Sermon: An Uncomfortable Gospel

Lectionary 6(C)

Texts: Jeremiah 17:5-10; Psalm 1; Luke 6:17-26

Beatitudes, Gospel Differences

Poverty and Wealth, William Powell Frith, 1888

When we encounter the beatitudes, the version we usually hear or think about is the one found in Matthew. As we just heard, the version in Luke is different from the one in Matthew. Luke’s version is placed in a different setting, there are fewer blessings, and each blessing is paired with a woe. The differences speak to the different purposes each gospel writer had in including the beatitudes into their gospel account.

Matthew has Jesus going up a mountain and immediately begins speaking. For Matthew, Jesus is the new Moses and the new lawgiver, who ascends a new Sinai to proclaim a new set of laws that the new community that is being inaugurated are to follow.

Luke, on the other hand, has Jesus coming down from a mountain, to level ground. He is surrounded by people from all around the region. He met their healing needs first.[1] And then, not even standing up, he looks up to his disciples and begins to speak to them.

For Luke, Jesus is one with humanity. He is the one who came down from God’s presence, giving up all its privileges and power, and became human. Jesus is not just human, but he is one who places himself as a servant and a slave to everyone else. He is one who identifies with the lowest of the low, the most outcast and reviled, the poorest of the poor, the most abused and desperate. Ninety-percent of the people in the Roman empire lived in poverty. Two-thirds were barely surviving or worse.[2] Luke’s gospel reveals a God whose preference is for these kinds of people.[3]

The Gospel is Uncomfortable

Luke’s version of the beatitudes is very uncomfortable to read, especially for many modern Christians who do not experiencing the privations, possible persecution, and powerlessness that many first century Christians experienced. We prefer Matthew’s version that omits the woes and spiritualizes references to the poor and to the hungry. We prefer a more comfortable, domesticated, and defanged gospel.[4] But Luke challenges us to sit with the discomfort.

One commentary suggests a scenario in which Luke’s gospel might have been read.

Luke’s churches listened to this sermon read aloud as the wealthy believers reclined in the dining room (triclinium) of a Roman house and the poor sat out in the peristyle garden (Osiek and Balch: chs. 1 and 8), the setting in which Luke places Jesus’ last supper (22:14, 24–30). The sermon is specifically addressed to “disciples” (6:20) divided by economic class.[5]

This demands that we ask of ourselves: Does this scenario in any way have resonance with our own present-day circumstances? Do we sit in comfortable spaces with plenty to eat while many others remain outside and hungry?

Poor Doesn’t Just Mean Poor

We also need to better understand what the term poor meant to Jesus and to Luke. What layers of meaning are encoded in this word?

Here I quote from Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw’s book Scapegoats: The Gospel Through the Eyes of Victims.

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the law and prophets defend “the poor” and show them to be of special concern to God. The poor are not only economically disadvantaged but also victims of the unjust structures of society… The concept involves the forces that act upon people to further marginalize them. The poor are the powerless, the vulnerable, the insignificant, the exploited, and the oppressed…

The law, the prophets, and the Psalms make the claim the Yahweh takes the side of the poor and oppressed and vindicates their rights against their rich and powerful oppressors. When Jesus states that the Spirit anointed him to bring good news to the poor, we must take his meaning in its context. The good news to the poor must at the very least be about fighting the powers and systems that keep people poor.[6]

This is all in mind when Luke has Jesus saying, “Blessed are the poor, the hungry, and the weeping.” In a world where the rich and powerful control everything and they continue to amass more and more, there is nothing left for the ninety-percent. For many, there is not even a crumb.

For Luke, the community of Jesus-followers is supposed to be bringing the blessings declared by Jesus to the poor. We see this in Luke’s second volume, known to us as the Acts of the Apostles, where he describes the very first Christ-followers working together. Those with means donated money and food so that the poor would experience the blessings that Jesus taught.

Woes of Wealth

However, as the record of Acts reveals and with what we read about in the Corinthian church, the cultural tradition and human nature associated with wealth and privilege corrupted the equitable treatment of people in the church. And that is perhaps one reason why unlike Matthew, Luke is explicit and includes woes to pair with the blessings.

The wealthy would like everyone else to believe that the availability of wealth is infinite, and therefore anyone could become wealthy with enough hard work or luck. But this is a lie. Throughout history, the wealthy became wealthy through exploitation of others.

