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Common Lectionary: Epiphany 3C, St. Luke

The only vision that matters is how we serve Jesus; God has begun a great work among us, which will cost our lives and our fortunes.

Keywords: - Dreams, Kingdom of God, Church, Holy Spirit, Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Key Scriptures: - Luk 4:16-21

Other Scriptures: - Isa 61, Joh 14:12-14, Act 2:2-3, Joh 1:1-18

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  1. Vision of this church: YOU

a. Bringing God’s Kingdom to life

b. Being the Body of Christ, having true unconditional compassion

c. Bearing our crosses

2. Our servanthood

a. Unconditional compassion; humble, passionate

b. Preach good news, proclaim freedom and recovery of sight, release the oppressed

God has something extraordinary in store for us. We have many dreams for the land we have just purchased, but this land and these buildings are not the church, though they enable us to do the mission Jesus has given us. The necessary work of planning, raising funds and building is not the vision of the church. The vision is YOU, bringing God’s Kingdom to life; it is you living out the vision of Jesus as his body. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Jesus said we will do this and even greater things! We are his hands, feet, body, mind and heart, to do what He did and with His power. Jesus calls us to have compassion, to touch and heal broken lives--compassion not as sympathy or pity, but going to people where suffering is most acute and building a home there; a compassion that is unconditional without reservation; a willing, humble, passionate service to the world. We are to follow Jesus’ example of servanthood, bearing our crosses. I have a vision of a church where people experience Jesus as real and his power as life-changing; a church that does not divide ‘rescuing’ the lost from ‘restoring’ them to well-being, but always does both; that looks upon those in need not with disdain, but as seeing the face of Jesus; a church that doesn’t wait for the hurting to come in, but moves out neighborhood by neighborhood, serving in practical but miraculous ways. You are this church’s vision, in how you live and serve Jesus. God has begun a great work among us; it will cost us our lives and fortunes. We will work harder than ever, finding God in every moment, praising him without ceasing, doing the impossible.