26 January 2025 - Epiphany 3, Year C

Theme

The theme of honouring God’s Law is prominent throughout our Lectionary readings for the week. The Israelites gathered to hear the Law of Moses from Ezra in Nehemiah; David praises God’s laws in the Psalm and Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah in Luke.

Scriptures

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 - Ezra the scribe reads the Book of the Law of Moses to the Israelite people at the square just inside the water gate.

Psalm 19 - A Psalm declaring that all of Creation praises God. The psalmist, David, declares that God’s laws are good and worthy to be praised.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a - The body of Christ, just like a physical body, has many parts that are all important to the whole. “In fact, some of the parts that are seen as weaker are more important.” Paul then lists some of the  parts that God has appointed for the church. Paul then compares these duties to the gifts of the Spirit.

Luke 4:14-21 - Jesus reads a scroll in the temple, quoting the prophet Isaiah. Jesus proclaimed that the Scripture which he had just read was fulfilled on that very day. 

Personal Application

Jesus’ announcement that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words were shocking to the original listeners. Do we still understand the potency of this claim today? 

Jesus claimed that “the time of the Lord’s favour has come.” And why has it come? Because God has anointed him to bring good news to the poor, setting captives and the oppressed free. While Jesus’ radical claim was certainly shocking to the original hearers, they contain a deep truth that is still available to us today. We are also able to experience the Lord’s favour (The Kingdom of God) in our world today - we just need to be willing to partake in the work of Jesus - bringing good news to the poor, setting captives and the oppressed free.

Communal Application

We are all unique. We all have differences. Unfortunately, many churches will try to tell you that you do not belong because of your differences - because of your race, your gender, your personality, your sexuality, or your age. Some people even seem to see certain differences as “weaknesses” in God’s church. But as Paul says in verse 22 of our passage from this morning - “Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indespensable, and the parts that we think are less honourable, we treat with special honour… God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that it’s parts should have equal concern for each other.”

THIS is the key to unity in the church. Not ignoring our differences or excluding those that don’t agree with us. It is about acknowledging that although we are different in many ways, we are all a part of the body of Christ, the Church, and we should have equal concern for each other.

Our diversity is not a bad thing. In fact, it is actually a blessing! Instead of ignoring our differences or pretending they don’t exist, we should be celebrating the diversity within the body of God. While some churches and Christians unfortunately discriminate because of our differences, the Good News is that Jesus does not. Jesus was constantly confronted about who he spent his time with and who he welcomed into his circles. Tax-collectors, adulterers, sex-workers; Jesus welcomed and loved them all. Jesus’ only requirement for someone to follow him was their willing heart. If they were willing to humble themselves and buy into Jesus’ love for God and their neighbour, Jesus accepted their offering.