For Luke who pairs the blessings and woes, he intends to make his audience understand that,

As soon as the rich no longer exploit the poor, the poor will experience comfort. The two fates are interrelated; Jesus is calling out and convicting the oppressor so that the suffering of the oppressed might end.[7]

For those who claim to follow the way of Jesus Christ, this must be doubly true, otherwise we are not following Christ.

Hated for Being Generous Like Christ

But what about the last pair of blessings and woe? This is the one where the blessing reads, “Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One?” And the corresponding woe, “How terrible for you when all speak well of you?”

It is suggested that at least some of Luke’s audience did take Jesus’ message to heart. Referring back to a commentary read earlier,

Patrons in the Lukan house churches [invited] their poor brothers and sisters to dinner (14:12–14), which generated ostracism from their wealthy, disapproving peers. This relates the fourth beatitude directly to the first, since the disciples were acting and eating according to Jesus’ teaching.[8]

Larycia Hawkins, a biblical scholar said in a podcast interview I listened to,

… What does it mean to have a perspective of the oppressed? And this is what I believe Jesus did. I believe Jesus saw people—Jesus saw people created in God’s image. Jesus dared to be touched and moved by them. He saw that they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd…

How do you heal lepers if lepers live in leper colonies? You go where the lepers are. So I think the impulse to be at the center, centers of power as opposed to clamoring to be last, not first, is anathema to embodied solidarity. So I think there’s something about proximity to suffering that we need to relearn and reclaim. I think the desert is, and the wilderness is, where a lot of us need to be to be rejuvenated, to have our faith challenged. And we could also talk about that as the margins, right? And so where are these marginal places?

And when we are in places of power, are we willing to do risky things?[9]

A Challenge to Live Out the Gospel of Liberation

And I think that is the question we need to wrestle with at this time in history. When so much of what passes for Christianity seems enamored with power, privilege, and comfort, are we willing to risk our reputations and our livelihoods to stand up for the true gospel of liberation that Christ announced and lived out? Are we prepared to do more than just see the poor and oppressed as subjects of theology and our charity? Are we ready to speak out against the systems, institutions, policies, and governance that create and perpetuate poverty? Are we willing to risk our own comfort and security to actively work to dismantle systems of injustice and oppression, wherever they occur?

A few chapters later in Luke, Jesus says to all who seek to follow him, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will save them.” (Luke 9:23-24 CEB)

This week, I invite you to meditate on the discomfort of the gospel of liberation and the cruciform life demanded by it.

In the name of God who lifts the poor,

In the name of God who comforts the oppressed,

And in the name of God who calls us to join with our suffering siblings, Amen.

Works Cited

Bartlett, D. L., & Taylor, B. B. (2009). Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 1 (Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Dunn, J. D., & Rogerson, J. W. (2003). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Garcia Bashaw, J. (2022). Scapegoats: The Gospel Through the Eyes of Victims. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Jarvis, C. A., & Johnson, E. E. (2014). Feasting on the Gospels: Luke, Volume 1, Chapter 1-11. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

The Bible for Normal People. (2025, February 10). Episode 52: Larycia Hawkins – Embodied Solidarity. Retrieved from The Bible for Normal People: https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-52-larycia-hawkins-embodied-solidarity/

 

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[1] (Jarvis & Johnson, 2014)

[2] (Garcia Bashaw, 2022)

[3] (Jarvis & Johnson, 2014)

[4] (Bartlett & Taylor, 2009)

[5] (Dunn & Rogerson, 2003)

[6] (Garcia Bashaw, 2022)

[7] (Garcia Bashaw, 2022)

[8] (Dunn & Rogerson, 2003)

[9] (The Bible for Normal People, 2025)

Sermon: "Who Is My Neighbor?"

Lectionary: Epiphany 4(C)
Texts: 1 Corinthians 13; (Luke 10:25-37)[1]

Jesus Mural of Faith, Hope, Love, and Peace: This mural places Jesus centerstage with arms outstretched, welcoming all people to him. Incorporated into the figure of Jesus is a mosaic quality that undoubtedly represents his multifaceted nature as well as the ability for all peoples to claim him as their own. Surrounding him is a diverse group holding hands in unity. One of the scripture passages listed for this image gives us the second greatest commandment: “to love one’s neighbor as oneself.” In loving one another, we stimulate peace, faith, and hope for the war-torn and unjust world in which we live. This painting reminds us that it is in our love for one another—a love that seeks equality and justice for all—that we show true, deep, and abiding love for God as well.

