Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

When Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, he may not have had the company of friends and family surrounding him, but he was not alone. Every word he spoke to address the temptations of the devil came from Deuteronomy. Through these familiar words, Jesus was abe to summon up the presence of his ancestors and the voice of God that spoke to them. What words are written on your heart? In times of crisis, what words find their way through the ages to bring you strength? Are you prepared for the wilderness times? Can you trust your pain to God? Can you focus on your eternal purpose more than on your immediate circumstances? Ask God to prepare you.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Today is a day for remembering that we are simply creatures, not the Creator. We remember those we love who have returned to the dust. We remember our place in the large arc of history. We remember that we are frail and small and that the world does not revolve around us. It’s a solemn day to remember. But that remembering also leads us to freedom. Freedom comes to God’s people in the most unlikely of places: in the desert, in the wilderness, in exile, under an oppressive empire, on the cross, in the homes of scared disciples locked away. Freedom arrives in the ordinary things of water, word, bread and wine and today in ashes.

Sometimes transformation happens before our very eyes without us even noticing it. God’s glory was on full display for the disciples that day on the mountaintop, and as people of faith, we profess God’s transforming power is still at work among us today. These are the pivotal moments that change our perspective, invite us to embark on a new adventure of discipleship, and expand our capacity for love of God and neighbor. These are the moments when Christ is revealed to us. God is here. Christ is among us.

In today’s gospel, Jesus’ words today are challenging. But more that a list of dos and don’ts, this is an invitation to enter a countercultural way of living: a lifestyle that meets antagonism with mercy, scarcity with generosity, and selfishness with abundant love. It is not a call to passivity or silence, to complicity in injustice, or to acceptance of the way things are in order to avoid conflict. Instead, it is a call to let God’s merciful justice and compassionate grace define our stories, our relationships, and our very existence so that we might be agents of change. It it a call to experience the freedom that only Christ can give. It is a call to join God as co-creators of a new kingdom where Christ reigns, all in all.

In today’s gospel, Jesus meets the crowds on the plane. On the plane, it can feel like everything has been laid bare; nothing can remain hidden for long. And true to the setting, much is exposed in this story. The rich and the poor, the joyful and the suffering, the hungry and the full are placed side by side. There is no hiding the inequality and injustice of the world. Jesus’ stark words reach across the page and the years to call us, the church, to examine our hearts, our relationships, and even our society. A level plain invites us to look our neighbors in the eyes, to hear their stories, to see their humanity. The level plane is a place of transformation and healing. This is a place to meet Jesus.

In today’s gospel, the Word of God has the power to transform even the most impossible circumstances into new life. Jesus steps into the lives of these fishermen meeting them right where they are. With a simple request to once again cast out their nets, Jesus reveals to them the abundant power of God. This kind of power doesn’t wait for these fisher- men to feel holy or capable. It only requires a drop of faith and a single act of obedience, and suddenly there are enough fish not just for them but for the entire community. This encounter sets off a ripple effect: these new disciples begin to follow Jesus, bringing in more people and eventually benign witness to his life, death and resurrection. So must we.

In today’s gospel, Jesus has returned to his hometown, a community eager to welcome him back into their midst. Perhaps they assumed Jesus would meet their familiar welcome with some special favor. But instead, Jesus shakes things up by pointing to God’s presence in the lives of outsiders. This is not exactly the message the hometown folks were expecting to hear! This reminds us that God shows up in the lives of those we least expect. Thereby nudging us to expand our horizons to notice the Holy at work in other communities, too. May God’s Spirit work to open our hearts to notice Christ in the places we least expect him to be.

We begin with recognizing that Nehemiah provides a review of why we do the things we do in our weekly service. Why do we stand for the reading of the Gospel? Why is there a reflection, a sermon shared? In the Gospel reading, Jesus participates in this ancient pattern. However, Jesus will not fulfill the expectations of the people. Instead, with his coming into the world, Jesus brings with him the salvation that will proclaim liberty to all of who are captive to something, whether we deserve that liberty in the eyes of society or not. Jesus is sending a signal that his coming into the world is an invitation to look at everything we think we know from a different perspective. He invites us to follow God’s will. What is God calling us to do in faith with great love?