.

If we are the ones doing the exploiting, this is painful news. If we are the ones not sharing, this is convicting. If we are the ones excluding the outsiders, then we may want to stop words like this and the one who is sharing it. But Jesus doesn’t owe us an apology for stirring up the crowd and exhorting them to show mercy.

We may try to get rid of the voices of mercy and grace and love. But God will find a way again even in our time. Even in a day when the words of the Lord are distorted and even abused.

It may be an outsider who hears and heeds the words of God as it was for Elijah and Elisha.

We know the Bible. We claim it is for us. And it is. But not for us alone. It is also for the world.

Today in your hearing, the scripture is fulfilled. May it be so, amen.