Introduction

Like any good lawyer, the teacher of the Law who came to question Jesus already knew the answer to his question. He didn’t like the answer he knew to be correct and perhaps wanted to find out if Jesus might come up with a loophole.

When we hear “teacher of the Law” we might assume a kind of a lawyer or legal expert. And that is true, but only to a point. When the text reads, “the Law”, we are to understand that this is the Torah, the entirety of the codes and principles that guide the life of a Jewish person. This individual is not merely versed in legal codes, but in theology, religious practices, social and cultural traditions, and politics. We need to understand that neither the lawyer or Jesus are limiting their questions and responses to the spiritual and theological realm but includes the entirety of the world, life, and being.

In response to the lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?”, Jesus offers a parable – one that we often refer to as The Good Samaritan parable.

But first, I would like to examine what love means, since the heart of the lawyer’s question and Jesus’ response revolves around loving God and loving one’s neighbor.

Paul’s Description of Love

1 Corinthians 13 is often read at weddings, to explain and exhort the wedded couple to the idealized love that is found in Christ. While not a wrong application, to limit what Paul wrote to the Corinthians to individual couples and marital love is to miss the point of Paul’s words. The description of love that Paul provides in this letter is the ultimate social practice that is to be practiced and lived out by all who claim allegiance to Jesus Christ. Love is the practice that holds Christ’s community together. It is the foundation upon which all of Christianity rests.[2]

The first three verses of 1 Corinthians 13 tell us that no activity, however virtuous and good they may be, is worthless if they are not founded in love and motivated through love. A commentary explains,

These words on the primacy of love can help the church in conflict understand that there are some things more important than being right or powerful or honored. If those within the church do not do what they do in a spirit of love, then all religious talk, knowledge, piety, and sacrificial giving add up to nothing… Those who think they have gained everything by standing on principle, dominating others, or by being right, have lost it all.[3]

The final six verses (8-13) tell us that nothing of this world will remain past the end of time, except for love. A commentary explains, “All that will be left, all that will be necessary, will be the completeness (to teleion, v. 10) of relation, human and divine, which is love.”[4]

The center of the chapter describes the characteristics of God-like love that is to be developed and manifested in all who follow Christ.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, ⁵ it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, ⁶ it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. ⁷ Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 CEB)

Paul wrote to a church in Corinth that was experiencing severe conflicts and differences among different factions within it. Each of the attributes of love he notes is related to some conflict that is described elsewhere in the letter and is offered as a response and solution to mitigating conflicts.

For Paul, our capacity to flourish as human beings is realized to the extent that we can live in the love of God revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ. The concrete reality of this divine love is present in our lives as described in verses 4 through 7 [above], where love is the subject, actively expressing itself in patience and kindness, rejoicing in the truth, and bearing, and believing, hoping, and enduring all things. This love is not envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, irritable, or resentful, nor does it insist on its own way.[5]

This is the measure that Christians are to use to judge every thought, action, word, and decision, their own and those outside of them. For Christians, all human laws, political ideologies, religious traditions, social customs, and everything else is secondary to the standard of God’s love.

None of us are yet perfected, as Paul admits in this same chapter, but we can judge on a continuum from clearly against God’s standard of love to striving toward God’s ideal vision of love.

Parable of the Good Samaritan

We now return to the parable Jesus told, the parable of the Good Samaritan.

When this parable is taught and preached, the focus is frequently on the two that passed by the wounded and naked man or the Samaritan who stopped to help. Today though, I would like to spend some time thinking about the man who was beaten and left for dead and think about how he ended up there.

Who or What is the “Thieves”?

The text reads, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death.” (Luke 10:30 CEB) Now this could describe someone who is literally injured and those who are metaphorically hurt, suffering loss, in need, helpless, and so on. But how did that happen? It was the work of “thieves”. So who or what might be the “thieves” indicated in this text?

