In the assigned Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus quotes from Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor; to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Preachers mostly apply these words of Jesus to spiritual things. And, we love for the preacher to only talk about “spiritual things” and stay away from anything “political.”
Let me be clear! I DO NOT believe the church should be involved in partisan politics! However, if we are going to be followers of Jesus, following His teachings, His commandments and His examples; there is no way to avoid being political.
This week, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was discussing the impact of the government shutdown. He said he didn’t understand why furloughed federal employees or those working without pay during the government shutdown would need assistance from food banks. He said they should take out loans to bridge the gap. Such an out-of-touch attitude is flies in the face of the mission and ministry of Jesus made clear in His first sermon. After quoting from Isaiah 61, Luke 4:21 says, “Jesus began to explain to them, ‘Today, this scripture has been fulfilled just as you heard it.’”
Often after Jesus taught an important lesson to His disciples, He would say to them “Go and do likewise.” Preaching the “full gospel” means that followers of Christ must do that which makes the mission and ministry of Jesus clear by “preaching good news to the poor, proclaim release to the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, liberating the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Join us in worship at Covenant this Sunday for a special time and location. Worship will be at NOON and held at Pilgrim UCC, 2817 6th Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35233. We will be doing that with sermon “The Mission and Ministry of Jesus – Made Clear,” based on Luke 4:14-21
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