Church of the Good Shepherd
3700 Rutherford Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111-1997
The Reverend Kester T. Sobers, III, Pastor
Third Sunday after the
Epiphany
2001
2001
The following is the sermon preached by Pastor Sobers on January 21, 2001, the Sunday following the Inauguration of George W. Bush as President of the United States.
Whether you are a liberal shedding tears of sorrow, a conservative shedding tears of joy, or like me, just a loyal American who fills up with emotion when the flag goes by in a parade or the National Anthem is sung, there is without doubt a great deal of emotion that surrounds the inauguration of the President of the United States. There is more than the pomp and ceremony, the hollowed traditions and the official decorum. There is the blessed gift of the peaceful transfer of power, our republic and its leaders of both parties at their best if only for a brief hour.
The network commentators have made note of the fact that inaugural speeches are not times for laying out policy or political posturing. It is a time for holding up the Union, painting a picture of what this nation under God might be like. Over the years there have been memorable lines from presidential inauguration speeches. From the pages of history come Roosevelt's stirring, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." For those of us who were young and idealistic at the time of his inauguration, and all of us who remember the grief of a nation when he was assassinated, John Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country," will always strike a rich chord. Richard Nixon told us that "America has suffered from a fever of words." And Jimmy Carter, who is a devout Christian and Sunday School teacher, quoted from the prophet Micah, "You have been taught what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humble with your God." I'm sure there were many other quotable phrases over the years, but the goal of all the presidential speeches has always been to capture the minds and hearts of the hearers.
The First Reading from the Prophet Nehemiah portrays a national moment as well as a time of religious significance. Exiles have returned and the city of Jerusalem has been rebuilt. It is indeed an emotional hour! Almost reminiscent of Washington geography the Prophet is facing the square before the Water Gate, and the people are attentive to the book of the law. The law of the Lord is both lifted up before the people, and interpreted for them, and even though they were told not to weep or mourn, they could not help but be overcome by emotion.
In today's gospel Jesus in essence begins his administration. Not unlike the inaugurations that we have witnessed over the years, Jesus appeals to tradition, he lays out his agenda in the context of worship, he has received the mandate of people who have heard him preach and teach, and his life and work is to be fulfillment of the words of the Prophet Isaiah. "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 sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Surely all these things would be pleasing to everyone who heard him. Certainly those words "captured the imagination" of the people at Sabbath worship that day. The same Jesus is with us in worship today. He is made present for us in Word and Sacrament. Do his words capture our imagination? Where are our blind spots? How, even in the midst of our seeming prosperity, are we still impoverished. Living in the land of freedom and plenty are we oppressed and held captive? Only we can answer those questions in the privacy of our hearts and in the context of this community gathered to hear words of comfort and hope.
The best line of all proclaimed in our midst today are the words of Jesus, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." His Spirit-filled words and deeds are spirit and life for all in need. As we are forgiven, restored, as our eyes are opened, our poverty reversed, as we are set free, and our oppression lifted, we are empowered by the same Spirit to embrace the ideals of the One who has embraced us, and embrace those whom he loves. This is how the "year of the Lord's favor" is realized and the Scripture is fulfilled in our hearing today! Amen.
--K.T.S.
January 21, 2001
January 21, 2001
First Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Gospel: Luke 4:14-21
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