I think I am safe to assume that we understand that “thieves” does not mean literal thieves and literal stealing. I think we understand that the word is a metaphor for something else. In John’s gospel, Jesus speaks of himself as “the gate”:

⁷ So Jesus spoke again, “I assure you that I am the gate of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me were thieves and outlaws, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. (John 10:7-10 CEB)

Taking this text into account together with who Jesus was addressing, “thieves” can mean civil, political, and religious authorities and powers. It can be rules, laws, policies, traditions, beliefs, etc. that ultimately accrue benefits to the authorities and powers who are imposing laws and policies, collateral damage to anyone else be damned in their minds.

Identifying the Thieves

We are living in a time when ruling powers and authorities, corporations and those who run them, and even leaders of churches and religious groups are acting like the “thieves” alluded to by Jesus. Through policies, laws, economic actions, and even through religious appeals, they hurt and harm, they take lives and livelihoods, and using lies and fear they seek to confuse and control.

For most of our lifetimes, the moral and ethical divide between the broader society, government, and religion vs. the way of God’s love has not been quite so wide. But today, the differences are stark. We cannot have it both ways anymore. We must make a choice: the world’s way or God’s way. Do we choose to maintain self-interest, go along with what the powers and authorities of the world demand, do we acquiesce to them? Or do we stand up for the way of God’s self-sacrificing love?

Do we define “neighbor” narrowly as the law expert wanted to do? Do we limit “neighbor” to those with a specific nationality, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, religion, and beliefs?

Or do we accept and believe what Jesus taught and courageously accept everyone as our “neighbor”? Do we accept and treat those unlike us as neighbors? How about those that hold opposite views and ideologies from us? Or how about those that the laws and policies of the land declare as “not belonging”? And how about those whose words and actions don’t show any signs of love and mercy? How about those that we think don’t deserve love or mercy?

Power and Primacy of Love

Love got Jesus crucified. Are we courageous enough to let the persuasive and sacrificing power of love do its work? It may take time beyond our own lifetimes. Yet simultaneously, are we willing to love one’s neighbor by doing work now to protect those that are targets of scapegoating, prejudice and hate, unjust policies and laws, intolerance, bigotry, discrimination, and resentment? Are we willing to set aside our own interests and our own security to do work to stop and change actions, official or otherwise, that cause harm, injury, and loss to someone, whether that harm and loss is physical, relational, or emotional?

In a post on the site Whosoever, Candace Chellew writes, “We either believe that love is stronger than hate, or we don’t. We can’t waffle on this issue…”, and “we must double down on our inner work of rooting out hatred and fear from our own hearts and minds.”[6]

“Who is my neighbor?” is perhaps a misdirected question.

Returning to one of the commentaries from earlier, the author writes,

The lawyer had wanted to know, “Who is my neighbor?” The question seeks definition. Where are the limits of one’s legal responsibility to love another as oneself? Is “neighbor” a geographical term? Is it an ethnic or tribal term? To answer the question of limits is also necessarily to comment on who exists beyond the definition. Maybe that is why Jesus does not answer the question asked by the lawyer. In the parable Jesus tells, he defines “neighbor” not as someone worthy to receive love but as someone able to offer it. Jesus leads the lawyer to the conclusion that neighbors are those who act in love toward others.[7]

Jesus told the lawyer and by extension, us, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37b CEB)

Offering your love, mercy, and compassion to your neighbor was an act of dissent then as it is now. It is a sign that Christians do not acquiesce to unjust leaders, laws, and demands.

In the name of God who Creates,

In the name of God who Loves,

And in the name of God who comforts the discomforted and discomforts the comfortable, Amen.

Works Cited

Bartlett, D. L., & Taylor, B. B. (2009). Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 1 (Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Chellew, C. (2025, January 25). Be the Change... Within. Retrieved from Whosoever.: https://whosoever.org/be-the-change-within/

Dunn, J. D., & Rogerson, J. W. (2003). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Jarvis, C. A., & Johnson, E. E. (2014). Feasting on the Gospels: Luke, Volume 1, Chapter 1-11. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Smith, E. (2025, January 29). What would a federal freeze mean? Retrieved from Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist: https://emilysmith.substack.com/p/what-would-a-federal-freeze-mean

 

 

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[1] I modified the readings and sermon topic after reading “A Note to Clergy” at the end of (Smith, 2025).

[2] Let us recall 1 John where God is described as love itself.

