January 28 Sermon: Jesus returns to His hometown to preach –

Luke 4:14-21

Reading the account of Jesus’ first sermon in his hometown reminds me of that course in seminary where they teach you about preaching. Most of us thought that in a preaching class we’d talk about analyzing biblical texts, discerning their meaning and applying it to everyday life.

Then the professor introduced us to the video camera. Our trial sermons would be recorded and played back so he and the class could critique our body language and posture, facial expressions and movement, and general appearance.

One student complained, “I’m preparing to be a preacher, not a model.”

The point the professor was making:

The wrong body language can ruin a sermon.

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The gospel reports that day in Nazareth when their homeboy returned. He had been away, and they had heard that Jesus, their carpenter, was now preaching. Picture that scene in the synagogue and think about Jesus’ body language. After the service has been underway for a while, Jesus steps forward to the place where the lessons were read. He is handed the scroll of then prophet Isaiah. Silently he unrolls the scroll - he must be looking for a particular passage. He finds the verses he sought and then begins to read:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me...

He just reading, or is Jesus using this text to speak of himself?

anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release.. sight for the blind.. relief for the downtrodden, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Then he silently rolled up the scroll, gave it back, and took the preacher’s seat, the chair of Moses. The eyes of everyone were fixed on him - he had their attention. After that long, dramatic pause he said:

Now, today, this scripture has been fulfilled as you listened

The prophet speaks of me, Jesus said. What long ago Isaiah announced to the people of his time, Jesus announces to the poor and downtrodden of his day - the years of the Lord’s favor. The fulfillment of the prophet’s words will now be found in the person, words and deeds of Jesus.

His dramatic body language prepared them to hear an astounding message. The Spirit of Lord is upon Jesus in a powerful way and God has anointed Him as messiah, the Christ.

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But the most impressive body language was on Good Friday. Jesus stretched out his arms on the hard wood of the cross, that he might bring all within His saving embrace. The agonizing pain that dislocated his disfigured body brings reconciliation. Those who were far off are now brought near to God.

His body language redeems us: the Body of Christ given for you.

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Body language communicates and the wrong body language can ruin a sermon - and a congregation.

In our second lesson, Paul is attempting to correct the body language of that congregation in Corinth – correct their posture and straighten them up. The Corinthians were a troubled and troubling congregation. There were factions and a host of other problems.

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I think the praise band at the Corinthian church was a group like “The Austin Lounge Lizards”. They’ve got a song that sounds like it came from Corinth:

I know you smoke, I know you drink that brew.

I just can’t abide a sinner like you.

God can’t either, that’s why I know it to be true

That Jesus loves me -- but he can’t stand you.

I’m going to heaven, boys, when I die

Cause Jesus loves me -- but you’re gonna to fry

Maybe those disputes and divisions in Corinth resulted from the diverse backgrounds of the members. It was a strange conglomeration – Jews and non Jews, rich and poor, even slaves and free. Picture them all sitting at a pot-luck talking – a slave next to a wealthy free man, a Jew next to a former pagan.

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Mixing different cultures can lead to misunderstandings.

Sally was driving home from a business trip in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road.. She stopped and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride.

So blond-haired, blue-eyed Sally made small talk with the dark skinned Indian.

The Navajo noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally. “What’s in the bag?”

It’s a bottle of wine. Got it for my husband.

With the wisdom of an elder, the Navajo said: “Good trade.”

The misunderstandings among the different factions in Corinth were a bit more serious. Paul implied they ought to be ashamed, calling themselves Christians and acting in the way they did – with their fussing and feuding, petty divisions. For a number of chapters in this letter to them, he has been hammering them for all of their woeful inadequacies in being the church. After all that criticism. Paul says directly Now you are the body of Christ. 12;27

It’s surprising that Paul would have made this statement to this sort of church. Despite all your limitations, all your problems, You are the body of Christ.

I would have thought he’d say You really ought to try being the body of Christ. OR, if you work hard someday you might be able to be the body of Christ.

But no, he just says flat out, Now you are the body of Christ.

It’s an amazing thing to say about a group of people like them

And it’s an amazing thing to say to a group of people like us.

But scripture assures us that this is God’s design for His church. For the Holy Spirit has gathered us together – and His Spirit would empower us. Like it or not, with all our faults, we are the body of Christ – the only visible form the risen Christ takes in the world. Christ has chosen to be present among His followers, gathered in His name. He would continue His work – His mission, through us.

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Sometimes when you try to get someone to come to church, they’ll reply, “I consider myself a Christian, but I don’t like organized religion.”

Tell them, “Well then you certainly ought to come my church. We’re about disorganized as religion gets.”

If they love Jesus, but don’t like the church, tell them to take it up with Jesus. This was His idea. Like it or not, for all our faults, we are the body of Christ. The local church is the visible form the risen Christ has chosen to take in the world.

If you really love Jesus, but think the church isn’t what it should be, then obviously the church needs your help - get involved and help straighten it out.

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We are the body of Christ – his hands and feet, his mouth and ears in our part of the world.

We are the body of Christ and His Spirit has already given us all that we need to carry on His work - a variety of spiritual gifts and abilities – talents given to build up His church. At times it might seem that we are God’s rusty tools.

We only need to discern our gifts and talents, then in prayer seek His guidance as to how to use them in service. Often, this involves trying different tasks or ways of serving. We discover whether we are called to serve in an area simply by volunteering, and then seeing whether our efforts are fruitful and rewarding.

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Maybe our body language – our posture – isn’t as straight as it should be.

This week check your body language

Stand tall, for you are a member of the body of Christ, connected through Christ to a community of loving brothers and sisters - bound to each other by the Holy Spirit.

Straighten up, for you bear Christ - he would speak and act through you - let others see Christ through you.

Have the posture of Christ, His attitude of compassion, humility, and love - let the light of Christ shine through you. Amen

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The next hymn prepares for the baptism of Emily Colleen McMaughn. And you will say, we welcome you into the Lord’s family, receive you as a fellow member of the body of Christ and a worker with us in the kingdom of God.

Maybe that asks a lot of a little baby - it’s even a lot for a red head. But little Emily reminds us that this is God’s doing - he calls us - and He equips us with His Spirit.