First Presbyterian Church                                                       Pastor Sue Nageotte

Salt Lake City, Utah                                                         September 17, 2006

“Having a Kingdom Mentality: It’s All About God’s Ways”

Luke 4: 14-21;    Mark   8: 27 - 38

I.    Context and Introduction

The Gospel of Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where he fasted for forty days.  At the end of that time Satan came to tempt him;  but Jesus answered each temptation with words of Scripture showing that he trusted completely in God and God’s promises.  So Satan left Jesus alone until a later time.

In Luke Chapter 4 we read that after this,  “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.  He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.  He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.  He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.  Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’  Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.  He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

II.    The Synagogue in Nazareth

Imagine their excitement!   This was Jesus, the miracle-worker that everyone had been hearing about ever since he came back to the region - Jesus, who grew up in their own town!   Why, he’d hung out with their children, run errands for his mother in the marketplace, and probably learned to read in this very synagogue!

The town-folk watched intently as Jesus took the Isaiah scroll and carefully unrolled it.   He seemed to be looking for something in particular . . . a message just for them.   Whatever could it be?   After all, not much ever happened in sleepy little Nazareth out in the Galilean countryside.    But oh . . . . listen!    Their hearts lifted in wonder and pride as Jesus began to read them those wonderful words of God’s promise to set right all the things that were ugly, broken, lost and just plain hard about their lives.   Then Jesus sat down to teach, and they were even more astonished to hear him say, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”   And everyone smiled and nodded and spoke well about him.      And then  . . . .

And then came one of those moments when the earth seems to tilt underfoot and we’re left feeling sick and shaky with disbelief . . . like going for a checkup and we’re feeling pretty good, maybe even lost a couple pounds since our last visit . . . suddenly we hear the doctor say the word “lump” and after that, even though her mouth is moving the sounds all blur together:   wah-wah, wah-wah   tests   wah-wah, wah   let’s not wait   wah-wah . . . and even though we hear the words, they aren’t really making any sense.

That’s how I imagine the folks in the synagogue must have felt.    Because if we read a little farther in Luke, we would see that one minute, Jesus tells them that all the wonderful things God promised for his holy people – no more crying; no more poverty; no more trampled dreams; no more oppression – they are all being fulfilled right now, in THEIR hearing.  They’re probably sitting there thinking    Oh boy oh boy . . . we’ve got hold of the winning lottery ticket . . . and it’s not just a couple of thousand denari, it’s the Super PowerBall . . . and our kid Jesus is bringing those miracles right here to our front door!  What a guy – what a guy to know!

And then the very next minute, when they’re dreaming about what a nice life they’re going to have, Jesus jerks the rug out from under them saying in essence “Don’t expect any special favors, because I wasn’t sent here just for you.”   That may seem harsh, but it was imperative that the community in Nazareth begin to be shaken out of their possessive familiarity and to relate to Jesus as more than “Joseph’s son, the miracle-working neighbor.”     

III.     Good News as Proclamation of the New King

This continues to be a problem for many individuals and congregations today.  I don’t mean that they don’t believe Jesus was the Son of God.    But we can put so much focus on our individual relationship with Jesus – relating to him as brother or friend – that we do not properly understand the greater dimensions of his Kingship, and our place within his Kingdom.   The early believers had an entirely different take on things.   Let me give just one example.   Most people who’ve been around Christian circles know that the Greek word evangelion – translated as “gospel” in English – literally means “good news.”   Since Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners we frequently view “the gospel” as the set of facts and assurances through which a person can decide to receive Jesus as her Savior. 

But in first century Rome, “evangelion” was almost invariably a royal public proclamation that a new ruler had come to power.   Hnews:uman rulers were often greedy, egotistical, capricious and cruel.   There was no vote or choice about it;  people owed allegiance to the king.    But God – aren’t those wonderful words – “but God”?    – but God, acting in mercy through Jesus Christ, had appointed a new King:   generous, self-giving, steadfast and merciful.

So when Paul and the other writers of the New Testament used the word  evangelion  - the “good news” of Jesus Christ - it is a bold proclamation that God has given all authority in heaven and on earth to Jesus Christ, who reigns over all Creation.   Christ is Lord of believer and unbeliever alike; there is no other Lord.   Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  

We know that evil still exists in the world.   We ourselves sin.  We see and feel the consequences of sin, everywhere we look.  Yet through his sacrifice on the cross,  Jesus has triumphed over the power of sin.   In Christ, the new kingdom has already broken in.

 

IV.      Our transformation in faith is an evidence of the Kingdom

We most truly know Jesus as the one who redeems us from sin and death as we submit to his Lordship.    Let me say that a different way.   Until we submit to Jesus as Lord – until we open ourselves to being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit – we cannot truly and feel that we have been redeemed from sin. 

In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us that we must no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world – that is, we must no longer follow our natural impulses – but instead, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.   Paul clearly doesn’t mean the power of positive thinking, but rather, what we imagine, what we value, what we desire under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In some ways, we are shown to be Christ’s followers by the ongoing transformation of our lives.   Scripture repeatedly says that it is our behavior that shows to whom we belong.  We are either slaves to the world, or we are the adopted children of God.   So what does this look like?

As we admit our rebellion, as we receive the forgiveness of God in Christ and are filled by the Holy Spirit, we are increasingly able to resist temptation, to love others and let go of past hurts.  This doesn’t happen all at once – maybe we don’t even realize it is happening until one day, someone cuts us off in traffic and when we open our mouth we are surprised to hear “Lord, have mercy!” instead of . . . . something else entirely.   When  we do sin we do not despair for we know that God is eager to forgive. 

Our worries about having enough money, security, control and recognition are replaced by a deep sense of contentment and trust in God.   Relationships become more important than possessions.   We do enjoy material things, as they are evidences of God’s love, but we hold them lightly and can give them up without anguish or bitterness   when it is necessary or good to do so.

As we experience God’s extravagant goodness to us, we respond by giving generously in all areas of our life:  time, prayer, financial resources, friendship, and service in keeping with the gifts God has given us.    We work, we relax, we worship and study and play in ways that contribute to our well-being and that of our family and community.  We are increasingly eager to tell other people how very good God is – about God’s offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.   We find satisfaction in serving others through specific, meaningful actions that bring glory to God.   And, we rejoice in caring for God’s creations in ways pleasing to him.

Our behavior changes because our minds are renewed; our minds – or thoughts – are renewed  because God has given us a new heart.   The Holy Spirit is conforming us more and more to the image of Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and King.   In this way our loving, faithful, trusting obedience – as individuals, and as a community – becomes a demonstration of God’s present Kingdom, even as we watch and wait for Christ’s final return, saying “come, Lord Jesus!”

Let us pray . . .     (for humility, courage, wisdom . . . .. . . to let our own desires to be replaced by the good and perfect will of God for our lives . . .   to be aware of those who need to know and feel God’s forgiveness in Christ, and those who need our resources for help in daily living . . . for the power of the Holy Spirit to give vision and energy to the congregation, that we may become a mighty force for good in the Avenues and beyond . . . . )     Amen