[3] (Bartlett & Taylor, 2009)

[4] (Dunn & Rogerson, 2003)

[5] (Bartlett & Taylor, 2009)

[6] (Chellew, 2025)

[7] (Jarvis & Johnson, 2014)

Sermon: The Sign at Cana

Lectionary: Epiphany 2(C)
Text: Psalm 36:5-10; John 2:1-11

Wedding Troubles

Marriage in Cana, Anders Eriksson, 1807

Probably the only thing true about weddings is that nothing about it goes completely according to plan.

In most of our experiences, weddings, even after including dinners that occur prior to the main event, don’t last more than a few days. The weddings of Jesus’ society, however, lasted an entire week. And it wasn’t just people coming together for one dinner and going home. The event went on day and night for the entire week.

There was plenty that could go wrong. And in the wedding narrated in John 2, something went very, very wrong. The wine ran out during the middle of the week. That might not seem like such a catastrophe to our sensibilities. If we run out of wine, we just have someone go to one of the liquor stores and pick up some bottles or boxes.

But for illustration’s sake let’s imagine the entire population of Petersburg celebrating the marriage of a couple of its residents[1], and the party goes on day and night for 168 hours.[2] “Responsible drinking” hadn’t yet entered the lexicon although outright drunkenness would be strongly frowned upon.[3] However, it would be an affront to the host and be considered socially unacceptable to refuse to partake.[4] And with the continuous feasting and drinking, the entire stock of all the liquor stores in town gets depleted. Even if new stock was ordered that very same day, the next shipment is at least a week away.

This is a grand failure on the part of the wedding planners and caterers. Could they not accurately predict the amount of wine that would be needed? They would be the laughingstock of the town and region for decades to come. People would think twice about hiring them again. The groom and bride would also bear the shame of hosting the most catastrophic wedding of the century.

No Wine, Full of Shame

Picture what I just described as a present-day analogy to the setting in which Jesus and his mother are found when the narrative opens in John 2.

¹ On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:1-5 NRSVue)

The scene is set. The principal characters have moved onto stage.

For some reason, the author notes that it is the third day.[5] We will return to this in just a little bit.

The wedding is in Cana, a village about 10 miles north of Nazareth. The proximity of the two villages (about a half-day travel on foot) implies that the wedding could have been of one of Jesus’ relatives. And that could explain why Jesus’ mother seemed to have some involvement in the management of the event. It also explains why Jesus and his new disciples, probably numbering about five at this point, were also invited.

Sometime during the wedding week, the wine runs out. And this is truly a catastrophe, since a Middle Eastern wedding is not just an event, but a time when social hierarchies and standings are evaluated and adjusted. Two families are joined through the wedding and new hierarchies of honor are established. The wine running out is a shameful event for all who were involved in the planning, organizing, and hosting the wedding. The shame will continue to haunt them and their families for a very long time, perhaps their entire lives.

When Jesus’ mother states, “They have no wine,” Jesus is fully cognizant of the myriad implications that holds for the wedding couple, their families, his mother, his family, and himself. Yet his response is puzzling: “Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” It seems like Jesus is not at all concerned about the immediate problem. His thoughts seem to be elsewhere. We will return to this in a little bit.

Much has been made of the way Jesus addresses his mother as “woman.” Suffice to say that scholars conclude that it was not a rude method of addressing a woman, but it does seem to imply a kind of distance between the two. The manner of address is not familial.

His mother either ignores what seems like Jesus’ indifference, or she understands what is going on inside his head. She turns to the servants and places them under Jesus’ command.

Sidebar: Assumptions Made In Our Readings

There is a point that struck me while reading the setting of this scene. We often talk and hear about how destitute Jesus’ family might have been. But that might not be quite accurate. Jesus’ mother seems to have some degree of status and authority among the families present. And then there is the fact that John the Baptist and his family were from the priestly line and would have had some of the comforts that go along with serving at the Jerusalem temple. What might have happened to form our idea of economics of Jesus’ life is that 1) the popular images of the circumstances of Jesus’ birth, 2) the wilderness setting of John’s preaching, and 3) Jesus’ itinerant ministry might have overly colored our ideas. To be fair, they were probably nowhere up to modern middle-class standings, but it might be more accurate to say that they had some degree of comfort and security in their daily lives.

Miscommunication and Misunderstanding

In the gospel according to John, the author frequently has Jesus and his interlocutor communicating on different levels, often with comedic results. One clear example is where Jesus speaks with Nicodemus. Nicodemus is hearing and speaking at the human level of literal water and birth. Jesus, however, is communicating at a metaphorical and spiritual level where water and birth are infused with new, spiritual meanings.

