January 21, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends,

The first Christmas was a turning point in history, and the season of Epiphany which follows immediately is about integrating the lessons of Christmas into our lives. The first lesson is that “God is with us” in the person of Jesus. The second is that God’s redemptive dream for the world, foretold by the Prophets, is fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus. This was the theme of Jesus’ inaugural sermon in Nazareth. He had acquired a reputation as a healer in the town of Capernaum, so when he returned to his hometown as the guest speaker in the local synagogue, everyone turned out to hear him. His text was Isaiah 61. This prophecy is a promise that a day is coming when the Hebrew Jubilee, celebrated every fifty years in Israel, would go global and last forever. That future Jubilee was to Jews what the Millennium is to Christians. But Jesus sent shockwaves through his audience when he said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” This is where Sunday’s sermon picks up. I hope to see you Sunday.

SCRIPTURES

Luke 4:16-21. Jesus Returns to Nazareth  Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. On the sabbath he attended the synagogue service as the guest speaker. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled it and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant. Everyone’s eyes  were fixed on him. Then he said, “TODAY this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

Leviticus 25:8-22 (edited). The Year of Jubilee   The Lord says, Every fiftieth year you shall blow the ram’s horn to proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee, a year of rest for you and your land. Your fields shall lie fallow all year. You shall not plough or sow in your fields. You shall not tend your vineyards or orchards. However, you may eat whatever your fields, vineyards and orchards produce on their own. You might ask, ‘What will we eat during the year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops?’ Be assured that I will bless you in the previous year, so the land will produce a crop large enough for three years. Trust me. Follow these rules and your land will yield large crops, and you will have plenty to eat. Furthermore, if in years past, any of you has fallen into debt, so that your house and land have been seized, or if you have been unable to support yourself and were forced into indentured servitude, you will be set free at the Jubilee, your debts will be forgiven, and your house and land will be retuned to you.

SERMON TITLE:  “TODAY”

TODAY

Build a little fence of trust around today,

Fill the space with loving deeds

And therein stay.

Look not through the sheltering bars upon tomorrow,

God will help you bear what comes

Of joy or sorrow.

Mary Francis Butts

Blessings,

Pastor Norm

This service can be found on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/n1m1aFsuIX0