The Bethany Bullet Sermon Message - Week of February 3, 2019

Sermon: “Outrageous”

Read: Luke 4:21-30

The crowd is NOT upset that Jesus says the Scriptures apply to Himself!  Joyous affirmation however becomes furious confrontation when Jesus says God’s kingdom, His work and His grace are for those they’ve written off! 

If the Good News is for “OUR POOR” that’s one thing; freedom comes for “OUR PRISONERS”, great; sight for OUR BLIND, hurray; release for OUR OPPRESSED, preach it brother! 

Had Jesus said, “Amen”, they would have said, “Alleluia!” 

Instead of trying to throw Him down a hill they would have hoisted Him upon their shoulders…it wasn’t until He said to the ladies aid (who probably knitted Mary a baby blanket), “God had plenty of widows in Israel”. When Elijah went to the one in Sidon (that’s Phoenician territory, Samaritan land)…what Jesus was saying was, “God’s heart and mission is opened even to those your head and menu are closed to.”  As if that weren’t enough, Jesus goes on to say in the presence of the VPHW - Vets of Philistine Wars, “There were plenty of people afflicted with leprosy in the Jewish community but Elisha wasn’t sent to any of them but rather the commander of the Syrian army.”….what Jesus was saying was, “God’s peace extends to those your nation considers enemies – perhaps is even at war with.”  The folk (who minutes before were willing to embrace the declaration that Jesus is the one upon whom the spirit of the LORD rests), suddenly find themselves in a state of unrest and their intention is that Jesus rest…in peace, so to speak.  They intend to kill Him!  Let’s be clear their anger at Jesus at this time is NOT based upon the notion that they want to limit HOW God be here…in human flesh; rather their fury flows from the fact that they have set limits upon WHO God can be for... 

               

Now, to embrace that God loves everyone doesn’t mean we have to agree with everyone!  To embrace that God is for all, doesn’t mean we don’t have differences from many!  But we cannot remotely begin to love neighbor as self until we confess that He loves everyone as much as He loves us. 

God loves everyone, and none more than others nor others more than some. God loves ALL…fully, unilaterally, unconditionally!  God loves men as much as women and girls as much as boys, Africans as much as Europeans and Americans as much as Venezuelans. God loves Democrats as much as Republicans and Conservatives as much as Liberals. God loves persecutors as much as the persecuted; and the hateful as much as the faithful – don’t buy it, read the account of Saul in the book of Acts. God loves unbelieving salespersons as much as the ordained clergypersons. Don’t buy it, read the parable of the Good Samaritan. 

He loves Patriots as much as Rams and Rams as much as Patriots and both equally to the same degree as Steelers…I don’t get it but I know it to be true!  His love for you is such that I can say without question:  there is nothing you have ever done that could cause God to love you any less and there is nothing you could do that would cause Him to love you even more…He loves you completely, utterly and freely in Christ. 

-Pr. Kevin Kritzer