I see something similar happening with the narrative of the wedding. There are words and phrases that seem oddly placed and seem to have little relevance when taken literally. But when they are interpreted as prefiguring Jesus’ death and resurrection, the pieces begin to come together.

We earlier noted that the setting begins with “the third day.” This could simply be a sequence of days, but it could also be an allusion to Jesus’ resurrection. In the very next story where Jesus cleanses the Temple, another reference to “three days” is made and here it is made explicit that these three days refer to his resurrection.

But the phrase that ties the wedding story to Jesus’ passion is his words, “My hour has not yet come.” Jesus repeats this several times during his ministry until the final week (in chapter 12) where the phrase changes to, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

At the end of this story, the narrator writes, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11) This is another signal that the story is a partial revelation of God through Jesus, a revelation – an epiphany – that will see its fullness in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

When Jesus’ mother informs him that “there is no wine,” she is speaking literally. But Jesus’ response is at the spiritual and metaphorical level. Unlike Nicodemus who will speak his confusion and misunderstanding, Jesus’ mother simply accepts what Jesus says and turns to command the servants. Did she realize Jesus’ words and its spiritual significance? The narrator leaves this ambiguous.

Note that Jesus’ mother only appears here and at the crucifixion, both times unnamed and referred to only as Jesus’ mother. Scholars and commentators see in Jesus’ mother a picture of an idealized disciple, who walks with Jesus and places her trust in him, even at the cross. From that perspective, we might speculate correctly that Mary did indeed understand that Jesus was turning her thoughts from literal wine to something else with deeper meaning and purpose.

The Miracle Isn’t About the Miracle

With that in mind, there are several more points to glean from the rest of the story.

When this story is told and interpreted, the focus is often on the miracle itself. But for the narrator and Jesus, the miracle itself takes a back seat. The miracle is not the point. In fact, John does not use the term “miracle” but uses the word “sign” to report Jesus’ significant actions.

One point to consider is the transformation of ordinary into extraordinary. The water jars were there for the ordinary rites of ceremonial purification. Neither the jars nor the water that they held were consecrated in any special manner. Jesus uses the ordinary vehicles of life and transforms them into objects from which joy and celebration pours forth.

Another point to consider is that those in charge had no idea from where this excellent wine suddenly arrived. The servants knew, and Jesus’ disciples knew. But apparently no one else was privy to how exactly the caterers found this delicious wine. In the same way, the kingdom of God may arrive through unexpected sources, sources that may not be through the usual channels that we expect God to use.

A third point to consider is regarding traditions and the value of traditions. Sometimes tradition has value. Jesus did not get rid of Judaism. But he was also critical of meaningless traditions. Jesus’ society valued older traditions over new teachings. When the head caterer exclaimed, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now,” (John 2:10) it is meant quite literally, but the writer of John also intends it to be understood metaphorically.

The synoptic gospels include a parable about new wine in old wineskins. John does not include it, but here in the wedding story, I see a similar idea. The older traditions and such are not bad, but in Jesus, something newer and better has arrived.

The Epiphany

Finally, what does this story reveal about Jesus? The text says Jesus “revealed his glory.”

I think one of the things revealed is the abundance of God’s grace and favor. If the wine here can be seen representing joy, celebration, and the abundance of life, where it was running out Jesus not only replenishes but does so with over-the-top abundance. Jesus provided 120 to 180 gallons of wine.[6] That converts to 600 to 900 standard bottles of wine.

Do we live our lives fearing about running out, or are we able to live in abundance even when it might seem we are starting to run short on some things?

Another epiphany is that Jesus cares about what humans think is important. Even though the writer of John has Jesus speaking at a different level, Jesus nevertheless takes care of the human need for celebration, to keep shame at bay, and provide for material needs.

Modern Christians and Christian communities are generally competent at talking about spiritual matters and providing programs to address them. But how do we fare in meeting the emotional and material needs of our fellow humans? How are we at promoting and preserving joy within our communities?

This is only the first of the seven signs that John records in his gospel account. But being the first should inform us that there are several key revelations of God presented here.

If I was to summarize the epiphany of Jesus through this first story, it would be this: Jesus places a high value on human celebration and joy. Jesus offers us a way to change our perspective from living from scarcity to living into abundance.

