When was this church built? One of the stones
is engraved 1920 to make sure we know that easily. They say that the cornerstone for this building was available from subway construction. The cornerstone is the key stone that connects two walls. But what we mean
everday is that the cornerstone is the indispensable and fundamental basis. If someone came along this morning and removed the cornerstone while we’re sitting here, we would notice. You can’t just take it away.
We are in a confusing time in Christian faith. Our own denomination will have a two week meeting in Cleveland in May with a wrenching struggle over what we believe. People speak about President Bush taking care of his core supporters on the Christian Right where people have gotten decided that the cornerstones of faith involve gun control and patriotism.
Everyone wants to use their life in a way that ends before the throne of God, with the Lord saying to you as in Matthew 25, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’ Wouldn’t it be awful if you got to heaven and the Lord said, ‘Don’t get me wrong. Im really glad to see you but I’d have to say that you struggle for 50 years to do things I wasn’t really interested in.’ You would see others step forward and it would be obvious that they had somehow picked up what was key to God’s heart and just made better choices. We know a lot of people are headed for an experience like that because Christians push so many different things as the cornerstones of faith that they can’t all be right. This morning we’re going to look at a scripture that shows what Jesus thinks is indispensable and fundamental. Today’s scripture is the verse in the Bible that I raise above every other. If you remember the four cornerstones of this verse, I think you know where the heart of Jesus is. And that means you’ll know how to live in ways that mean something.
Luke highlights this message of Jesus because it is Jesus’ first message. As we have been watching the politicians, they get their campaign started with their best message. You simply couldn’t succeed if you had a new machine and you started to sell it but your first message was not the important one. Imagine your first TV ad to explain that your machine is yellow in color and fits in a room easily. No one is ready to buy a yellow box until they know what it does.
Further, Luke explains that Jesus gives this message because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. Luke is the gospel writer who more often records moments when God’s spirit is in control. That also gives tremendous authority to some of his passages. Jesus speaks these words in Nazareth because God has commanded it. How much closer to cornerstone can you get?
Even further, Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 61 before he comments on that text. The custom at synagogues was for any man who was respected to be invited to read a portion of the Torah of their own choosing and make a devotional comment. Jesus shows that his cornerstones are not outside the boundaries of what God’s people have already heard. He is laying a foundation that is in harmony with the prophets from the beginning.
The cornerstones are made with the four phrases in verse 18 ‘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’
The cornerstones at first sound pleasing to the Sabbath crowd and they are amazed. Jesus seems to hint that foreign domination of the country should now cease. That is like saying to us that terrorism will be banned and we can go back to lives without locks and armies. If I could preach that this morning, you would be so amazed that you would start whispering to each other, ‘I can’t believe he’s going to try that.’
We still need sight for the blind. But in Jesus’ day, the range of drugs was tiny – a few herbs that might or might not help. No surgery. Remember how Psalm 91 speaks about God will protect you lest you dash your foot against a stone. A serious verse if you don’t have surgery. I cut my foot in Ecuador on the sidewalk. They have a lot of metal posts that stick out of the sidewalk two inches high and you have to watch your step. As soon as I did it, I could have kicked myself. Could I get tetanus or diphtheria so far from home? Jesus’ mission is wellness. And of course there is a spiritual dimension to these cornerstones. Jesus uses blindness to stand for all diseases because spiritual blindness is when you can’t find your direction in life. If you have deep confusion and distress about what life means, Jesus’ heart is there for you.
When Jesus declares that it is now the acceptable year of the Lord, he is declaring a jubilee year. This happened every fifty years when all debts were to be cancelled and all land was to revert to the original tribal owner. Many people then and now make some mistakes along life’s path that have financial consequences. The Jubilee helped you get on your feet again. Of course, the people who hated it were the people who made wise decisions those fifty years.
This is probably the phrase that turns people from tremendous enjoyment to tremendous anger. They had heard about Jesus’ miracles. They have been surprised by his authority and the sweeping sound of Isaiah’s ancient words updated. Now they understand that they are to be partners with Jesus. They have to offer something to others in more need than themselves.
The gospel is first for the people who have been left out – the prisoner, the blind, the oppressed and those heavily in debt. If you are working two jobs and not making ends meet, rejoice, because the favor of God is upon you. But if you are secure, Jesus requires you to join the year of jubilee and help someone who is falling. I doubt that 10 people here this morning know the name of Ed Anderson. He lived on 79th Street. About 15 years ago, he came up to the pastor one morning and made a gift of $15,000 in stock. His request was that it be placed in a special account and only the interest would be used for the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund. Ed did not want a time to come when there would be no fund to help people. 15 years later, we receive about $100 a month from this interest. Thanks to Ed Anderson.
Jesus got people mad by what he left out. This was a time when people could not read and the only books were in synagogues anyway. They had many pieces of Scripture memorized. They wanted to hear the next line in Isaiah which speaks of calamity for enemies. Jesus omitted that section of the reading. At first they may have wondered if he forgot. But his big mission is obviously the forgiveness of all who will come. It is a much bigger message than Judaism. They were not only an occupied nation and oppressed people, but Jesus would not even let them have their own special relationship with God. Romans and just anybody could know the peace that they have.
The largest point of this passage is not how you are I will respond. It is what Jesus is determined to do. This is the cornerstone of his life and mission, to offer salvation and liberation, spiritual peace and physical relief to any who will respond.
We need to be people who are first content with the core mission of Christ. I am outraged by injustice. But I have to balance those feelings with God’s constant invitation for all people to come. I meet so many angry people who want vengeance. My friend was at a revival meeting in Canada when some rock music got started outside. An old lady started to pray next to my friend ‘Smite them Lord, smite them.’ I want every person in Jackson Heights to feel invited to Community Church. That includes pimps on Roosevelt, kids who bash out windows of cars on my block, small time thieves who take anything not nailed down, storeowners charging unfairly. We invite all and if they respond, trust the transforming power of God.
And we need to be people who live in jubilee. How can you see a message this glorious and not sign up on the spot? I urge you earnestly to consider this because it will change how much satisfaction you have in life for the rest of your life. It really will. I meet too many people who are angry and bitter that life hasn’t given out more and they didn’t seem to get the right guidance. If you live in jubilee, your life will change. Its not too late.
I told you that I traveled with Merle who is in retirement and he is helping people. We went to a barrio high above Quito. He provides for two children to attend school and have their medical care. He got to meet the family and I sat down on the side to watch the scene. It was so pleasant to be in that hut. No running water, no bathroom, nothing that we think essential and at 10,000 feet, not too warm either. But there was the love of God there because I saw a man who was trying to live the year of jubilee. And it reinspired me all over again to live in jubilee myself.