In the name of God who called Creation “good”,

In the name of God who became a part of Creation,

And in the name of God who challenges us to the work of restoration and reconciliation of all Creation back to God, Amen.

Bibliography

Bartlett, D. L., & Taylor, B. B. (2009). Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 1 (Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Dunn, J. D., & Rogerson, J. W. (2003). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

McGrath, J. F. (2021). What Jesus Learned from Women. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

Paulien, J. (2003). John: The Beloved Gospel. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association.

 

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[1] Western weddings, even though they are public events, still come from a private perspective. The focus is the couple, and guests are typically family, friends, and those specifically invited to attend. A Middle Eastern wedding of Jesus’ time is entirely a public and communal affair. We see this public nature extended to banquets other than weddings and can often include unexpected guests (c.f., Simon’s banquet, Mark 14:3-9; the uninvited wedding guest, Matthew 22:10-13).

[2] They probably do take time to sleep, but it is still continuous feasting and celebration for an entire week.

[3] We should note though that the alcohol content of wine was probably lower back then than in today’s.

[4] I am not advocating for or against drinking. Alcoholism and drunkenness are serious issues that can be prevented and treated. This paragraph is a thought experiment to overlay Jesus’ cultural norms into our time to better understand what was happening between the words of the biblical text. We have modern science which helps inform choices that we make regarding the consumption of alcohol.

[5] The Good News Translation uses “two days later,” while technically correct, miss a theological significance of “the third day.” The GNT also uses “miracle” instead of “sign” which may be more understandable in the English vernacular, but also misses a theological point that the author of the gospel is making.

[6] I grew up in a denomination that advocated and required complete abstinence from consuming alcohol. Interpretation of texts, as I see them now, involved a considerable amount of motivated reasoning and cherry picking to explain away the use and consumption of wine in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. What I see now is that the Bible is multivocal and there is no singular, correct view on the use of alcoholic drinks that can be found in the biblical text. For me, the proper vs. improper use comes to an individual asking for themselves if consuming alcohol ends up harming themselves and/or others, or if it can be a tool to facilitate relationship building and joy. For some people, this will mean that they cannot consume alcohol and perhaps need to avoid any environment that includes it. For others, the degree and amount can vary. What I do believe the Bible condemns is drunkenness to the point of losing control over one’s thoughts, words, and actions, i.e., causing harm, and becoming addicted to its use, i.e., making it an idol on whose altar money, job, family, and relationships are sacrificed.

Sermon: God's Beloved

Lectionary: Baptism of the Lord, Year C 

Texts: Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Baptism of Christ

Today’s gospel reading began with “As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.” (Luke 3:15 NRSVue) Through this verse we learn that the expectation for a Messiah was high. From what we have regarding the history and literature of that period, apocalyptic sentiments were heightened.

But this verse raises a question that is not answered by today’s gospel reading. The question is this: why did the people want to believe that John might be the Messiah? To come to some possible answers, we need to read the text that came before. Some of these verses were read during the Advent season, but it will be helpful to read them again to remind ourselves of the setting.

Luke 3:3-6 reads,

³ He [John] went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. ⁵ Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, ⁶ and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (Luke 3:3-6)

What is the region around the Jordan? The regions include Judea, Samaria, Perea, Decapolis, and Galilee. We don’t know for certain that John went to all these regions, but we have a pretty good indication that people from these areas heard about John and came to see and hear him. A key point to note about this is that the areas mentioned include Jews, Samaritans, Romans, Greeks, and other ethnicities that made up the Roman empire. The ancient Jewish prophets saw a time, often associated with an anointed one, when the nations would be gathered and come to Israel. What was happening with John at the Jordan may have been seen and interpreted as fulfilling what the prophets foresaw.

When John saw the crowd,

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:7-9)

The message John gives follows in the footsteps of the prophets of old. It is a message of repentance and judgment. It is a message where those opposed to the ways of God will be removed and an ideal society remains to be enjoyed by those who follow God. It is an apocalyptic message and a messianic message. And following in the pattern of the ancient prophets, the message is one where belonging to God is not based on one’s ancestry, ethnicity, or nationality, but on God’s selection and choice, which means belonging is open to all.

The people want to know how they can prepare so they can belong to this new society.

¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What, then, should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” (Luke 3:10-14)

The society John describes is not where everyone is identical. Each still has their role and purpose, but each exists for the greater good. Each member of society is looking out to make sure everyone else is taken care of. Taxes are collected, only as needed, in order to promote the common good. Self-interest and greed have no place in this society. Equitable justice is the principle on which this society is based. Once more, this vision of an ideal society reflects that which was envisioned by the ancient prophets. It was a society that God’s anointed was expected to inaugurate and preside over.

The stars were lining up[1], one might say during Epiphany season, for the appearance of God’s anointed one, aka the Messiah. Therefore, “The people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.” (Luke 3:15)

But John dismisses their expectations about himself.

¹⁶ John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Luke 3:16-17)

I would like to pause to make an observation regarding John’s attitude toward power and influence. John had a great deal of influence over the people. He may have had some degree of assumed power from his ancestry and ties to the priesthood, but he seemed mostly to be an outsider. Yet he wielded a great deal of power of the people. In spite of that, he knew his relationship with God and that any influence and power he had was granted by God. He knew that he was not and could not be the Messiah; that God had someone else in mind for that role. John did not try to hold on to his influence and power but pointed toward someone who would be greater.

We need to keep this foremost in our minds when we look at leaders, especially those who hold or claim to positions of spiritual and religious leadership. Self-aggrandizement is a key sign that they are probably not fit to be a leader. Those who seek position wholly or in part to increase their own power and influence are not following God’s way of leading. When we examine Jesus’ life and ministry, even as God’s anointed, the Messiah, he did not seek power or influence for himself. His work was entirely dedicated to empowering the powerless and restoring them as complete human beings in society.

We now get to the text where Jesus is baptized.

²¹ Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)

In Luke’s version of Jesus’ baptism, when Jesus is baptized, he is not recognized explicitly nor does John mount a protest when Jesus arrives. Jesus is merely one among the many whom John baptizes. Jesus does not draw attention to himself. The text notes the Holy Spirit descending as a dove and a voice from heaven. Did anyone else see or hear what happened? The gospels are ambiguous on this point. Jesus himself saw and heard, and the texts seem to indicate that John saw and heard also. But did anyone else among the people experience this anointing and inauguration of Jesus to public ministry? The answer is unclear.

A point to think about that we can draw from this is that even as Messiah, Jesus did not make any special attempts to draw attention to himself. Even as he went about in his public ministry, Jesus often tried to keep his works and preaching from becoming too public. Jesus did not want special treatment. He needed to live life as a human being experiencing the trials of life that go along with it. Unlike the other gods of the Roman empire, Jesus would experience the entire gamut of humanness and thereby qualify himself to be the prototype (as the epistle to the Hebrews puts it) for new humanity in a new society.

When the voice speaks about Jesus, one of the allusions is to text found in Isaiah 42:1-9.

¹ Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
² He will not cry out or lift up his voice
or make it heard in the street;
³ a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
⁴ He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
⁵ Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
⁶ I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
⁷ to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
⁸ I am the LORD; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
⁹ See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

This is what it means to be God’s anointed, the Messiah. The influence and power of the Messiah will not be carried through physical force, military might, or political threats and favors. It will be through gentle and humble service. It will be through activity that seeks to bring justice where the powerful of the world have acted unjustly. It will be through activities that cause the world’s powers to eventually crucify him. It will be through the creation of a new society that continues to make peace and establish justice in the world, not by might but through love.

When each new individual joins this new society, one that is sometimes referred to as the global Christian church, when the Holy Spirit anoints this new individual, this is the path they are called to walk.

Each of us who have been baptized into Christ and received the Holy Spirit continue the work of Jesus Christ. We have been anointed as children of God to bring the good news to the poor, to open the eyes of the blind, to confront and correct injustices of the nations, and to identify as the body of Christ. Baptism is not primarily about “being saved,” particularly in the individual sense, but instead about joining the community and body of Christ and to be with and to work in harmony with all other members of the body.

When Jesus was baptized, he joined humanity. When we are baptized, we join Jesus in the new humanity that he began.

Bibliography

Bartlett, D. L., & Taylor, B. B. (2009). Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 1 (Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Dunn, J. D., & Rogerson, J. W. (2003). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Howard, J. K. (1970). New Testament Baptism. London: Pickering & Inglis LTD.

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[1] Metaphor definitely intended for the season of Epiphany.